Zen monks teach Thai youth how mindfulness can help them tackle stress
Some 60 Bangkok youths attended a special event to hear 16 young Zen monks share their experiences and strategies for tackling stress.
The event held on Saturday as part of the annual ThaiHealth Watch programme and entitled “Wake Up: Happiness in your Pocket”, was inspired by the alarming surge in suicides among Thai youth.
The Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) turned to the Thai Plum Village for help in addressing this issue. Thai Plum Village is a monastic community founded by Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh.
Benjamaporn Limpisathian, ThaiHealth’s assistant manager, said the young monks gave the participants tips on putting “happiness in their pocket”, like singing songs of prayer, eating mindfully or relaxing and looking within.
The young monks, some of whom were Thai, also taught the participants how to monitor their emotions and stop pressure from building up.
She said the agency had sought help from the Zen community because suicide has become the third biggest killer among young people in Thailand. One in every seven Thai youths has mental health issues, which can build into extreme stress and depression leading to thoughts of self-harm, she added.
This year’s “Thailand Watch” was held at the ThaiHealth headquarters in Bangkok’s Soi Ngamduphlee. Attendance was free though participants were asked to donate 89 baht each for their vegetarian lunch.
