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Peaceful Steps to the East Vol 02
Sangha means community. Going back to the island of self reveals a Sangha within ourselves composed of
- form
- feelings
- perceptions
- mental formations
-
consciousness
Mindful breathing harmonizes these five elements, bringing fundamental inner peace. That inner peace becomes the foundation for practicing peace among family, Sangha, peace organizations, and ultimately society. Calming unpeaceful feelings through conscious breathing and smiling, listening deeply, and applying insight meditation allows us to understand and transform the roots of our malaise—anger, fear, or discord.
Walking mindfully—pausing to hear a church bell, touching the present moment—turns any moment into the best moment of our life. Mindfulness is like a tender mother holding her crying baby: non-judging, non-reactive, calming pain and revealing its roots. As we breathe in and out mindfully, we cultivate the light of understanding and love—the Buddha in person within us—able to transform suffering and illuminate joys in our bodies, in sunsets, in autumn colors. The five remembrances invite us to embrace life’s realities:
“I am of the nature to grow old. I cannot escape old age.”
“I am of the nature to get sick. I cannot avoid sickness.”
“I am of the nature to die. I will not escape dying.”
“Everyone I love today, everything I cherish today, one day I will have to leave them behind. There is no way of holding them forever.”
“I am born from my own action. Only the fruit of my action follows me.”
Love arises from maitrī (the capacity to offer joy) and karuṇā (the capacity to remove suffering), and depends on the “eye in the hand”—the wisdom to act without harm. Without mindfulness’s insight, even well-intentioned love can destroy. As our mindfulness grows—through breathing, contemplation, retreats—it strengthens our understanding and compassion, enabling each mindful gesture, vow to protect Earth, or simple smile to light the path to true peace.