Martial Artists Create "Peace Garden" in Boston's Allston Neighborhood

On September 21, the students of our karate dojo, along with members of the local community, spent time together commemorating the International Day of Peace with a number of activities. I read books about peace to young children; we created "peace rocks" as an art project, and then planted the rocks in the "peace garden" I created next to the dojo. Into the evening, adults at the dojo spent time discussing approaches to peacemaking, and we concluded the evening's events with a 30-minute period of silent meditation and contemplation.



Building the peace garden was a lot of work, but it was also a fun and enjoyable — and hopefully long-lasting — project. The stones we used were donated by The Stoneyard in Littleton, MA. I picked them up last week, then took them home to clean them up before the event. I purchased outdoor paints, sealant, and brushes at a local art supply store, and picked up two bags of mulch and some weed barrier at the local home improvement outlet.

Before the rock-decorating event, I went out next to the dojo to the are we call "the Black Belt Garden." Members of our dojo cleaned up the area and planted trees and flower during several of our previous community projects. There, I dug out a five-foot by five-foot hole, lined it with weed barrier, and then filled the hole with mulch.

          

     

A number of my adult karate students, our "little dragons," and even other youngsters from the neighborhood who were not members of the dojo came to decorate the stones, which I laid out to dry overnight at the dojo. (I'd created a few samples in advance.)

When the stones were dry, I covered them with a protective sealant. Then I placed them in the garden in the form of a peace sign.

May our labors bear the fruits of peace, compassion, and wisdom.