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For example, they are able to maintain more or less perfect concentration on a particular task for forty-five minutes, whereas most people cannot go beyond five or ten minutes before they begin making an increasing number of mistakes.
twenty minutes of daily practice can contribute significantly to the reduction of stress, whose harmful effects on health are well established.
Training the mind not only makes it possible to cope with mental toxins like hatred, obsession and fear that poison our existence, but also helps us acquire a better understanding of how the mind functions and gives us a more accurate perception of reality.
the mind is not an entity but rather a dynamic stream of experiences, a succession of moments of consciousness.
our attention has to be highly sharpened so that it becomes stable and clear. We will then be able to observe how the mind functions and perceives the world and we will be able to understand the way thoughts multiply by association. Finally,
them rise and dissolve by themselves in the field of mindfulness.
This process requires determination, enthusiasm and perseverance. It requires what Shantideva calls, ‘the joy of doing what is beneficial’.
we begin by observing and understanding how thoughts multiply by association with each other and create a whole world of emotions, of joy and suffering. Then we penetrate behind the screen of thoughts and glimpse the fundamental component of consciousness, the primal cognitive faculty out of which all thoughts arise.
develop an accurate view of reality and transform our minds.
find the right balance between effort and relaxation.’
diligent but not impatient.
If we enjoy a minimum of freedom and opportunity, human life has extraordinary possibilities for inner development.
Reflecting on impermanence makes us realize the value of time.
Every moment of this life is precious, because death could occur at any time.
consider, in the deepest part of yourself, what really counts in this life and use the time left to you to live in the most fruitful way possible – for your own sake and that of others.
When you try to calm your mind, it may seem that you have more thoughts than before. The truth is that they have not increased in number, but rather you have become aware of how many there are.
Wisdom is a better understanding of reality and compassion is the desire for all beings to be liberated from the causes of suffering.
Everything is relationship; nothing exists in and of itself.
Desire tends to distort reality and to make you view its object as fundamentally desirable. In order to regain a more accurate view of things, take the time to examine all aspects of the object of your desire and meditate for a few moments on its less attractive and less desirable sides.
