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FACE TO FACE | EASTERN HORIZON 29

try to alleviate the suffering of other sentient beings.
For instance, in the current Covid-19 pandemic, there
are many poor people in India and the Himalayan
areas and other parts of the world. We can try to assist
them physically by giving material things like medical
equipment, medicines, and vaccines, or mentally by
sharing our methods of mind training so that they can
experience peace and calmness instead of anxiety, fear
and worries.
Tara Room, Jamyang Buddhist Centre
One example of mind training is to transform
negative emotions to positive emotions. What do we
mean by that and how do we do it?

We talk about universal aspects of eliminating
destructive emotions and generating constructive ones.
In modern society there are many problems, but not
everybody is interested in studying Buddhism to find out
what techniques the Buddha has taught us to solve our
Jamyang Buddhist Center problems in life. We need an approach that is universal
or secular on how to train the mind to overcome
destructive emotions and generate positive ones.

The first step is to recognize that destructive emotions
such as fear, anxiety, strong desire, and anger exist, and
to see that these emotions disturb our mental peace.

However, when we consider emotions such as
generosity, loving kindness, and compassion, they
Café at Jamyang Buddhist Centre make us peaceful and happy. They are known as
constructive emotions. And with developments in mind
cannot do the things we want, and we are not in control. science, especially in the field of neuroplasticity, we
For example, we are now beginning to realize that we now understand that it is possible to transform our
have no control of the climate as well. Our external world destructive emotions to positive ones.
also depends on many causes and conditions. We now
realize the need to do something about saving our planet The first step to recognize our negative states of
from a climate disaster. In this way we have learned from mind is through self-awareness. With mindfulness
the pandemic. When we learn about the difficulties in and awareness meditations on the breath we learn
life and realized that we are not in control, acceptance to become more aware of our inner world. And with
sets in. If we can accept things as they are, then there is concentration meditation we learn to direct our
less mental suffering. And as I mentioned before, worry mind toward a particular object which give us more
does not help when we are in a situation we cannot awareness and more control. Through self-awareness,
directly change. we know when our negative mental states such as
anger, jealousy, fear, and other similar mental factors
While it is true that many things are beyond our control, arise. From self-awareness, we move to self-discipline.
yet out of kindness and compassion, we should always It is with self-discipline that we prevent negative