"You are free to be here." -- Thich Nhat Hanh

This simple idea opens a world of relief. We can unburden ourselves of past suffering by realizing that however painful experiences were, they are not happening to us in the present moment. The suffering from the past is a shadow that we allow to haunt us.

The application of mindfulness, the state of being fully present in the here and now, has proved so useful in transforming past pain in to peace that prisons, detention centers and psychotherapists treating veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are increasingly implementing mindfulness-based programs. The results for individuals who participate, and their communities, have been promising.