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Bourg le Roy
Practicing mindfulness begins with conscious breathing in order to truly be there for the one who is suffering. By cultivating a peaceful, solid, and loving presence, we can recite the mantra:
Darling, I know you are suffering. That is why I am here for you.
This deep presence immediately relieves pain, even at the threshold of death. Deep looking, applied right now, allows us to identify the roots of suffering and to help the person cut off their negative roots in order to touch what is positive within them.
In Buddhism, two unfortunate destinations — ác đạo (hell) and ngạ quỷ (hungry ghosts) — are realities:
- Hell is born when we water the seed of anger or despair in ourselves or in another.
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Hungry ghosts, skeptical and uprooted, are hungry for love and understanding, which sometimes drives them to drugs to forget their pain.
Every word, every act, every thought can bring about hell or the Kingdom of God. Karma is action: if it is guided by compassion, it bears the fruit of happiness; if it is guided by anger, it brings about suffering.
Silence and compassion are two pillars of transformation:
- There is oppressive silence and there is eloquent silence; on retreat, noble silence — shared in walking meditation and mindful smiling — creates joy, depth, and harmony.
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Compassion is born from understanding, acquired through deep looking; it shines in every gesture, every smile, every breath, and makes true relationship possible.
The body, seen as a condition for life (not as a container of mental seeds), can be offered as an organ donation out of compassion: this is a natural act that prolongs positive energy. Finally, Buddhism and Catholicism meet in the energy of mindfulness — called the Holy Spirit by Christians — revealing that there is no separate existence, only interbeing and shared love.