Suffering is universal, and if we really think about it, we all know what makes us suffer. Often we are stuck to it, and we feel that we have no power -- no courage -- to cut off from the roots of our suffering.
But we can cultivate the spiritual power to transform our anger, our frustration, our suffering and our despair. We can transform all of our afflictions, because like everything else in the universe, they are impermanent.
When we are able to cut off from suffering, we become free people. In this freedom, we find happiness.
Remember, we are more than our anger, our frustration. Consider these negative emotions as seeds planted in the fertile soil of our consciousness. If we dwell on them, we water these "negative seeds," allowing them to grow and flourish. As seeds of anger or anxiety become hardy trees, they overwhelm us, and we lose our well-being.
Thankfully, mindfulness is a positive seed that we can plant and cultivate in our consciousness. As our seed of mindfulness grows, it overshadows the negative seeds of craving, anger and despair. Mindfulness illuminates present reality. In the here and now we cannot be swept away by memories of failure and hurt. To plant and cultivate our mindfulness seed, we must practice.
Mindful Breathing: When we focus on our in-and-out breath, we unite our body and mind, bringing ourselves to the here and now. Observing our breath, we let all other thoughts that enter our consciousness float away, as easily as they came. In this practice, we regain the power to cut off from unconstructive thoughts, which prevent us from beginning anew.
Breathing in, I know I am breathing in. Breathing out, I know I am breathing out.
Mindful Eating: When we choose our food thoughtfully and set aside time to enjoy eating without distractions, we cultivate the power of cutting off. Mindful eating frees us from food cravings and habits that do not serve us. Since we eat several times a day, we have ample opportunity to cultivate this power.
Practice mindful eating with an apple meditation.
In our society, mindless eating is a particularly rampant and harmful epidemic. We are often driven to eat mindlessly by external stimuli in our toxic food environment, or by negative emotional seeds -- frustration, stress, sadness. We go on autopilot, eating for instant pleasure rather than for nourishment. We may mindlessly eat a whole bag of chips as we watch television or reach for sweets after lunch at work.
Don't be too hard on yourself. Instead, recognize the emotions and interactions that fuel these cravings, and focus your energy toward acting mindfully.
Mindful eating and breathing are just two examples of practices that build our power to cut off. There are many tools to help us cut off from the roots of our suffering. Understanding our habit energy so that we can identify and transform it is one of these tools.
As you practice more regularly, the power to cut off from poor habits will grow. Your cravings will subside. Frustration with yourself and others will transform into acceptance. And you will be free to find greater joy in each moment.