The Art of Mastering Love by Thich Nhat Hanh

The Art of Mastering Love 1

To love without knowing how to love wounds the person we love. The art of mastering love is what true love is all about. When you know and understand the art of mastering love, you finally realize what love truly is, and only then will you be able to love someone the right way.

โ€œThe roots of a lasting relationship are mindfulness, deep listening, and loving speech, and a strong community to support you.โ€ โ€• Thich Nhat Hanh, How to Love.

Love is an unsolved mystery. We are all troubled by the question โ€˜What is love?โ€™

Poets, musicians, writers, philosophers, scientists, and everyone have tried to define love but nobody has been able to define it. Is love a feeling? Or an action? How should it be defined?

Complicated as it sounds to all of us, the Buddhist master, Thich Nhat Hanh has the simplest answer to this eternal question, โ€˜What is love?โ€™, and the art of mastering love.

According to him, love is a way of being. To him, love is complex but it is the most rewarding of all experiences. At the core of his teachings, lies the basic idea that loveโ€™s other name is understanding.

Mastering Love

According to Buddhist philosophy, understanding is the basic necessity of life. Hence, if we are to love another, we need to understand them, their suffering.

However, caught in our daily struggles, it becomes difficult for us to understand one another. Thich Nhat Hanh explains this using a beautiful metaphor:

โ€œIf you pour a handful of salt into a cup of water, the water becomes undrinkable. But if you pour the salt into a river, people can continue to draw the water to cook, wash, and drink. The river is immense, and it has the capacity to receive, embrace, and transform. When our hearts are small, our understanding and compassion are limited, and we suffer. We canโ€™t accept or tolerate others and their shortcomings, and we demand that they change. But when our hearts expand, these same things donโ€™t make us suffer anymore. We have a lot of understanding and compassion and can embrace others. We accept others as they are, and then they have a chance to transform.โ€

Related: The Four Aspects of True Love by Thich Nhat Hahn

Now, that we know what to do, the next question is: How to do it? How can we understand one another?

Thich Nhat Hanh has an answer to this:

โ€œWhen we feed and support our own happiness, we are nourishing our ability to love. Thatโ€™s why to love means to learn the art of nourishing our happiness. Understanding someoneโ€™s suffering is the best gift you can give another person. Understanding is loveโ€™s other name. If you donโ€™t understand, you canโ€™t love.โ€

According to Thich Nhat Hanh, one should learn the dynamic interaction of love:

โ€œIf our parents didnโ€™t love and understand each other, how are we to know what love looks like? The most precious inheritance that parents can give their children is their own happiness. Our parents may be able to leave us money, houses, and land, but they may not be happy people. If we have happy parents, we have received the richest inheritance of all.โ€

Related: 100 Best Zen Sayings And Proverbs That Will Make You Feel Peaceful

However, one should also understand the difference between infatuation and love. Thich Nhat Hanh says,

โ€œOften, we get crushes on others not because we truly love and understand them, but to distract ourselves from our suffering. When we learn to love and understand ourselves and have true compassion for ourselves, then we can truly love and understand another person.โ€

Love is simple. We just need to understand it.


The Art of Mastering Love by Thich Nhat Hanh
Art of Mastering Love by Thich Nhat Hanh Pin
The Art of Mastering Love pin

— Share —

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Up Next

Calling All Hopeless Romantics: An Official List of the Best Rom-Coms of All Time

A List Of Best Rom-Coms Of All Time

Whether you’re a hopeless romantic or a die-hard cynic, there’s something undeniably comforting about a good rom-com. From grand gestures to laugh-out-loud moments, these films hit all the right notes when you’re in the mood for love, laughter, and maybe a few tears. But with so many out there, which ones truly stand the test of time? Weโ€™ve sifted through decades of charming meet-cutes and memorable one-liners to bring you the ultimate list of the best rom-coms ever. Let’s get started, shall we?

15 Best Rom-Coms Of All Time

1. When Harry Met Sally (1989)

Is there any rom-com moment more iconic than โ€œIโ€™ll have what sheโ€™s havingโ€? This class

Up Next

3 Zodiac Signs That Donโ€™t Believe In Love: They Think Romance Is โ€˜Overratedโ€™

Zodiac Signs That Dont Believe In Love

Love is often celebrated as one of the most important things in life, but not everyone feels that way. For some, the idea of romantic love is less thrilling and more “overrated.” So, take a look at 3 zodiac signs that don’t believe in love anymore!

Whether itโ€™s due to past experiences, personality traits, or simply a different perspective, a few zodiac signs are known for their skepticism about love.

Here are three zodiac signs that donโ€™t believe in loveโ€”or have stopped believing in love, and why they think romance just isnโ€™t all itโ€™s cracked up to be.

Up Next

The 5 Neurodivergent Love Languages: How Your ADHD/Autistic Partner Shows Love

Neurodivergent Love Languages

All minds are not wired the same way to express and show love. For those on the autism spectrum or with ADHD, affection might look a bit different. Below are five neurodivergent love languages to help you understand love from a different perspective!

We know about Gary Chapmanโ€™s The Five Love Languages, but these languages arenโ€™t designed for neurodiverse individuals โ€“ who express care and affection differently. Sometimes their loved ones donโ€™t recognize how they share their feelings, or why they act like they do.

So, letโ€™s take a look at ADHD and autistic love languages, which might take on different forms to show how they like to receive affection.

Up Next

10 Surprising Perks of Dating a Tomboy: Why Sheโ€™s the Best Girlfriend Youโ€™ll Ever Have

Surprising Perks of Dating a Tomboy

Dating a tomboy brings an exciting mix of fun, friendship, and romance. When youโ€™re dating a tomboy, youโ€™re in for a relationship thatโ€™s refreshingly different. Sheโ€™s someone whoโ€™s down-to-earth, ready for adventure, and brings out the best in everyone around her.

From shared hobbies to spontaneous plans, being with her is all about enjoying life without pretenses or drama.

If youโ€™re curious about what makes her such an amazing partner, here are 10 surprising perks that prove dating a tomboy might just be the best decision youโ€™ll ever make!

Related: 10 Things You Need To Know If Yo

Up Next

Get To Know Your Partner Better: Try This Viral Love Character Test Now!

Get To Know Your Partner Better Try This Viral Love Character Test Now 2

When it comes to dating, we all have our own unique ways. Some of us are laid-back, and some are full of energy. So, what kind of dating personality do you have? If youโ€™re curious, try this viral Love Character Test to find out where you fall in this dating spectrum.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

The Love Character Test is the

Up Next

The Pebbling Love Language: Inspired By Penguins To Transform Relationships

Pebbling How Penguin Inspired Love Language Can Transform Your Relationships 1

For some people love doesnโ€™t mean big actions and expensive presents, but rather small things matter the most to them. So hereโ€™s pebbling love language โ€“ inspired by penguins. Letโ€™s find out if you have this language of love without even knowing it.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

What I

Up Next

Can TikTokโ€™s โ€˜Meeting Someone Twice Theoryโ€™ Really Lead To Love?

Can TikToks Meeting Someone Twice Theory Really Lead To Love 1

Has a person ever crossed your path and then reappeared at another point in your life, causing you to feel like you have some kind of unexplainable bond with them? According to the newest idea from TikTok, Meeting Someone Twice Theory โ€“ is a meaningful thought that says love often needs a second chance.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

So letโ€™s learn how the universe