Turning the Mind Into an Ally

by Sakyong Mipham

It seems we all agree that training the body through exercise, diet, and relaxation is a good idea, but why don’t we think about training our mind?

Although it has its roots in Buddhism, it is a complement to any spiritual tradition.

But it does help us see how our problems arise, because it trains us in recognizing thoughts and emotions. It also trains us in letting them pass without acting on them.

We have to accept responsibility for the state of our own mind; it doesn’t work to blame others for our confusion or expect them to encourage or confirm us in our practice. We have to look to ourselves as the source of our own confusion—and our own enlightenment.

Most of us contemplate what’s missing in our lives, as opposed to what we have.