Tether the Elephant with Mindfulness' Rope.

Chapter five of Shantideva's text is titled "Vigilant Introspection."  In this chapter we start getting more practical advice about how to make progress on the path of the Boddhisattvas and the first step is mindfulness.  It is not unique to Buddhism that in order to develop something or achieve some goal you first must be able to act when it matters.  Shantideva talks about the virtues of mindfulness and encourages us to cultivate it.  The question is can we master our attention and direct it upon the task you want to attend to?  Can we do better at refraining from negative activities which we habitually fall into?  Mindfulness is the critical skill that we need to be able to make real and lasting progress in these efforts.

If with mindfulness' rope, 

The elephant of mind is tethered all around, 

Our fears will come to nothing, 

Every virtue drops into our hands. (from pg. 61)

If you cannot control your mind, then your mind controls you.  I think most of us have situations where we are in control but have other situations where we let go of that control.  Think for example how you may deal with conflict at home vs. in the work place.  You would not engage in certain behavior at work because it would damage critical relationships or cost you your job.  But at home we let our hair down and talk to people in ways we would not in a more formal environment.  I think this illustrates the capacity for control and a subtle form of discretion that is exercised, maybe subconsciously, when we need to use it or not. 

When we let go of the reins of our mind like this is, when we do things with less than our best self and commit harmful actions, we hurt ourselves or others.  

With the goal of developing mindfulness we develop more awareness of what we do, when we do it and eventually why we do it.  From this position we will be able to change ourselves in a meaningful and lasting way but as Shantideva warns: 

For those who have no introspection,

Though they hear the teachings, ponder them, or meditate, 

Like water seeping from a leaking jar, 

Their learning will not settle in their memories. (from pg. 64)

This is a very appropriate post for New Years and may even help some of those New Years resolutions stick this time.  ;)  Please post your reflections or your resolutions for the new year in comments.