The Original Mind

I picked up the book "Food for the Heart: The Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah" based on the recommendation of author Sam Harris. Ever since reading Food for the Heart, I have tried to be mindful of my moods before they occur. If we start to recognize telltale emotional signs then ideally we can avoid unpleasant feelings/moods altogether and let them pass.

The quote below serves as an excellent analogy.

"Just like a leaf that remains still so long as the wind doesn't blow. If a wind comes up, the leaf flutters. The fluttering is due to the wind- the fluttering of the mind is due to sense impressions; the mind follows them. If it doesn't follow them, it doesn't flutter. If we know fully the true nature of sense impressions, we will be unmoved.