From Mud to Lotus: Transforming Dukkha into a Pedagogy of Love

• In Event: Infusing Healing Energy into Education: Daoist, Buddhist, and Confucian Insights

Abstract

This paper chronicles the author's personal journey of changing suffering (dukkha) during a difficult personal period into an opportunity for pedagogical transformation. The objective is to demonstrate how Buddhist mindfulness practices, particularly those stemming from Thich Nhat Hanh's teachings, can be a vehicle for healing personal trauma while simultaneously transforming one's teaching practice into a means for student care and connection.
The work is grounded in Buddhist philosophy, specifically the Four Noble Truths and the concept of dukkha - suffering or unsatisfactory conditions. The work further draws from Thich Nhat Hanh's interpretations of mindfulness, loving-kindness (metta), and the transformation of suffering. The chapter integrates contemplative pedagogy theory with Buddhist teachings on compassion, presence, and interconnectedness.

Author

• Gaston Esteban Bacquet, University of Glasgow