We have 6 doors that influence our state of mind. The 5 bodily doors are self-explanatory, and we can guard those quite well if we choose to. But the 6th door is what most people overlooked: the mind door or mind consciousness.
Like the physical world, the mental world is filled with visions, colours, voices, memories, thoughts, thinking patterns and beings from other planes. We guard this door by keen mindfulness. We can try shifting our perceptions to counteract negativity such as anger, resentments, envy, jealousy and all other unskilful thinking patterns. Failing that, we can always bring our awareness back to the present moments and to our senses. I always opt for this as my daily practice.
For example, when you eat immerse yourself in the experience of taste, smell and joy.
When you walk, sense the earth, notice your moving muscles, feel gratitude.
When in company of others, be in the totality with the connection of warmth and kindness.
Use key questions like:
“Where am I?”
“What am I doing?”
“Who am I with?”
Other techniques include body scan or setting reminder alarms every half hour.
