Practice Is the Habit of Taming the Mind

In the Ten Oxherding Pictures, catching the ox is the process of holding the mind and turning it back toward the path of practice. But catching the ox does not mean it is tamed right away. Just as an ox that has run through the fields for a long time does not easily become gentle, old habits of mind do not change overnight.

Greed, anger, ignorance, and long-standing habits are deeply soaked into our minds. So the mind does not completely change just because we hear good words once or sit briefly in meditation. We need training that observes again and again, and turns back again and again.

If salt is given to an ox at a fixed time, it returns at that time. In the same way, it is important in practice to establish good habits. Settling the mind at a set time each day, reading scripture, and practicing compassionate action make the mind gentler little by little.

If we try to force the mind down with pressure, it may become even rougher. What matters is steadiness. Gentle practice that does not stop changes the direction of the mind and tames rough habits into good habits.

Today, rather than driving the mind by force, may we establish good habits one by one and spend the day taming the mind in the right way.