Usually when we get angry about something our mind is totally focused on this one point, this personal incident, so our anger becomes stronger and stronger, then we feel that we have to do something about it, that we have to act. Anger can go to many places, towards oneself as well.

Instead of focusing on this one thing, if we can shift our attention, if we can let our mind feel the same about anger as we do about other things, if we can shift our attention and say; “I am angry about this thing, this is not right, and I am angry about that thing, that is also not right,” if I can concentrate on the many different things that I am angry about, then somehow my anger becomes less, because its not solid. It is not focused on one thing. After some time your mind moves evenly across many things that you are angry about, so that you do not need to be angry about one particular thing anymore.

It is very important that we try to shift our focus, our concentration, from one point to many other things. If we generate bodhicitta there are many benefits, many positive things.

17th Karmapa

source: https://livingthedharma.eu/project/shifting-attention-2/


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