How to Fight (Mindfulness Essentials #6)

by Thich Nhat Hanh

ANGER IN THE LIVING ROOM Using loving speech isn’t easy. It takes diligence. This means first of all that we practice not watering the unbeneficial seeds in ourselves. In Buddhism, we speak of all the various potential states of mind as seeds. All of us have all of the seeds within us. We aren’t necessarily aware of these seeds, but they are there in the lower level of our consciousness. The seeds contain the potential for all the different emotions, thoughts, and perceptions we may have. If something triggers one of the seeds—for example if someone says something unkind that waters your seed of anger—the seed of anger will come up and manifest in the upper level of consciousness, our mind. Loving speech requires that we notice when we’re watering unwholesome seeds such as envy, anger, discrimination, or despair. Mindfulness of breathing or practicing mindful walking can be a soothing lullaby that helps us embrace the unwholesome seed with our awareness and invite it to go back to sleep. The lower level of consciousness is like the basement and the mind is the living room. If you allow anger to come up from the basement, it will occupy the whole living room. And if you allow anger to stay there for a long time, then the seed of anger will be strengthened in the lower level of consciousness. It will become more important and will arise more easily. If you get angry every day, your seed of anger will grow bigger and bigger, and it will be much more difficult for compassion t...