World Meditation Day

 Background 

The greatest harm to mankind is “war” which is created by human ourselves. Throughout the history of mankind, there has never been a period that is completely free of war. “Peace” is what people have always been seeking for.

On August 6, 1945, the most powerful atomic bomb in human history was dropped on Hiroshima, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. The painful events of World War II had created awareness of tremendous danger of war. Consequently, a central organization to maintain peace for the international community, that is, United Nations was established.

At the meeting of the World Fellowship of Young Buddhists in 1988, a discussion on meditation and peace was brought up. As meditation is universal and anyone can practice it and experience peace for themselves, the World Fellowship of Young Buddhists designated August 6 of every year to be World Meditation Day in order to encourage people to create peace in their own minds through meditation, which will lead to peaceful communities and ultimately world peace.

Let’s be a part of history in making “World Peace through Inner Peace” happen

World Peace begins with inner peace, which can be easily obtained via meditation. Group meditation in large numbers can create huge power that can spread good energy to the entire world.

You are invited to make “World Peace through Inner Peace” happen by submitting photo(s) of yourself in a meditation position. Submitted photos will be compiled for “Record of One Million Pictures of People Meditating” to make the Guinness World Record.

Guidelines

  1. Take a full body shot of yourself sitting in meditation position, dressed appropriately.
  2. Do not include your name on the photo(s).
  3. Do not submit redundant photo(s) or copyright photo(s) not belonging to you.

From now until August 6, 2022, you can upload your photo(s) to www.meditationphoto.com

 Activities at Wat Phra Dhammakaya 

Wat Phra Dhammakaya has organized activities on World Meditation Day continuously every year. For this year, August 7 is the first Sunday of the month, which coincides with the big monthly gathering at the temple. Therefore, we would like to encourage everyone, no matter where you live, to meditate together on August 7. World Meditation Day can be viewed as the day for World Peace. When people’s mind become concentrated and completely still at the center of the body, they attain inner peace. When all mankind can attain inner peace, then peace can happen. Meditation is, therefore, the link for true world peace.