The fourth strength is reproach. Reproach can be tricky because it backfires if there’s no maitri. Its strength is that if used with loving-kindness it will steer us away from debilitating habitual patterns. The gentlest method of reproach is to ask ourselves, “Have I ever done this before?” When we suspect that we’re turning away from the moment, we can say to ourselves as a reminder, “Does this way of acting or thinking feel familiar?”
