The Heartworks and Renaissance Schools are committed to honoring the spirit of each child. The schools provide outstanding instruction in fundamental skills and help children build a body of knowledge in all areas of the curriculum.

The Heartworks and Renaissance Schools maintain a commitment to ethnic, racial, socio-economic and spiritual diversity and provide an emphasis on learning to live in harmony with respect to the earth and our world community.



Peace Begins with Me

In the spirit of learning and willingness to be open to change we offer the following to observe and practice in our school community. We will practice these teachings with the children, the school faculty, administration and the school parent body. We ask you to join us in this way of bringing more peace into our world.

1. KNOWLEDGE AND VIEWS ARE NOT WEAPONS, THEY ARE TOOLS FOR MAKING PEACE
Aware of the suffering caused by intolerance and holding too strictly to one's own views we are determined not to release our anger, frustrations and imposing energy upon others. All teachings and knowledge is to help us look and listen more deeply and to develop our understanding and compassion.

2. EVERY SITUATION IS UNIQUE
Aware of the suffering created by attachment to views and wrong perceptions, we are determined to avoid being narrow-minded and bound to present views. We shall learn to be open to others' insights and experiences. We are aware that the knowledge we presently possess is not changeless, absolute truth. Truth is found in life, and we will observe life within and around us in every moment ready to learn throughout our lives.

3. FREEDOM OF THOUGHT
Aware of the suffering brought about when we impose our views on others, we are committed not to force others, even the children, by any means whatsoever‚ – to adopt our views. We will respect the right of others to be different and to choose what we believe and how to decide. Compassionate dialog is the essence of non-violent action.

4. AWARENESS OF SUFFERING
Aware that looking deeply at the nature of suffering can help us develop compassion and find ways out of suffering, we are determined to avoid or close our eyes before suffering. We are committed to finding ways, including personal contact, images, and sounds, to be with those who suffer, so we can understand their situation deeply and help them transform their suffering into compassion, peace, and joy. When we are peaceful and happy we will not create suffering in others.

5. LIVING SIMPLY
Aware that true happiness is rooted in peace, solidarity, freedom and compassion, we are committed to living simply and sharing our time, energy, and material resources with those in need.

6. ANGER CREATES SUFFERING: COMPASSION IS UNDERSTANDING
Aware that anger blocks communication and creates suffering, we are determined to take care of the energy of anger when it arises and to recognize and transform the seeds of anger that lie deep in our consciousness. When anger comes up, we are determined not to do or say anything, but to acknowledge, embrace, and look deeply into our anger. We will learn to look with the eyes of compassion at those we think are the cause of our anger.

7. JOYFUL LIVING
Aware that life is available only in the present moment and that it is possible to live happily in the here and now, we are committed to training ourselves to live deeply each moment of daily life. We will try not to lose ourselves in dispersion or be carried away by regrets about the past, worries about the future, or craving, anger, or jealousy in the present. We are determined to learn the art of mindful living by touching the wondrous, refreshing and healing elements that are inside and around us, and by nourishing seeds of joy, peace, love, and understanding in ourselves.

8. HARMONY IN THE COMMUNITY
Aware that the lack of communication always brings separation and suffering, we are committed to training ourselves in the practice of compassionate listening and loving speech. We will learn to listen deeply without judging or reacting and refrain from uttering words that can create discord or cause the community to break. We will make every effort to keep communications open and to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, however small.

9. MINDFUL SPEECH
Aware that words can create suffering or happiness, we are committed to learning to speak truthfully and constructively, using only words that inspire hope and confidence. We are determined not to say untruthful things for the sake of personal interest or to impress people, nor to utter words that might cause division or hatred. We will not spread news that we do not know to be certain not criticize or condemn things of which we are not sure. We will do our best to speak out about situations of injustice, even when doing so may threaten our well being.

10. RIGHT LIVELIHOOD
Aware that great violence and injustice have been done to our environment and society, we are committed not to live with a vocation that is harmful to humans and nature. We will do our best to select a livelihood that helps realize our ideal of understanding and compassion. Aware of global economic, political and social realities, we will behave responsibly as consumers and as citizens.

11. PROTECTING LIFE
Aware that much suffering is caused by war and conflict, we are determined to cultivate nonviolence, understanding and compassion in our daily lives, to promote peace education, mindful mediation, and reconciliation within families, communities, nations, and in the world.

12. SOCIAL JUSTICE
Aware of the suffering caused by exploitation, social injustice, stealing, and oppression, we are committed to cultivating loving kindness and learning ways to work for the well-being of people, animals, plants and minerals. We will practice generosity by sharing our time, energy, and material resources with those who are in need. We are determined not to steal and not to possess anything that should belong to others. We will respect the property of others, but will try to prevent others from profiting from human suffering or the suffering of other beings.

These principles have been edited and modified based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.

These teachings will be read and discussed with the children. Each week we will spend time together enriching our lives with dialogue of the principles and find ways to put the principles into practice. You are invited to join the children in these dialogues.