The 5 Powers: Superheroes of Peace

Friday, October 9, 2015
6:30pm
Film Screening and Panel Discussion
Cubberley Auditorium, Stanford University
Link to map
This is a ticketed event—see below for details
Doors open to ticket holders at 6:00PM

From Spiderman to the Hulk, numerous superhero origin stories tell of a character’s interaction with an unknown element that effects a radical transformation. This change often leads to heightened senses, enhanced abilities, and the sense of a greater mission that transcends our individual selves. Although this path is a familiar trope in the realm of “fantasy,” it exists in the real world as well. It is a profound yet simple notion: each of us can be a superhero. Like the spider that bit Peter Parker, we can tap into a real life element called mindfulness to have better concentration, self-awareness, and impulse control. Mindfulness has also been scientifically proven to help us feel calm and increase empathy for others.

Inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1957 comic book The Montgomery Story, which informed and influenced a civil rights movement, the animated film The 5 Powers tells the story of three inspiring individuals who used the power of mindfulness for peace during the turbulent Vietnam War. We learn about our main character’s journey towards mastery of the five powers through the experiences of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, Sister Chan Khong, and their friends Alfred Hassler and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Please join The Stanford Storytelling Project, the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE), and Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s international community of monks and nuns for a special screening and discussion of The 5 Powers on Friday, October 9 at 6:30pm at Stanford University’s Cubberley Auditorium. Learn how to access the power of mindfulness to effect change within oneself and the world. Click here for more info about The 5 Powers.

This event is co-sponsored by The Stanford Storytelling Project, the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE). All proceeds from ticket sales go towards supporting event costs.