“There is nothing either good or bad . . .

You don’t surrender 

control of your body to others.

More importantly, don’t surrender 

control of your mind to others.

We strongly adhere to the former, so why do we so often allow the latter? 

When driving and someone cuts in front of us, we blurt out an emphatic “Idiot!” Reading comments on social media that we disagree with, we write our own insensitive reply. Upon seeing an ad for the latest smartphone, our longing arises and the phone in our hand suddenly seems in urgent need of replacement. 

Why do we so readily give in to all the people and situations around us that dictate how we think and feel?

Blindly following what others tell us to do is a big danger point. It could lead us to disaster. But we seem to ignore this, the potential harm that can come from others dictating our thoughts and feelings.

Just as we would guard against those who wish us physical harm, we need to guard against things and messages and people who seek to control our thoughts.

He who receives kindness should never forget it, but . . .

“Try doing something for someone.

You can’t have two opposing sets of thoughts 

in your mind at one and the same time.”

This was a noted British anatomist’s response to a student who asked what the best cure for fear was. He then said that one set of thoughts will always drive the other out. Something we need to do. Trying to break negative thought patterns is very difficult, but this is what our practice seeks to do: replace what is wrong with what is right.

Our feelings, the way we feel, arise from what we tell ourselves. So we need to switch away from the bad—what is obstructing us—to the good. This good is also something that can pull our mind away from the negative. If we can replace a negative thought with a caring thought, we will have begun to turn our mind away from suffering toward happiness.

And with more of our thoughts arising from our caring for others, our mind will be more firmly rooted in happiness. 

Is this easy? 

Of course not. 

But it is possible and worthwhile? 

Definitely!