 Dear Friends,
We had almost finished writing this magazine when we came across a new book from Jack Kornfield. If you have already read A Path with Heart or After the Ecstasy, the Laundry, you’ll know why we were so excited about that, because you’ll already know him as one of the finest spiritual teachers around today. What we like most about him is that, with nothing more complicated than a simple story drawn from his rich fund of personal experience, he is often able to throw sudden light on problems we may have been grappling with for years. Anyway, in this new book, which is called The Art of Forgiveness, Lovingkindness and Peace, Jack Kornfield really surpasses himself. His chosen topic is such an important one, especially at this time, and you could look for ages without finding another book on the subject which is so simple, and at the same time so intensely practical and powerful. That’s why we thought we couldn’t do better, in this editorial, than to share with you some extracts from the book. It opens with the following words:
You hold in your hand an invitation: to remember the transforming power of forgiveness and lovingkindness. to remember that no matter where you are and what you face, within your heart peace is possible.
A few pages later, there is an instruction from Buddha:
Live in joy, in love, even among those who hate.
Live in joy, in health, even among the afflicted.
Live in joy, in peace, even among the troubled.
Look within, be still.
Free from fear and attachment,
know the sweet joy of the way.
Sounds difficult? Not the sort of thing you can do when you’re really on the floor? But Jack Kornfield gives so much practical instruction throughout the book, that gradually you begin to see that to live in abiding peace is possible. Here are some examples:
The past is over. Forgiveness means giving up all hope of a better past. (p. 25)
To make peace, we cannot ignore war, racism, violence, greed, the injustice and sufferings of the world. They must be confronted with courage and compassion. Unless we seek justice, peace will fail. Yet, in whatever we do, we must not let war, violence, and fear take over our own heart. (p. 141)
In this world there are two great sources of strength. One rests with those who are not afraid to kill. The other rests with those who are not afraid to love. ‘If our cause is a mighty one, and surely peace on earth in these days is the great issue, and if we are opposing the powers of destruction, of annihilation, and working on the side of life, then surely we must use our greatest weapon – the forces of love that are in each one of us. To stand on the side of life we must give up our own lives.’ Dorothy Day (p.86)
We can cultivate compassion for others and strive to alleviate suffering in the world, yet still there are many situations we are unable to affect. As the serenity prayer says, ‘May I have the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.’ (p. 152)
Acceptance does not mean inaction. We may need to respond strongly at times. From a peaceful centre we can respond instead of react. Unconscious reactions create problems. Considered responses bring peace. With a peaceful heart, whatever happens can be met with wisdom. Peace is not weak; it is unshakable. (p. 153)
And if we ask the question, ‘How, then, can our love and compassion make a difference in the world, there is no better answer than the one Jack Kornfield gives on page 115:
Love does not grandstand. Like water, it is humble and unstoppable. Love does not try to fix the whole world. It is enough to plant seeds of kindness and justice everywhere we can. And then he quotes Mother Teresa: I never look at the masses as my responsibility. I look at the individual. I can only love one person at a time. I can only feed one person at a time. Just one, just one... So you begin – I begin. I picked up one person – maybe if I didn’t pick up that one person, I wouldn’t have picked up forty-two thousand. The whole work is only a drop in the ocean. But if I didn’t put that drop in, the ocean would be one drop less. Same thing for you, same thing in your family, same thing in the community where you live. Just begin... one, one, one. (p. 115).
Well then, we hope these few quotes will strengthen your courage, as they did ours.
With much love from all of us.
Geoff, Ann, Martyn, Jackie, Eileen, Sarah, Regina, Irina, Penny, Sandra, Belinda, Llinos, Mary, Derek, Eddie, Louisa, Jon, Sam, Tobi & Pat
Text & photographs © Cygnus Books 20-Jan-2004
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