WE ARE ONE: from the illusion of a separate Self to the awareness of an interconnected Self

WHERE 

Rome and province, Grosseto and province
 

CONTEXT

The Italian Parliament has recently recognised the importance of strengthening the non-cognitive skills of young people, approving a legislative proposal that introduces into teaching the management of stress, the development of empathy, critical thinking and creativity. The school activities included in this project aim to enhance these soft skills in children, guiding them to become aware of the unhealthy emotions they experience and to develop a kind and compassionate attitude towards themselves. At the same time, the project seeks to support teachers — who face increasingly heavy stress loads — in managing their own emotions and cultivating an empathetic relationship with themselves and with their students.

OBJECTIVES

General objective
To contribute, through a range of activities targeting children, teachers and civil society at large, to building a more inclusive society that is aware of the network of connections existing among all living beings, and to foster more responsible behaviours.

Specific objective
To cultivate a more holistic vision of reality that helps overcome the illusion of a separate Self — at the root of the widespread individualism in today's society — and to develop a more empathetic Self, connected to others and to the environment.

ACTIVITIES

• Kumar Kumari (Yantra Yoga for children): Kumar Kumari is a method of Yantra Yoga (Tibetan movement yoga) designed specifically for children aged 5 to 12 by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu. Working on mind, body and energy, it improves flexibility, coordination, concentration and balance. Awareness of breath and bodily sensations provides children with an anchor that helps them find a sense of calm and reduce anxiety, stress and aggression. As numerous school-based experiences have shown, yoga contributes to the harmonious development of children's personalities.
• Joyful Khaita Dances: A collection of traditional and modern songs and dances gathered by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, rich in messages of brotherhood, joy, respect and tolerance — conveyed not only through words but also through choreography, form and gesture. Khaita dances significantly lift mood and create a condition of serenity and joy that spontaneously fosters among dancers a relationship of sharing, respect and mutual trust, providing the foundations for a freer and more authentic social life.
• Mindfulness: A method that integrates the millennia-old experience of Buddhist meditative traditions with a scientific and psycho-educational approach. It offers children a powerful opportunity to develop the ability to recognise and manage difficult emotions, calm the mind, improve relationships and enhance learning capacity — all benefits confirmed by the many scientific studies and neuroscience experiments that have multiplied in recent decades.
• Kindness and empathy workshops at school and on an educational farm: Programmes specifically designed for children aged 6 to 10, aimed at encouraging them to cultivate an attitude of kindness and empathy towards themselves, others, animals and the environment. Through play, meditative practices and artistic tools, children will experience in the classroom what it means to put themselves in another's shoes, change perspective, and give and receive kindness — then put what they have learned into practice through a visit to an educational farm or sustainable organic agritourism, where they will have the opportunity for direct contact with nature and animals.
• Refresh – creative recycling and reuse workshop: An educational programme for schools developed by the non-profit association Inspire Eco-participation. Through experiential workshops, team games and listening activities, children and young people will learn what it means to live Zero Waste and how to do so by involving their families, as well as how to live in a more sustainable and harmonious way with themselves and others — all tools essential for learning to tackle the climate crisis and building a sustainable, healthy and happy future.
• Final sharing sessions: A closing event will be organised in each participating school, open to families and the whole school community, in which children and teachers will share with the audience what they have learned through the various programmes offered by the project.
• Final Concert "We Are One": A World Music concert — a dialogue between musicians from different musical and ethnic traditions. Music, like all art forms, transcends every boundary and is a powerful means of communication that opens minds and hearts, accompanying individuals towards overcoming the prejudices and barriers that imprison them in the illusion of a separate self.

PARTNERS

Dzogchen Merigar Cultural Association

PROJECT FUNDED BY

Italian Buddhist Union

Dzogchen Merigar Cultural Association

ASIA