Ep. 323 - Creating an Island of Peace in the Midst of War
Heart Wisdom with Jack Kornfield
Be Here Now Network
4.7 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 20 May 2026
⏱️ 33 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this deeply moving talk offered to those living through war in Ukraine, Jack Kornfield reminds us that even in the most difficult conditions, the human heart has the capacity to remain open, compassionate, and free.
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This time on Heart Wisdom, Jack Kornfield shares:
- Creating inner peace in the midst of external conflict
- The practice of self-compassion in times of overwhelm
- How to work with suffering without internalizing it
- Reconnecting with inner resources like nature, community, and intention
- The teaching that “hatred never ends by hatred”
“Even though there is war around us, it is possible to create an island of peace in the middle of it all—and not let the war take over our hearts.” –Jack Kornfield
The episode was originally filmed for Mantra Ukraine, you can learn more about them on Instagram
About Jack Kornfield:
Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India, and Burma, studying as a monk under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with fellow meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein and the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. His books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies.
Jack is currently offering a wonderful array of transformational online courses diving into crucial topics like Mindfulness Meditation Fundamentals, Walking the Eightfold Path, Opening the Heart of Forgiveness, Living Beautifully, Transforming Your Life Through Powerful Stories, and so much more. Sign up for an All Access Pass to explore Jack’s entire course library. If you would like a year's worth of online meetups with Jack and fellow community, join The Year of Awakening: A Monthly Journey with Jack Kornfield.
“If the suffering of the world has now taken over your body, it’s in the wrong place. You need to leave it outside and not carry it inside your heart.” –Jack Kornfield
Stay up to date with Jack and his stream of fresh dharma offerings by visiting JackKornfield.com and signing up for his email teachings.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Teaching meditation is its own skill. You don't need to be a master practitioner to begin learning how to guide others, but you do need real training. |
| 0:11.7 | Join Buddhist teacher David Nichtern and Professor Robert Thurman for a free online discussion on Tuesday, May 26th at 6 p.m. Eastern Time, exploring the role of the teacher |
| 0:24.4 | in the Buddhist tradition, why lineage and transmission matter, and what it means to skillfully |
| 0:30.4 | support others in meditation practice today. They'll also discuss Dharma Moon and Tibet House's |
| 0:37.3 | Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training Program beginning in June 2026. |
| 0:43.3 | You'll have a chance to ask questions, meet the teaching team, and find out whether the program might be a good fit for you. |
| 0:52.3 | Visit Dharmamoon.com backslash friend. Thatarmamoon.com backslash friend. |
| 0:55.5 | That's darmamoon.com backslash friend. |
| 0:58.7 | For more information, and to reserve your spot for the free event on Tuesday, May 26th. |
| 1:24.6 | Even though there is war around us, it is possible to create an island of peace in the middle of it all, and not let the war take over our hearts. A prescient quote from Jack Hornfieldfield in this episode 323 of the Heart Wisdom |
| 1:31.5 | podcast, creating an island of peace in the midst of war. My name is Ganesh, and as always, |
| 1:41.0 | I am honored to peel back the veil for this episode. |
| 1:45.4 | This one originally took place back in March of this year, |
| 1:49.0 | 2026, for the mantra community in Ukraine. |
| 1:55.2 | Jack wanted to give a talk, some respite, to those going through the war war to offer some guidance and shared help. |
| 2:05.1 | And we decided to share this with the broader podcast community to help us remember that we are all in this together. |
| 2:13.2 | If you'd like to learn more about Mantra Ukraine and the initiatives that they have going on, |
| 2:19.4 | you can go to Instagram.com slash mantra.ukrain, as well as YouTube.com slash at symbol mantra. |
| 2:29.3 | They have brilliant resources, not just for those going through the war in Ukraine, |
| 2:36.6 | but for anyone feeling affected by all of the wars and conflicts going on around the world |
| 2:43.3 | right now and in the future. One of the main takeaways from Jack in this episode is to not let the war permeate our hearts. |
| 2:55.6 | That despite everything that's going on externally, we can create an island of peace, a sanctuary within our hearts that fights back against the war by creating a zone of peace for everyone that |
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