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June 17 - June 19, 2024
Buddha’s teaching, you might say, “I think, therefore I am…not here.” You are lost in your thinking, so you are really not here. For you to truly be here, thinking has to stop.
You have arrived. Your destination is the here and now.
I have arrived, I am home, In the here and in the now.
wash each bowl and each plate in such a way that joy, peace, and happiness are possible. Imagine you are giving a bath to the baby Buddha. It is a sacred act.
Beginning Anew Beginning anew is a very serious practice in our Sangha.
“Beginning anew” means being determined not to repeat the negative things we have done in the past.
If we see our path and know what direction to take, peace appears in us immediately. “I know where I am going”: this is a very important realization.
You must find the will to live a new way. You have to make a fresh start.”
The right place to start is in your body, your feelings, and your perceptions.
Caring for Your Pain Have you ever written yourself a letter? Have you ever had a talk with yourself? Have you spoken with the little girl or little boy who is there, still alive in you?
“Dear one, I am here for you. I know you have a great deal of grief in you.
“My dear one, you must help me. I have my areas of strengths and weaknesses, and I want you to help me to see them more clearly.
Listening is an art we must cultivate.
when you begin to understand and love yourself, you are ready to understand and love another person.
love and compassion are made out of one substance, which is called understanding.
If you understand, you can love.
There are people who have suffered so much that they are not capable of expressing themselves, so we need to practice compassionate listening to give them the opportunity to do so.
In; out. Deep; slow. Calm; ease. Smile; release.
During this time, all thoughts stop. The past, the future, your memories and plans—you drop everything.
You do not have to struggle against a desire. There is no need for a battle within you.
Your heart can also bloom. You can let your heart open up to the world. Love is possible—do not be afraid of it. Love is indispensable to life, and if in the past you have suffered because of love, you can learn how to love again.
mindfulness will help you to love properly, in such a way that harmony, freedom, and joy are possible.
true declaration of love is, “Dear one, I am...
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most precious gift you can give to your loved one is your true presence, with body and mind uni...
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You also have to learn how to speak all over again. When you speak with 100 percent of your being, your speech becomes mantra.
If the person you love is suffering, you can say a third mantra: “Dear one, I know that you are suffering. That’s why I am here for you.”
A mantra can be expressed not only through speech, but by the mind and body as a whole.
Our bodies and minds are sustained by the cosmos. The clouds in the sky nourish us; the light of the sun nourishes us.
cosmos offers us vitality and love in every moment.
“Dear one, I know that you are suffering a lot. I know this, and I am here for you, just as the trees are here for you and the flowers are here for you.” The
“Dear one, I am suffering. I need your help.”
fourth mantra is more difficult to practice because of the negative habit energy we call pride.
“Dear one, I am suffering. I need your help. I need you to explain to me why you did this thing to me.”
Many people suffer because of this obstacle called pride. You love someone, you need them, and so in these difficult moments, you should go and ask them for help.
In true love, there is no place for pride. I beg you to remember this.
The next time you are suffering, if this suffering was caused by the person you love most in the world, have recourse to right action and say the fourth mantra: “Dear one, I am suffering deeply. I need you to help me to get out of this suffering. I need you to explain this to me.” This is the language of true love.
Impermanence First of all, every authentic Dharma teaching bears the mark of impermanence.
When you look at the nature of things with concentration, you discover that they are all impermanent. Everything is constantly changing. Nothing has a permanent identity.
Impermanence is the very heart of life. It makes life possible. Reject impermanence, and you reject life.
Becoming Truly Alive
books include The Miracle of Mindfulness, Peace Is Every Step, Your True Home, and Living Buddha, Living Christ.
TRUE LOVE A Practice for Awakening the Heart
four key aspects of love as described in the Buddhist tradition: lovingkindness, compassion, joy, and freedom—explaining
YOUR TRUE HOME The Everyday Wisdom of Thich Nhat Hanh
365 gems of daily wisdom is a help and support for anyone who wants to train to meet every moment of life with 100 percent attention.
