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Under Four Pines: Right-Left Hand Love and the Breath of Mindfulness
Four pine trees were planted twenty-eight years ago to become today’s Upper Hamlet Dharma Hall. During the Summer Opening—now in its fourth week—over one hundred children, teenagers, and adults have practiced sitting and walking meditation together. Sitting meditation is simply enjoying each in-breath and out-breath and the peaceful presence of others; walking meditation is fully aware, one-step-one-breath, no thinking, no talking, celebrating life’s wonder on “this beautiful planet called Earth.” Holding a child’s hand, Thay offers stability and peace, and in return is nourished by their freshness and innocence.
True love, Thay teaches, must include non-discrimination and equanimity, as illustrated by the harmony of the right and left hands, which never fight, never compare, and care for each other’s suffering. From that true love emerges shared happiness and shared suffering. To prevent unmindful mistakes—like hammering a finger—mindfulness and concentration must underpin every action.
Three kinds of complexes
- complex of superiority
- complex of inferiority
- complex of equality
Four exercises in mindful breathing
- identify in-breath as in-breath, out-breath as out-breath
- follow the in-breath and out-breath all the way through
- become aware of the whole body while breathing in
- release tension in the body while breathing out
Three energies generated by Buddhist meditation
• smṛti (mindfulness)
• samādhi (concentration)
• prajñā (insight)
