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True Love
The Three Jewels — the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha — are three inseparable gems: the Buddha cannot exist without the Dharma and the Sangha; the Dharma is not complete without the Buddha and the Sangha; and the Sangha is truly meaningful only when there is both the Buddha and the Dharma. Right view is to recognize this interbeing — to breathe, to walk, and to live for our ancestors, our descendants, and for ourselves.
The retreat “Opening the Door of the Heart” develops the 16 exercises of Mindful Breathing to nourish mindfulness, joy, and insight. The first exercise is to recognize the in-breath and out-breath in order to let go of the past and the future, and to break free from the “prison” of sorrow or worry. Just one to three seconds of attention, and body and mind return to the present moment, allowing us to experience freedom from anxiety and to embrace true happiness.
Mindfulness is the energy of knowing what is happening; concentration is the mind not being distracted from the present object; and insight arises when mindfulness and concentration are strong. From mindful breathing, joy (the arising of delight) and happiness (the peace of well-being) are born, without the need to seek material things. Two important kinds of joy and happiness are the joy and happiness born from letting go, and the joy and happiness born from returning to the present moment. The practice of “dwelling happily in the present moment” invites us to rest in the here and now and to recognize the countless conditions of happiness that are already available. Letting go of our attachments, the “second arrow” of overreaction, helps us to embrace suffering with lightness and compassion, so that we no longer suffer needlessly and can develop insight with each breath.