Meditation
on Love
Thich Nhat Hanh
The mind
of love brings peace, joy, and happiness to ourselves and
others. Mindful observation is the element which nourishes
the tree of understanding, and compassion and love are the most
beautiful flowers. When we realize the mind of love, we have
to go to the one who has been the object of our mindful
observation, so that our mind of love is not just an object of our
imagination, but a source of energy which has a real effect in the
world.
The
meditation on love is not just sitting still and visualizing that
our love will spread out into space like waves of sound or
light. Sound and light have the ability to penetrate
everywhere, and love and compassion can do the same. But if
our love is only a kind of imagination, then it is not likely to
have any real effect. It is in the midst of our daily life
and in our actual contact with others that we can know whether our
mind of love is really present and how stable it is. If love
is real, it will be evident in our daily life, in the way we
relate with people and the world.
The
source of love is deep in us, and we can help others realize a lot
of happiness. One word, one action, or one thought can
reduce another person's suffering and bring him or her joy.
One word can give comfort and confidence, destroy doubt, help
someone avoid a mistake, reconcile a conflict, or open the door to
liberation. One action can save a person's life or help him
or her take advantage of a rare opportunity. One thought can
do the same, because thoughts always lead to words and
actions. If love is in our heart, every thought, word, and
deed can bring about a miracle. Because understanding is the
very foundation of love, words and actions that emerge from our
love are always helpful.
| Lucidly
and beautifully written, Peace Is Every Step contains
commentaries and meditations, personal anecdotes and stories
from Buddhist Nhat Hanh's experiences as a peace activist,
teacher, and community leader. It begins where the reader
already is (kitchen, office, driving a car, walking in a
park) and shows how deep meditative presence is available
now. Nhat Hanh shows how to be aware of relationships with
others and of the world around us, its beauty and also its
pollution and injustices. Through deceptively simple
practices, Peace Is Every Step encourages the reader
to work for peace in the world as he or she continues to
work on sustaining inner peace by turning the
"mindless" into the mindful. Peace Is Every
Step is a useful, and necessary, addition to any
Buddhist studies or self-help reference shelf. |
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