Sumi Loundon Kim: Mindfulness for the Whole Family
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In this episode of the Wisdom podcast, we hear from Rev. Sumi Loundon Kim, Buddhist chaplain at Duke University, and author of Sitting Together: A Family-Centered Curriculum on Mindfulness, Meditation, and Buddhist Teaching. In this episode, Sumi shares many insights on the cultivation of mindfulness in children. Raised in a Sōtō Zen meditation community in rural New Hampshire, Sumi began meditating as a child and completed her first 9-day retreat at the Insight Meditation Society at 16. Sumi shares how spiritual values and practices instilled in her at a young age helped deepen her self-awareness as a young adult, giving her practical tools and resources in difficult times. You’ll hear Sumi and Daniel discuss the value of community-based spiritual development and the need for more children’s programs in American dharma centers. Sumi also shares aspects of the curriculum she developed in her Sitting Together series and ways mindfulness-based practices can benefit the entire family. Additionally, Sumi is editor of Blue Jean Buddha and The Buddha’s Apprentices, both published by Wisdom.
About the Interviewee
Rev. Sumi Loundon Kim is the Buddhist chaplain at Duke University and minister for the Mindful Families of Durham. Originally brought up in a Sōtō Zen community in the 70s, Sumi has been a student of the Theravada tradition since her teens. Following a master’s degree in Buddhist studies and Sanskrit from the Harvard Divinity School, she was the associate director for the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies in Barre, Massachusetts. She lives in Durham, North Carolina, with her husband and two children.
Discover additional Buddhist resources for families on the Mindful Families website.
