Don't scold the mind

The day is over; lights are switched off. The body rests, but the mind keeps talking. An old hurt returns. Tomorrow's responsibilities demand attention. An imagined argument begins with someone who is not even in the room. We have left the world outside, yet, we carry its noise within.

One of life's most liberating discoveries is that we need not become entangled in every thought that arises. Buddha offered humanity a profound understanding of suffering and a practical path towards freedom from it. He recognised craving as a source of suffering. We can hear its demands in our daily thoughts: things must happen my way, pleasure must remain, discomfort must disappear. We measure life against these expectations and struggle when it refuses to comply.

The breath offers a simple place to begin. In Buddha's teaching on mindfulness of breathing, the practitioner recognises the incoming and outgoing breath, becomes sensitive to its movement, and gradually calms bodily activity.


Sit comfortably for a few minutes. Allow the breath to move naturally. Feel it entering and leaving. When attention wanders into a memory or a plan, notice the wandering and gently return. No need to scold the mind. Recognising that you have wandered is itself a moment of awareness.