A recipe for renewing yourself when you do not feel solid, happy, or ready is found in the discourse on the “Practice of Mindfulness of Breathing In and Out.” This practice consists of five exercises:

1. In, out: focusing attention on the in-breath and out-breath, recognizing and enjoying them without cerebral effort.
2. Deep, slow: noticing that the in-breath naturally becomes deeper and the out-breath becomes slower, which is healing and refreshing.
3. Calm, ease: allowing the body to relax and calm, and taking the time to be at ease with everything.
4. Smile, release: smiling to relax the facial muscles and releasing tension in the body, feelings, and emotions.
5. Present moment, wonderful moment: establishing oneself in the here and now, which is the only moment to be truly alive and touch the wonders of life.

The foundation of all Buddhist teaching and practice is the Four Noble Truths:

1. Ill-being: pain and suffering, which is noble because understanding it is the foundation of happiness and the path of liberation.
2. Cause, nature, making of suffering: discovering the source of nutriments that have brought suffering.
3. Cessation of ill-being: the presence of well-being, which is possible in the here and now.
4. Path of cessation: the path of transformation, healing, and well-being.
   Artists, writers, and filmmakers can use their talents to reveal these truths, helping people to understand their suffering and touch the wonders of life.

Suffering and well-being are understood in terms of consumption through the four nutriments:

1. Edible food: physical sustenance.
2. Sensory impressions: consumed through the six sense organs of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind, which can either bring toxins or nourish physical and mental health.
3. Volition: the deepest desire or motive of life, which should be bodhicitta, the mind of awakening and love, rather than the craving for fame, power, wealth, or sex.
4. Consciousness: both individual and collective consciousness, which can create a prison of views or be a source of awakening, non-discrimination, and love.

The foundation of happiness is the capacity of understanding and compassion, which is cultivated through the energy of mindfulness in the here and now. True love requires looking deeply to understand the difficulties, pain, and deepest aspirations of the person we love. To restore communication and remove wrong perceptions, we practice deep, compassionate listening—listening without judging, criticizing, or reacting, with the sole purpose of helping the other person empty their heart—and loving speech, or Right Speech.

The greatest gift we can offer is our true presence, which is realized by bringing the mind back to the body through mindful breathing and walking. This presence is expressed through two love mantras:

1. Darling, I am here for you.
2. Darling, I know you are there, and I am very happy.
   Self-love and self-understanding are the foundations for loving another. By going home to ourselves, we accept ourselves as we are, care for our own anger and fear, and stop craving external recognition.

Establishing ourselves in the present moment allows us to get in touch with the three times: the past, the present, and the future. By handling the present moment with Right Thinking, Right Speech, and Right Action, we can heal the past and build the future. To protect our well-being, we must practice mindful consumption of the first two of the four nutriments:

1. Edible food, which must be consumed mindfully to preserve compassion and avoid destroying ourselves and the environment.
2. Sensorial impressions, which include what we see, hear, read, and think, requiring the skin of mindfulness to protect us from toxins and water only our positive seeds.

When breathing in, the stomach rises, and when breathing out, the stomach falls. The sound of the bell, whether from a temple bell, a telephone, a clock, or a computer, is a reminder to stop all thinking and talking, and go home to the here and the now. Breathing in and out at least three times while listening to the sound helps us return to our true home within. When feeling unstable, fearful, or in despair, we can take refuge in the island of self, closing the windows of our eyes and the doors of our ears to tenderly embrace our feelings of anger, fear, anxiety, or despair like a mother holding a crying baby.

Consciousness consists of two layers:

1. Store consciousness, the basement where all seeds are stored.
2. Mind consciousness, the living room where seeds manifest as mental formations when touched or watered.

Through the practice of selective watering, partners can sign a peace treaty to refrain from watering negative seeds like anger, fear, and despair, and instead water positive seeds such as joy, tolerance, happiness, compassion, self-esteem, non-fear, and understanding. Taking refuge in the Sangha, a community of practice, provides a collective energy that acts like a boat, supporting us and keeping us from sinking into the river of suffering.

Mindful walking is the art of non-thinking that establishes us in the present moment, liberating us from the past and the future. By coordinating steps with the breath—such as making two steps on the in-breath and two or three steps on the out-breath—we touch the earth with freedom and solidity. This practice allows us to arrive in the here and the now, establishing ourselves in the ultimate reality where we are solid and free.

The sangha is gathered at Deer Park Monastery on March 21, 2004, for a retreat for artists, writers, and entertainers.

Questions:

1. How can awareness be raised about the destruction caused by political leaders while only watering positive seeds, and how can protesting be sustained without anger or fear?
2. What social responsibility do artists have during times of war and despair?
3. Can nudity and sexuality in art, photography, and film be approached with loving mindfulness, or should it be avoided altogether?
4. What advice would you give to leaders and individuals in the entertainment business to fortify the nutriment provided through media, and would you be on a children’s television program?
5. How can one reconcile the practice of deep listening and gentle, loving speech when dealing with abusive, manipulative, or overly negative situations?
6. How can someone transform self-hatred from sexual abuse or low self-esteem from childhood emotional turmoil into self-love, trust, and usefulness?
7. How can artists deal with media, societal, and personal censorship, indifference, and neglect?