I resolve to refrain from ignorance. 

Instead, I will disciple myself and 

calm my mind so that I can act from wisdom. 

“Why?” It’s a common enough question, one we’ve asked ourselves numerous times. Examples: Why did I say what I did? Why did I do that? Why did I even have the thought to do so in the first place?

Because of our ignorance—our lack of knowing and understanding. Either we didn’t know better. (But we often do.) Or we haven’t yet grasped the harm we can inflict on others and ourselves when our careless behavior arises from what we’re feeling.

Sometimes emotions are helpful. For instance, when in danger, we experience fear and frantically cast about for a way to escape.

But much of the time, our emotions just get us into trouble. We cultivate to discipline ourselves. Doing so successfully, we no longer need to worry about or be embarrassed by what we just did. Our mind will begin to calm down. When it is tranquil, like still water, our wisdom will bubble up, and we will naturally do what is right.

To learn from our teachers, we need . . . (Click image for video)

I resolve to refrain from anger. 

Instead, I will develop patience and 

the compassion to see the suffering of others. 

“Double, double toil and trouble. Fire burn and cauldron bubble.” The three witches in Macbeth were mixing a charm of terrible trouble by casting in poisoned entrails, eye of newt, toe of frog, and more.

We have our own messy hex of misery and strife, a recipe that includes annoyance, bitterness, outrage. Our life is not progressing well. Either we don’t get what we want, or we get what we don’t want. Nothing is complying with our wishes. And so we add wood to the fire and stir our cauldron of negative feelings, tossing in a dash of belligerence, a handful of aggression.

So engrossed are we in our emotional brew that we fail to realize that we’re choking on it and driving others away. The solution? Recognize others’ suffering as acutely as you discern your own. Be compassionate. And in the face of trying circumstances, patiently devote your energy to alleviating, not worsening, others’ suffering.