True Love: A Practice for Awakening the Heart - Softcover

Hanh, Thich Nhat

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1590309391 ISBN 13: 9781590309391

Publisher: Shambhala, 2011

Synopsis

Love might not be what we think it is. We all seek the happiness that comes from loving and being loved, yet we often find ourselves dissatisfied in our relationships and unable to grasp the cause. Thich Nhat Hanh here shows the way to overcome our recurrent obstacles to love—by learning to be mindful, open, and present with ourselves and others. As he explains, “training is needed in order to love properly; and to be able to give happiness and joy, you must practice deep looking directed toward the person you love. Because if you do not understand this person, you cannot love properly. Understanding is the essence of love.”

This quintessential guide to loving also introduces the four key aspects of love described in the Buddhist tradition—loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and freedom—and describes many simple and direct ways in which we can practice authentic love in our everyday lives.

About this title

About the Author:

A Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh is an internationally known author, poet, scholar, and peace activist, and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King Jr. He is the author of numerous books, including the best-selling Living Buddha, Living Christ; Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames; Peace Is Every Step; and The Miracle of Mindfulness. He has founded monastic communities in France, Vermont, and California and teaches actively around the world.

From AudioFile:

TRUE LOVE, by prolific author and Zen monk Thich Nhat Hanh, feels somewhat like a Buddhist primer on how to love well. During the course of the two-hour reading by Buddhist practitioner James Gimian, the book covers the basics of mindfulness and how, with practice, it can help people develop greater compassion. Gimian's voice is slow and steady, a style that sometimes suits the spiritual attitudes that Hanh extols. But his presentation is often so flat it undermines the ideas with which Hanh wants to inspire his readers. Yet while Gimian starts his narration stiffly, he does warm up as he describes his beloved Buddhist tenets. His voice conveys the most varied tone as he relates Hanh's allegorical anecdotes of people who struggle to love. R.L.G. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine

About this edition

• Publisher: Shambhala
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 1590309391
• ISBN 13: 9781590309391
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 128