My friend, Barry, a meditation teacher, is fond of saying that the spiritual path is like warfare. It’s a battle waged within. As Pogo said, “We have met the enemy, and he is us.” And, in that regard, Rinpoche’s quote is especially germane. “Emotions are the generals of ego’s army.” When we choose to do the work of going within and finding silence beyond the incessant chatter of the mind, that mind inevitably rebels. Some of us are fortunate that it’s a mild rebellion requiring just a bit of willpower to overcome the tendency of the mind to wander into idle chatter about the past or the future.

For others, myself included, the mind throws up unbelievable roadblocks to silence; twisting our emotional bodies into anxiety-ridden, tortured beings. Thoughts arise about the nature of thought, the witness is confused with the hyper-vigilant neurotic mind, heart rates increase, throats close down, and the mind can even become fuzzy. Emotions like fear, confusion, frustration, and anger arise. Hopelessness and despair follow as the dominant thoughts are of defeat. “This mind is too powerful; too pervasive to overcome. Silence is impossible.”

The directive is to stay the course. Remain present and sit through the pull of the emotions. As generals of ego’s army, emotions are the most powerful foes we face; the easiest to take seriously. As you sit with them, refusing to allow them to defeat you, you may have glimpses of silence, and you may even experience moments of detachment from those feelings. They’re there but they’re not you. They’re an “invading presence” as Eckardt Tolle says, but they’re also temporary. Remain quiet and continue to allow them to exist with “unbearable compassion” according to Ram Dass. In a moment they may be gone.

To learn more about Dr. Steve, go to www.stevetaubman.com