How Not to Be a Prisoner of Your Mind

Step on a path of forgiveness and liberate your mind

Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.

— Buddha

If you ever did something wrong to others or hurt someone in any way, you know the feeling inside. You’ve just awoken your little monster inside — your conscience. Whatever it is, your conscience will be gnawing at you. Deep inside you’ll have this nagging feeling that something is unsettled.

This unsettling feeling is what is going to haunt you until you take control of your mind.

The point is, we are humans and that’s why our minds are fallible. As humans we make mistakes. You must come to terms with the idea that no one is perfect — you, me, and everyone else around us.

As much as we are fallible, some people are too stubborn to admit their own faults. They do something wrong to others and continue to live their lives as if nothing has happened.

They see mistakes in other people but acknowledge no mistakes of their own. They are blind and clueless to their faults.

And you know what upset me the most?

People who have their own problems and rush to judge others. People who are blind to their own faults and imperfections. People who fail to look inward and realize they are no different than anyone else. They place judgement calls on others without ever being critical of themselves. After all, seeing other people’s faults is easier than seeing their own.

Why do people do that?

Because it pleases their egos. It nurtures them in the same way food nurtures their bodies.

“It is easy to see the faults of others, but difficult to see one’s own faults. One shows the faults of others like chaff winnowed in the wind, but one conceals one’s own faults as a cunning gambler conceals his dice.”

— Buddha

And these are people with irrational minds.

People with irrational minds paint this rosy picture in their heads that they are right in everything they do and everyone else around them is wrong. And that’s when problems ensue.

I think it’s worthwhile for anyone to pause for a moment and think about why they choose to act the way they do. What makes them see mistakes in others and glance over their own mistakes? Why is it that people hold grudges when they can just let go of their ego and embrace forgiveness?

As Buddha said:

“You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger.”

People who are angry at others will destroy their minds with their own anger. They won’t do a favor to others by being angry — they’ll do a disservice to themselves.

How to step on a virtuous path

To be wise is to live a virtuous life. And that starts with a peaceful mind. You can’t achieve peace within yourself if your mind is not at peace. Thus, you cannot grow in wisdom and live a meaningful life without finding peace with the world.

People who constantly begrudge others and show hatred are unable to forgive and lack wisdom. They create nothing more than chaos in their unsettling minds. To break free and step on a path to spiritual enlightenment, they must acknowledge their ignorance.

One of the most important premises of Buddha’s teachings is that you should forgive your neighbor. Let go of your grudges to embrace true forgiveness. Sadly, some people underestimate the power of forgiveness and take it for granted. They go against the wise sayings of great philosophers and choose to follow their own minds. Later they realize how much they’ve come to suffer and how much psychological damage they’ve inflicted on themselves and others. Just by being slaves to their emotions.

They are unable to compromise and forgive because they are stuck to their own principles. They aren’t willing to consider other people’s points of view. Within their narrow minds, they think they are right and other people are wrong. Being too stuck in their mindset makes them crippled and unable to see others for who they are.

The takeaway

The unabated anger leads to anxious mind. Whether you’re harboring a grudge at someone or not liking them— for whatever reason — you’ll do yourself a favor by dissolving your anger. Whether you agree with someone or not, settle down your differences by finding a middle ground.

The sooner you do that, the sooner your mind will rest in peace. You’ll breathe a new life and experience what is called a spiritual awakening. But it won’t happen if your mind is closed.

Open up your mind like a parachute and step on a path of forgiveness.

Those who are free of resentful thoughts surely find peace

— Buddha