Ever since the time of the Buddha, practitioners have been voluntarily following guidelines of right speech, right thought, and right action. In the Thich Nhat Hanh tradition, these guidelines are known as the Mindfulness Trainings.

A practitioner in this tradition may choose to make a commitment to abide by the Five Mindfulness Trainings by expressing their commitment to do so and then taking a formal initiation.

Also, a practitioner who has made the commitment to abide by the Five Mindfulness Trainings may also decide to make a commitment to live by the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings. This process involves a period of aspirancy, of cultivating a student-teacher relationship with a dharma teacher in the Thich Nhat Hanh tradition, and of being mentored.