“Your Daily Dose” is a quick two minute read packed with bite-sized wisdom from all the great teachers. But you could also choose to turn it into something more… a powerful daily practice for personal growth. Give it a try!
A message from today’s meditation:
The Dalai Lama’s message for today’s meditation is that the biggest cause of our unhappiness is our own mind, “the mind is the only trouble maker”, he says:
“Everyone wants a happy life without difficulties or suffering. But we create many of the problems we face. No one intentionally creates problems, but we tend to be slaves to powerful emotions like anger, hatred and attachment that are based on misconceived projections about people and things.” – Dalai Lama
“If you have peace of mind, then when you meet with problems and difficulties they won’t disturb your inner peace. You’ll be able to employ your human intelligence more effectively. But, if your mental state is disturbed, full of emotion, it is very difficult to cope with problems, because the mind that is full of emotion is biassed, unable to see reality. “ – Dalai Lama
When our inner world lacks a sense of peace, then we are often hijacked by our emotions.
Should we try to get rid of emotions then?
It seems that whatever we try as a tool to avoid having the experience of these emotions, doesn’t actually make emotions go away but suppresses them. This can be quite effective for a time (or I should rather say that it can “feel” really effective) but experience shows that emotions suppressed always causes a build up of “something”, and down the road this “something” WILL erupt, whether it is destroyed relationships, disease, a nervous break-down or any one of many more examples.
So if we can’t avoid emotions, then WHAT?
There is a part of me that really IS this vessel that I’m living in. This flesh and blood human that is deeply invested in the survival of this meat-suit, and all of its fight-or-flight thinking. But then there clearly is also the part of me that is able to take a step back and take a look at this vessel and be a witness to what this human is thinking and doing.
This part of me – call it soul, call it higher-self, call it inner-wisdom, call it SELF – is not scared by emotion and understands that emotion is not necessarily “truth” but often a fear of what “might” be true. This part of me has the ability to lovingly hold whatever emotions arise, until it feels better.
To put this in different words: when my “scared human” is triggered I don’t need to change or DO anything but step into my soul and hold this scared human until he/she feels less scared.
So no more slave to emotions then.
The solution is not to stop having emotions, but to overcome the fear of sitting with emotions. When we develop this skill, we can have the experience of emotions without being controlled by them.
We need to exercise this muscle though! We don’t acquire this skill by just wishing for it, but like any skill, everything we practise we become better at. And if we want to be able to survive any storm, we’re going to have to put in a lot of preparation during fair weather too!
“Developing inner values is much like physical exercise. The more we train our abilities, the stronger they become. The difference is that unlike the body, when it comes to training the mind, there is no limit to how far we can go.” – Dalai Lama
“A tree with strong roots can withstand the most violent storm, but the tree can’t grow roots just as the storm appears on the horizon.” – Dalai Lama
To successfully overcome significant challenges, you need to have a solid foundation built beforehand, because you cannot suddenly develop the necessary resilience once the difficulty arises. Preparation is key to weathering storms, so practise, practise, practise! Everything that you keep practising, you WILL become better at.
Today’s meditation is an opportunity to practise growing strong roots while the weather is good.
Mantras for self-reflection:
- “I embrace the storm: I allow myself to feel my emotions fully, without judgment or resistance.”
- “I am my own best friend: I treat myself with the same compassion and understanding I would offer someone I deeply care about.”
- “I practice gratitude daily: I focus on the positive aspects of my life, acknowledging even the smallest blessings.”
- “I am building strong roots: Each day, I commit to practices that strengthen my inner peace and resilience.”
So, let us commit to nurturing our inner peace. Let us practice mindfulness, meditation, and self-compassion. Let us embrace our emotions, not as enemies to be defeated, but as teachers to be learned from. By doing so, we can transform our lives and experience the profound joy of inner peace.
– pierre –
Today’s LIVE meditation is: Come to your senses.
Today’s LIVE meditation
https://youtu.be/4p1nn7WsRjE 2024
https://youtu.be/33WbMg6b1tg 2022
Practice the “Daily Dose”
Let’s put it into practice! Choose what works for you – daily, once a week or whenever inspiration strikes. Putting pen to paper wires the neural pathways that will create your new habits.
1 – Affirmation
Write down your favourite affirmation on a sticky note and place it somewhere that you’ll be able to see it the whole day.
- “I embrace the storm: I allow myself to feel my emotions fully, without judgment or resistance.”
- “I am my own best friend: I treat myself with the same compassion and understanding I would offer someone I deeply care about.”
- “I practice gratitude daily: I focus on the positive aspects of my life, acknowledging even the smallest blessings.”
- “I am building strong roots: Each day, I commit to practices that strengthen my inner peace and resilience.”
2 – A moment of reflection
Use today’s question as a journal prompt. If you don’t have the time to sit down and write, just take a moment to reflect on your response.
Building Roots in Fair Weather: The Dalai Lama says we can’t grow roots once the storm arrives. What practices can you commit to on the easy days, the “fair weather days”, that would strengthen you for when storms arise in future? What resistance do you notice when you consider establishing these practices, and what does that resistance reveal?
3 – Quotes to share
Send a quote to someone who needs it, or share them all on social media to spread the good vibes!
4 – Q&A for deeper learning
Read through the questions and answers and write down at least one “aha moment” that clicked for you.
Q1: Why do the Dalai Lama’s teachings emphasize that our own mind causes unhappiness?
A: According to the Dalai Lama, we become slaves to powerful emotions like anger, hatred, and attachment that are based on misconceived projections about people and things. Our mental state, when disturbed and full of emotion, becomes biased and unable to see reality clearly. This inner turbulence is what creates our unhappiness, not external circumstances. External circumstances simply give us something to respond to. Whether we respond from a place of peace or a place of chaos is determined by the mental state that we already have.
Q2: If suppressing emotions doesn’t work, what should I do with difficult feelings?
A: Rather than suppressing or avoiding emotions, the practice is to develop the capacity to sit with them. This means accessing your “witness self”—your soul or inner wisdom—that can lovingly hold your emotional experience without being controlled by it. The goal isn’t to eliminate emotions but to overcome your fear of experiencing them fully.
Q3: What’s the difference between experiencing emotions and being enslaved by them?
A: Experiencing emotions means allowing yourself to feel them while maintaining your inner observer—the part of you that recognizes emotions as experiences rather than absolute truths. Being enslaved means letting emotions completely hijack your thinking, cloud your judgment, and drive your behaviors unconsciously. When you can witness your emotions, you gain the space to respond rather than react.
Q4: How do I actually build this inner resilience before storms arrive?
A: Building resilience requires consistent practice during calm times. This includes daily mindfulness practices, meditation, self-compassion exercises, and deliberately sitting with smaller discomforts rather than immediately avoiding them. Like physical exercise, the more you train these abilities, the stronger they become—and unlike the body, there’s no limit to how far you can develop mentally and emotionally.
Q5: Why can’t I just develop these skills when I actually need them?
A: As the Dalai Lama’s tree metaphor illustrates, you cannot grow roots when the storm is already upon you. When you’re in crisis, your mental and emotional resources are already taxed. The skills of witnessing, self-compassion, and emotional regulation must be developed beforehand so they’re available when stress hits. Trying to learn them in the midst of difficulty is like trying to learn to swim while drowning.
Q6: What does it mean to be a “witness” to my emotions?
A: Being a witness means recognizing that you are not just the vessel—the flesh-and-blood human with survival instincts and fight-or-flight reactions. There’s also a part of you that can step back and observe your human experience. This witnessing aspect (your soul, higher self, or inner wisdom) can hold space for emotions without being consumed by them, understanding that emotions often reflect fears about what might be true rather than truth itself.
Q7: How long does it take to develop the ability to sit with difficult emotions?
A: Like any skill, this develops progressively with practice. You won’t master it overnight, but you’ll notice improvements with consistent effort. The Dalai Lama emphasizes that developing inner values is like physical exercise—the more you train, the stronger you become. Start with small practices during relatively calm moments, and gradually your capacity will grow. The key is commitment to regular practice rather than waiting for motivation or crisis to force change.