Opening the Door to Healing

Positive Perceptions

Pessimism can be so deadly. The habit of worrying about problems or seeing only the negative aspect of a situation hardly leaves any room for healing. When the mind becomes encrusted and rigid with this attitude, then everything that happens appears tainted by pain and negativity.

The mind can choose between positive and negative; it's all in the perception. A central practice in Tibetan Buddhism is positive perception. It's an approach that's been proven over the centuries to yield an amazing harvest of spiritual realization, as well as happiness and health in everyday life.

Try to reduce the degree of resentment toward the so-called unhappiness; that will be a big achievement. Change what you can to improve your situation, and don't worry about what you can't change. Be more accepting of things at this very moment.

Even if our lives are painful, we can find something to use as our focal point of healing, the best out of the worst situations, if we care to look for it.

Problems can become stepping stones on the path to freeing our minds. Even if we are not great spiritual masters, we can start by seeing small problems as acceptable. Try to see a difficulty as an interesting challenge. Then if you can solve it, or learn how to tolerate it, be sure to congratulate yourself on doing so. Feeling the satisfaction can bring a surge of joy, which has a positive ripple effect in the rest of your life.

A spark of peace and joy can be found in every situation, if we care to find and apply it. Even if we are having a hellish life, there will always be some moments of peace that we could certainly use as the source of healing. So, even if our lives are painful, we can find something to use as our focal point of healing, the best out of the worst situations, if we care to look for it.

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