Journey #54 – Poland
It’s my second visit in Poland. Last time, it was during the first Peace On Demand in Europe. This year my visit came unexpected because I suppose to go back from Turkey to Thailand but because an immediate unavailability of LP Pasura, I had to cover this journey on his behalf. And finally, it is going to be the last mission of the 107-day expedition in the first part of 2016.
On the first of June, I had a long travel from the Warsaw Chopin Airport. I caught a train to the central station, and from there another InterCity train to the Poznan. Luckily, the train was very nice and comfortable. Another one and a half hour drive I ended up in Kwilcz, which is a village in the west part of Poland. Along the train journey, I could see differences between the modernized capital of Warsaw, where everything has been rebuilt after World War II, and the smaller villages that have remained the same ever since. There I stayed in the house of Peace Agent Tomasz.
The first two sessions started with a community center in Kwilcz, where they aim to provide non-formal education for kids, especially a group of students that had begun new level of primary school called ‘Gimnazjum’. Apparently, many of them were searching for motivation in learning, which will be a good protection agains negativity of life. The main topic was about how meditation helps improve academic performance and search for true happiness in life. There were two groups in total number of 135 students joined. Many people were interested and had a pleasant result from 35 minute Inner Peace Time practice. They also had a lot of questions about the monk life. I felt like it was a mini Google with Monk program there.
We also had an open session for adults as well, where 60 participants joined the event. Many of them enjoyed the lesson mindfulness and meditation for stress management. Who would have thought that living in a small and peaceful village, people still dealt with stress. So, it does not matter where you live. But what really matters is how you understand and accept your life, especially the contentment from living a present moment. People enjoyed 40-minute meditation and came with a lot of questions, especially related to the monk’s life.
On the third of June, Tomasz’s brother drove us to another village Witaszyce. At a Brillandia conference center, we had a session in conjunction with a training of local community. There were almost 80 people who worked with children and adults who had reduced mobility. The forty minute meditation worked with majority of people but there were some people who could be skeptical as well and did not do it. However, for most people they enjoyed it a lot and agreed that meditation is a practice that would help them easily find positivity in life.
The last session of June 3rd, happened in a school in Klęka, which is a student city where Tomasz spent his early days learning there. There were a group of young students that were there to welcome us once arrived. However, during the session, only teachers were invited. Many of them got a question mark on their faces once arrived to the meditation room. Once we finished the meditation, the question mark disappeared. Somehow it was hard to stop them from talking about the experience they just had. I also shared with them as well about how habitual development for students can be more sustainable and successful if mindfulness and meditation is incorporated in their daily practice.
On June 4th, we had a session in the auditorium of Adam University.