In Together We Are One, Thich Nhat Hanh advises us on cultivating compassion:
"Our true home is the present moment, whatever is happening right here and right now. Our true home is the place without discrimination, the place without hatred. Our true home is the place where we no longer seek, no longer wish, no longer regret."
We can find our true home through breath and mindfulness exercises like those described in this paperback. Thich Nhat Hanh is concerned about Western folk who don't know how to rest anymore. When the body becomes tense regularly, chronic pain can appear. When an animal is hurt, it immediately lies down to rest and stays very still. They don't eat or move around. After this siesta, they are revitalized and ready to go back into the fray. Thich Nhat Hanh recommends that when stressed to the max, we practice sitting, breathing, or walking as a way to bring calm to our bodies and our minds.
Civilization, he writes, means accepting everyone. He sees the complex of superiority and inferiority as two forms of sickness based on the illusion of self. By cultivating compassion for ourselves, we can begin to travel the path of peace which leads eventually to having no enemies. Imagine your world as villain free with no need to wage a war of "us" versus "them." Imagine all the excess energy you'd have if you let go of grudges, temper tantrums, and rage. And finally, imagine what it would be like to live each day without fear and paranoia about our safety. A Buddhist practice is to chase away the imagined boogie man with: "I feel safe, wherever I am."
To practice these ideas:
- Use your breath to help you stay aware of the present moment.
- Notice when you are too stressed. Give yourself a break – sit, breathe, walk, nap.
- Notice when you feel fear. When you do, repeat: “I feel safe where I am.”