Reflecting on our sīla can take different forms. First, we recognize the beauty and power in those moments of restraint from unwholesome actions. What is the quality of our mind when we protect life rather than destroy it—when we take an insect outside rather than killing it? Can we pay attention to the feeling of empowerment that arises when we refrain from some kind of harmful or useless speech, or when we act with integrity in situations where that might be in conflict with our desires? At all these times, we can recognize the feeling in the mind as we make choices that are in accord with
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