It’s hard to have one kid sit still, don’t get started on a million. But in 2013, a project called ‘V-Star Change the World’ took place at the Wat Phra Dhammakaya Buddhist Temple in Thailand, where 1 million children meditated together.
The children came from over 5,000 schools, selected especially for the challenge of meditating next to each other in silence for one whole day for the sake of world peace. The ‘V-Star’ in the project’s name stands for ‘virtuous star.’ These kids are all recognized in their schools and communities to be kind and moral examples. The project brings all of these special children together to connect, shared stories, and support each other.
It’s not an easy task to participate in. Before the massive event, the children had 10 tasks to do every day for three months. These included making their beds, helping their parents with chores, and saving their allowances. This is part of the temple’s belief that to change the world, we have to change ourselves first.
1 Million Children Meditated for World Peace
V-Star Change the World started in 2008. The abbot at Wat Phra Dhammakaya Temple, Luang Phor Dhammachayo, created the World Morality Revival initiative. The abbot believes that instilling strong morals into children could create a more positive future. In 2021, that future is more uncertain than ever.
“If we want to change the world, we must start with the small things, so if we want to change the world, we need the kids to change first,” the program explains. “We believe that changing the world starts with changing ourselves, so when a million kids are doing their best to be a better person, it can really change the world. If we want to change the world, we must start with the small things, so if we want to change the world, we need the kids to change first. We believe that changing the world starts with changing ourselves, so when a million kids are doing their best to be a better person, it can really change the world.”
The program chose meditation as the activity because it fills people with optimistic energy, helping them connect with others. It’s believed to help defy prejudices and other obstacles in societal connections.
Other Buddhists have criticized this annual program. They accuse it of being a fancy show that lacks true virtue. Some have described the temple as a cult because of its unfaltering beliefs.
The Minister of Education, Prof. Dr. Suchart Thadathamrongvej, congratulated the 1 million children who meditated. “Today, I am very impressed when I see lots of children coming here together to do good deeds… I’m confident that Luang Phaw’s method is right and correct to change this world to be beautiful because of morality again.”
Reducing Pandemic Stress with Meditation
During the stressful times of the COVID-19 pandemic, we long for an optimistic future more than ever. Whether or not we agree with the temple’s philosophy, their emphasis on meditation for self-improvement is backed by scientific research. Plus, we don’t need 1 million children to meditate with.
Meditation is a practice that brings the focus to the present and its emotions. This mindfulness helps us get in touch with how we feel without trying to judge or suppress it. Once we can center and understand ourselves, this creates a sense of peace and calmness. A simple way to combat life’s stresses. [2]
Meditation isn’t always sitting on a mat outside a temple. It could be as simple as closing your eyes and taking a deep breath before reacting to a frustrating situation. It could be done in bed or even at work, wherever it’s quiet and distraction-free. During this exercise, close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing. Then go inward, noticing what you feel in that moment, emotions, and sensations in your body. When your mind starts to wander, draw it back to the present by re-focusing on the breath.
In the words of meditation teacher Tara Brach: “Our breath is often the most helpful home base for coming out of our circling worry thoughts and back into our senses. But we can also come back to the sounds we’re hearing in the moment, or the sensation of our hands or feet tingling, or the sight of a tree or table. Coming back to the senses in our body helps us come back to the present moment.”
The Health Benefits of Meditation
There’s no wonder that research has found so many benefits for meditation, including:
When asked about how to deal with the stress of the pandemic, Brach said, “When things fall apart, it’s a really horrible time in the sense that there’s so much suffering, but it’s also an opportunity for us to wake up our hearts in an unprecedented way. The ultimate gift of meditation is that it helps us come home to a space of presence that is large enough for whatever we encounter. And it’s from that space that we can actually live from who we most want to be.
“So really the question is, how will you be with the fear and the grief? What is being called forth in you in these times? Who do you want to be? And what kind of world do you want?”
