Training the Mind

photo: Paul Potash

From the Buddhist perspective meditation involves training the mind.  In The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, the vernable Sogyal Rinpoche explains that it is necessary to see how the mind functions; “then you can use that understanding to tame the mind and work with it skillfully, to make it more and more pliable, so that you can become master of your own mind and employ it to its fullest and most beneficial end.”

According to Matthieu Ricards a Buddhist monk, “Mind transformation, that is the meaning of meditation.”  He explains, “Mind training is based on the idea that two opposite mental factors cannot happen at the same time. You could go from love to hate. But you cannot, at the same time — toward the same object, the same person — want to harm and want to do good.  You cannot with the same gesture shake hands and give a blow; so there are natural antidotes to emotions that are destructive to our inner well-being” 

Now, it’s up to you,  you choose . . . .  choose to be positive – train your mind;  when you realize you’re doubting, angry, or pessimistic . . . STOP! and think of something nice, or simply smile (even if it’s fake studies show the body will produce positive chemicals).

If you repeat this exercise over and over, with time you will train your mind.  The brain is plastic, not fixed and mind training works.