Peace Begins Here

“The road map to peace is not created by governments but by people who are able to be truly present with each other, practicing deep listening and empathy for the suffering of others. Thich Nhat Hanh has brought Palestinians and Israelis to Plum Village, France, for retreats where they begin their own peace process. This paperback outlines some of the practices they tried and is spiced with stories from participants in these retreats. Thich Nhat Hanh adds his thoughts about cultivating the seeds of peace, dealing with anger, fostering reconciliation, walking the path of nonviolent resistance, and creating a people’s peace treaty.”
—Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality & Practice

“Peace Begins Here is a guide. It offers instruction in core practices such as mindful eating, walking, and speaking and in the more challenging processes such as deep listening, taking care of our feelings, beginning anew, and use of a personal peace treaty. Sprinkled throughout this hope-filled book are the voices of Palestinians and Israelis who have chosen to take steps toward their own peace, who have chosen to listen and speak with compassion, who have stopped watering the seeds of despair and anger and stepped instead toward reconciliation.”
—Lois Schlegel, The Mindfulness Bell