We can start creating harmony by acting with respect and tolerance toward others. We can create harmony by deciding that we will always try to solve problems without violence. We can learn how to make harmony when problems happen.

Five steps for creating harmony at school

1. Stop before you hurt yourself or someone else. Take a deep breath and calm down.Meet with a teacher when both sides are ready.
2. Each person should talk about how he/she feels.
3. Find a solution that will make everyone feel better.
4. Say thank you to your friend for helping to make harmony.
5. Lead by example, your friends and family will then notice the ways you are creating harmony.

Create your own harmony

It only takes 10 or 15 minutes. If you feel upset, angry, frustrated or simply want to feel a little better within yourself, these simple steps will bring a sense of peace and joy to any situation:

• Take a break from whatever you were doing.
• Find a nice quiet place where you feel relaxed.
• Take a few slow deep breaths and allow yourself to calm down.
• Think of a place or a time when you were really happy and imagine you are experiencing it again.
• Fill your heart with this joy and happiness.
• Now imagine everyone in the whole world is sharing your joy.

Here's another one:

• Take a break from whatever you were doing.
• Find a nice quiet place where you feel relaxed.
• Take a few slow deep breaths and allow yourself to calm down.
• Put on some music that makes you feel peaceful and imagine the music is washing away all your problems, leaving your mind totally at peace.
• Fill your heart with this peace and calm.
• Now imagine everyone in the whole world is sharing your peace.

• Take a break from whatever you were doing.
• Find a nice quiet place where you feel relaxed.
• Take a few slow deep breaths and allow yourself to calm down.
• Imagine you are sitting on a high mountain top, looking down upon the world below. See how small everything looks – the houses, the people – everything is tiny.
• Now, imagine how small your problems and everyone else's problems are in comparison to the size of the world.
• See how you can rise above your problems, just by sitting on your favourite mountain top. Up there, your problems are far below you, and nothing can take away your feeling of tranquillity.

If you do this regularly, your friends and family will notice you are a much calmer, happier person.

Where there is harmony, there is respect and tolerance towards others; different cultures are celebrated; and problems that affect us all are solved together. Harmony unites us, it speaks all languages – and it spreads from heart to heart by those who cherish it.

about building harmony at school:
new_zealand [ at ] worldharmonyrun [dot] org
- and we will post them on our website!
Please include your name, age, school/group and town.