I have written before about training our minds like we train a puppy, with gentle repetitions and positive reinforcement. A trained mind is a happy mind, just like a trained puppy is a happy puppy. Or rather the owner of a trained puppy is a happy owner.
But the truth is that most of the time, my mind much more closely resembles a kitten than a puppy. Several kittens. High on catnip. Tearing around the house in the middle of the night crazy kittens.
One of the practices of the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism is right effort. I like the idea that I get spiritual credit for just trying. Heck, I can get credit for just wanting to try, as in right intention, another one of the eight practices.
Perhaps if I want to try and make an effort to try, then one of these days, I might get the kittens’ attention long enough to be here now. Just for a second before they race off again.
“If it weren’t for my mind, my meditation would be excellent.” –Pema Chodron
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