Wake Up: Young Buddhists and non-Buddhists for a Healthy and Compassionate Society

Wake Up is an active global community of young mindfulness practitioners (aged 18-35) inspired by the teachings of the Plum Village Tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. We come together to practice mindful living in order to take care of ourselves, nourish happiness, and contribute to building a healthier and more compassionate society. We share a determination to practice mindfulness, concentration, and insight in a way that enables us to cultivate tolerance, non-discrimination, understanding, and compassion in ourselves and the world.

We follow the Five Mindfulness Trainings, which are ethical guidelines that offer concrete practices of true love and compassion, and a path towards a life in harmony with each other and the Earth. These guidelines are the foundation of our lives and represent our ideal of service.

Our practice is based on cultivating awareness of the breath and living deeply in the present moment, aware of what is happening within us and around us. This practice helps us to release the tension in our bodies and feelings, to live life deeply and more happily, and to use compassionate listening and loving speech to help restore communication and reconcile with others.

The Wake Up movement is inspired by Buddhism’s long tradition of wisdom and practices which help cultivate understanding and love; it is not based on beliefs or ideology. The spirit of our practice is close to the spirit of science; both help us cultivate an open and non-discriminating mind. We honor everyone’s diverse spiritual and cultural roots.