Planting Peace from the Inside Out: A Family Journey Begins

In the first Peace Explorers session of 2026, families gathered to plant more than just symbolic seeds — they planted intentions, virtues and visions for the kind of people they wish to become. Themed My Vision for 2026: Planting My Seed of Peace, the session invited children and parents to explore the idea that peace isn’t something we must earn or acquire, it’s something we already carry within us.

The meditation, titled Our Seed is planted at that place within us that we always feel safe, guided participants to reconnect with their inner sense of worth and safety. Through nature‑inspired imagery — a singing bird, a planted seed, a quiet inner sanctuary — families were reminded that they don’t need to perform or prove themselves to be lovable or unique. Peace, they discovered, begins with feeling safe and accepted inside.

This inner journey flowed into a playful embodiment practice. Children and parents moved together like growing trees, exploring balance, trust, and connection. The movement mirrored the growth of peace — from seed to sprout, tree to forest, and finally, the gentle wind of peace that touches others.

A central activity was the creation of Seed of Peace Vision Pots. Children discussed and set personal goals — peaceful habits or virtues they wished to grow — while parents contributed a family seed, symbolizing shared aspirations. These goals were written or drawn on the pots, alongside the planting of real seeds of edible flowers, nasturtiums. Families decorated their pots with care and affirmed together: This is the year we grow peace.

The act of planting nasturtium seeds carried a deeper lesson: peace, like a seed, requires patience and trust in the unseen. For a time, the seed remains invisible beneath the soil, yet growth is happening quietly. Children learned that just as each seed has its own unique rhythm to sprout and bloom, so too does each person have their own time to grow into their virtues and aspirations.

The session also introduced the concept of internal and external goals. Internal goals — like love, patience and honesty — nurture the heart and spirit. External goals — such as helping at home or caring for nature — express that inner growth through action. Children discovered that peace becomes real when what’s inside is lived outside, forming a harmony of heart and deed.

As the pots rested beside them during Reiki, participants imagined their seeds being watered with calm, kindness and focus. The affirmation echoed: Peace grows when I grow. And with that, the seeds of 2026 were planted — not just in pots, but in the hearts and homes of every family present.