Events

February 2025 Update: Dear friends, we are currently revisiting the logistics of our mindfulness sessions and will be posting an updated event schedule on this page. In the meantime, we welcome your feedback on days and times that might work best for our Harvard community at: mindfulpublichealth@hsph.harvard.edu

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The Thich Nhat Hanh Center for Mindfulness in Public Health welcomes Harvard students, staff, and faculty to come together for an afternoon mindfulness practice throughout the 2024-2025 academic year. We will meet twice monthly on Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. beginning September 5th, 2024.

The drop-in mindfulness sessions include sitting and walking meditations, learning about mindfulness, and practicing mindfulness to enhance our energy of ease and rest. The practice will start at 1 p.m. and aim to end at 2 p.m., however, you are permitted to come and go at any time. These mindfulness sessions are held at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.  

Fall 2024 – Spring 2025 Schedule: September 
Thursday, September 5^th – Kresge, Room 110 
Thursday, September 19^th – Room 375, Department of Nutrition, Kresge 2 October
Thursday, October 17^th – Kresge, Room 110
Thursday, October 31^st – Kresge, Room 110 November
Thursday, November 14^th – Kresge, Room 110 December
Thursday, December 12^th – Kresge, Room 110 January
Thursday, January 9^th – Kresge, Room 110
Thursday, January 23^rd – Kresge, Room 110 February
Thursday, February 6^th – Kresge, Room 110
Thursday, February 20^th – Kresge, Room 110 Mindfulness and mindful living require no special equipment. It can be done anytime, anywhere. And if you fall away from the practice for a stretch, it is easy to get back into it. A few deep breaths can help you reset and refocus. We hope you can join us. 

Questions? Please send us an email at mindfulpublichealth@hsph.harvard.edu

With deep gratitude,
The Thich Nhat Hanh Center for Mindfulness in Public Health  *Please note, at this time, these mindfulness sessions are only available to students, staff, and faculty who hold a Harvard University ID. This schedule is subject to change.  As the Center grows and develops, we will actively engage with the public to share our findings, providing resources to help individuals of every background practice mindfulness in their daily lives, including mindful eating, to protect both their health and the health of the planet. We invite everyone to join or engage with a local community of mindfulness practitioners, known as a sangha, to benefit from the collective energy of mindfulness, peace, and joy. To find a local group, visit Plum Village’s international sangha directory.

The Thich Nhat Hanh Center for Mindfulness in Public Health welcomes Harvard Chan students, staff, and faculty to come together for an afternoon mindfulness practice over the summer. We will meet twice per month on Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. beginning June 6th, 2024.

The drop-in mindfulness sessions include sitting and walking meditations, learning about mindfulness, and practicing mindfulness to enhance our energy of ease and rest. The practice will start at 1 p.m. and aim to end at 1:50 p.m., however, you are permitted to come and go at any time.

Summer 2024 Schedule: June
Thursday, June 6^th – Meet outside Kresge, Room 110 
Thursday, June 20^th – Meet outside Kresge, Room 110 July
Thursday, July 11^th – Meet outside Kresge, Room 110
Thursday, July 25^th – Meet outside Kresge, Room 110 August
Thursday, August 1^st – Room 317, Department of Nutrition, Kresge 2
Thursday, August 22^nd – Meet outside Kresge, Room 110   Mindfulness and mindful living require no special equipment. It can be done anytime, anywhere. And if you fall away from the practice for a stretch, it is easy to get back into it. A few deep breaths can help you reset and refocus. We hope you can join us. 

Questions? Send us an email at mindfulpublichealth@hsph.harvard.edu

With deep gratitude,
The Thich Nhat Hanh Center for Mindfulness in Public Health    *Please note, at this time, these sessions are only available to students, staff, and faculty who hold a Harvard University ID. This schedule is subject to change.  As the Center grows and develops, we will actively engage with the public to share our findings, providing resources to help individuals of every background practice mindfulness in their daily lives, including mindful eating, to protect both their health and the health of the planet.

In an era where the impact of human activities on the planet has reached critical levels, we come together to explore and promote mindful actions for climate change mitigation and adaptation. This symposium aims to bridge the gap between research, policy, and public awareness, fostering collaboration and inspiring actionable steps toward a sustainable future. As the urgency to address climate change intensifies, this symposium serves as a platform for interdisciplinary discussions, innovative solutions, and collective mindfulness towards sustainable practices and individual behavior change. ​ ​The day-long symposium will bring together leading academics, community leaders and activists, practitioners of mindfulness, and monastics who studied under Thich Nhat Hanh.

The Thich Nhat Hanh Center for Mindfulness in Public Health warmly welcomes Harvard Chan students, staff, and faculty to come together for an afternoon mindfulness practice every Thursday from 1 p.m. – 1:50 p.m. beginning January 11^th, 2024.

The drop-in mindfulness sessions include sitting and walking meditations, learning about mindfulness, and practicing mindfulness to enhance our energy of ease and rest.

The practice will start at 1 p.m. and aim to end at 1:50 p.m., however, you are permitted to come and go at any time.

Please see the schedule below: Thursday, January 11^th – Kresge, Room 110
Thursday, January 18^th – Kresge, Room 110
Thursday, January 25^th – Kresge, Room 110
Thursday, February 1st – Department of Nutrition, Room 375
Thursday, February 8^th – Nutrition Library, Room 317
Thursday, February 15^th – Department of Nutrition, Room 375
Thursday, February 22nd – Kresge, Room 110
Thursday, February 29^th – Department of Nutrition, Room 375
Thursday, March 7^th– Nutrition Library, Room 317
Thursday, March 14^th – Kresge, Room 110
Thursday, March 21st – Department of Nutrition, Room 375
Thursday, March 28^th – Kresge, Room 110
Thursday, April 4^th – Kresge, Room 110
Thursday, April 11^th – Kresge, Room 110
Thursday, April 18^th – No Session
Thursday, April 25^th – No Session
Thursday, May 2nd – Kresge, Room 110
Thursday, May 9^th – Kresge, Room 110
Thursday, May 16^th – Kresge, Room 110
Thursday, May 23rd – No Session (Commencement) Thursday, June 6^th – Kresge, Room 110 Thursday, June 20^th – Kresge, Room 110   Mindfulness and mindful living require no special equipment. It can be done anytime, anywhere. And if you fall away from the practice for a stretch, it is easy to get back into it. A few deep breaths can help you reset and refocus. We hope you can join us. 

Questions? Send us an email at mindfulpublichealth@hsph.harvard.edu

With deep gratitude,
The Thich Nhat Hanh Center for Mindfulness in Public Health    *Please note, at this time, these sessions are only available for Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health students, staff, and faculty. This schedule is subject to change.  As the Center develops, we will actively engage with the public to share our findings, providing resources to help individuals of every background practice mindfulness in their daily lives, including mindful eating, to protect both their health and the health of the planet.

  Find calm amidst the end-of-semester rush with mindfulness expert Lilian Cheung. She’ll lead a mindfulness exercise and share practical tips to center yourself before the holidays. After the session, enjoy snacks and fellowship in the Studio. This event is open and free to Harvard Chan students, staff, and faculty. Please register register here to attend in person. An on-demand video will be posted and available after the event for all to enjoy. SPEAKER Lilian Cheung, Director of Mindfulness Research and Practice in the Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.  

Dear Harvard Community,   The Thich Nhat Hanh Center for Mindfulness in Public Health is offering “An Invitation to Sit Together for Peace” this Thursday, Oct. 26, from 1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m.  In response to the violence in the Middle East, Dr. Lilian Cheung will read an open letter from the International Plum Village Community of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh and offer a guided meditation to help us cultivate solidity and stability, so we may open our hearts, radiate compassion, and support all who suffer from terrorism, conflict, and natural disasters.  This mindfulness session is a special opportunity for the Harvard community to practice mindfulness with a specific aim to promote oneness with humanity and peace in the world.   You are welcome to join us in person at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Kresge Room 110 or online via Zoom on Thursday from 1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. Everyone is welcome.   With deep gratitude,   The Thich Nhat Hanh Center for Mindfulness in Public Health Contact: mindfulpublichealth@hsph.harvard.edu

The Thich Nhat Hanh Center for Mindfulness in Public Health warmly welcomes Harvard Chan students, staff, and faculty to come together for an afternoon mindfulness practice every Thursday from 1 p.m. – 1:50 p.m. beginning September 7^th, 2023.

The drop-in mindfulness sessions include sitting and walking meditations, learning about mindfulness, and practicing mindfulness to enhance our energy of ease and rest.

The practice will start at 1 p.m. and aim to end at 1:50 p.m., however, you are permitted to come and go at any time.

Please see the schedule below:   1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. Thursday, September 7^th – Nutrition Library, Room 317
1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. Thursday, September 14^th – Nutrition Library, Room 317
1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. Thursday, September 21^st – Kresge, Room 110
1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. Thursday, September 28^th – Kresge, Room 110
1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. Thursday, October 5^th – Kresge, Room 110
1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. Thursday, October 12^th – Kresge, Room 110
1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. Thursday, October 19^th – Nutrition Library, Room 317
1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. Thursday, October 26^th – Kresge, Room 110
1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. Thursday, November 2^nd – Kresge, Room 110
1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. Thursday, November 9^th – Kresge, Room 110
1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. Thursday, November 16^th – Kresge, Room 110
1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. Thursday, November 30^th – Kresge, Room 110
1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. Thursday, December 7^th – Kresge, Room 110
1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. Thursday, December 14^th – Kresge, Room 110
1 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. Thursday, December 21^st – Kresge, Room 110   Mindfulness and mindful living require no special equipment. It can be done anytime, anywhere. And if you fall away from the practice for a stretch, it is easy to get back into it. A few deep breaths can help you reset and refocus. We hope you can join us.   

Questions? Send us an email at mindfulpublichealth@hsph.harvard.edu  

With gratitude,
The Thich Nhat Hanh Center for Mindfulness in Public Health    *Please note, at this time, these sessions are only available for Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health students, staff, and faculty. As the Center develops, we will actively engage with the public to share our findings, providing resources to help individuals of every background practice mindfulness in their daily lives, including mindful eating, to protect both their health and the health of the planet.

Join us from September 26 to October 1, 2023, at Deer Park Monastery for an extraordinary retreat and symposium open to all, merging the timeless teachings of the Buddha with the forefront of scientific inquiry. REGISTRATION IS OPEN The Buddha the Scientist Retreat is a transformative journey into the present moment, empowering scientists and the wider community to cultivate mental stability amidst the multifaceted challenges of our time. The Buddha, as a true pioneer, ignited a revolution in understanding the mind and body. His teachings offer concrete methods to develop mindfulness, concentration, and insight—an invaluable compass for seekers throughout the ages. Moreover, he embodied a scientific mindset, continually adapting his teachings based on real-life evidence gleaned from his own practice and that of his students. In this retreat, offered in collaboration with Deer Park Monastery, we delve into this intersection of wisdom and scientific inquiry, revealing profound insights and a pathway to a more embodied understanding of our minds. We will learn how to practice: Mindful breathing, walking, eating, speaking, and listening Grounding attention in the breath and body to interrupt the torrent of conceptual thinking that perpetuates emotional turbulence, leading to a profound understanding of how our thoughts and perceptions shape our emotional landscape Cultivating conscious attention at a collective level, nurturing vitality and the capacity to thrive as a community Dissolving the illusion of separation through embodied mindfulness practices Engaging in research from a non-dualistic perspective, which extends from the personal to the collective Fostering inclusive and holistic approaches to public health through mindfulness practice, transcending regional, national, and global boundaries Forging deeper connections and harmonious relationships with others and the Earth Experience a groundbreaking exploration where ancient wisdom intertwines with scientific inquiry. Amidst the climate emergency, political divisions, conflicts, and social inequities, this retreat helps us cultivate inner stability. Embrace the transformative power of mindfulness and embark on a collective journey to cultivate compassion, understanding, and resilience in the midst of our complex world. Please visit Deer Park Monastery to learn more about registration, retreat costs, scholarships, contact information, and additional details. A detailed schedule and list of presenters will be available soon. Deer Park Monastery
2499 Melru Lane
Escondido, CA 92026 United States
Phone: 760-291-1003  

This day-long symposium will bring together leading academics, well-known practitioners of mindfulness, and monastics who studied under Thich Nhat Hanh, the global spiritual leader and peace activist in whose honor the Center is named.