An Invitation
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.

The teachings in this book contain age-old understandings about love. They give simple and direct practices to help cultivate its qualities in your own heart. This wisdom is essential for all who live in modern times.

The words of the Buddha offer this truth:
Hatred never ceases by hatred
But by love alone is healed.
This is the ancient and eternal law.

Often we find ourselves in conflicts that unsettle our peace of mind.
We face difficult situations, and our problems can feel insurmountable.
Pain, anger, and fear can arise in ourselves, in families, in business, in communities, and between nations.

We would like to find a way out of the suffering,
Even in the worst situations, the heart can be free.

We who lived in the concentration camps can remember those who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread…. They may have been few in number but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from us but the last of human freedoms… the freedom to choose our spirit in any circumstance.
--Viktor E. Frankl

Forgiveness and compassion are not sentimental or weak. They demand courage and integrity.
Yet they alone can bring about the peace we long for.
True love is not for the faint-hearted.
--Meher Baba

Our innate wisdom knows this is true. When Buddhist texts address us as “O Nobly Born,” they tell us we are all sons and daughters of the Buddha. Do not do...