True Love: A Practice for Awakening the Heart

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In this little treasure, Thich Nhat Hanh offers us a Buddhist view of love along with techniques for manifesting it in our daily lives. In his characteristically direct, simple, and sweet style, he explores the four key aspects of love as described in the Buddhist tradition: lovingkindness, compassion, joy, and freedom. In "True Love", Thich Nhat Hanh explains that in order to love in a real way, we need to learn how to be fully present in our lives. Toward that end, he offers the technique of conscious breathing as a way of synchronizing the mind and the body and establishing the conditions for love. He goes on to offer a mantra practice for cultivating real love that consists of expressing four key statements or intentions in our relationships. In the concluding section of the book, Thich Nhat Hanh explains how we can bring love to bear on our own pain, fear, and negativity. He explains that we must not regard these things as bad and repress them. We must recognize them as part of us and allow them into our consciousness, where they can be cared for by the loving mother of mindfulness.

Reviews

Among Buddhist leaders influential in the West, Thich Nhat Hanh ranks second only to the Dalai Lama.
New York Times

A simplicity and directness that brings true love within reach.
Dragonfly Review

Recommended reading for anyone who loves.
Ascent Magazine

Thich Nhat Hanh writes with the voice of the Buddha.
Sogyal Rinpoche, author of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying

[Thich Nhat Hanh] shows us the connection between personal, inner peace and peace on earth.
The Dalai Lama

Author Bio

A Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh is an internationally known author, poet, scholar, and peace activist who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King Jr. He is the author of numerous books including the bestselling Peace Is Every Step and The Miracle of Mindfulness. He has founded monastic communities in France, Vermont, and California and teaches actively around the world.