hilitehead

“But generally, this is not what happens. Even if we know that negative emotions are destructive, if they are not very intense we end to think, ‘Oh, maybe this on one is OK.’ We tend to treat them rather casually. The problem is that the longer you are accustomed to the afflictions within you, the more prone you become to their reoccurring, and then the greater your propensity will be to give in to them. This is how negative perpetuates itself. So it is important to be mindful, as the text urges, so that whenever afflictive emotions arise you are able to confront them and avert them immediately. It is very important, especially for a Buddhist practitioner, to constantly check oneself in the daily life, to check one’s thoughts and feelings even, if possible, during one’s dreams. As you train yourself in the application of mindfulness, gradually you will be able to apply it more and more regularly, and its effectiveness as a tool will increase.”