Every word we speak and every gesture we make already carries the imprint of the intention that gave rise to it. That’s why training isn’t only about controlling what we do or say but about carefully observing what comes just before: that subtle instant when an impulse appears in the mind. That’s where everything is really decided.
In daily life, you can see how a single thought can condition an entire day. A phrase in the morning—I won’t be able to handle this—becomes a filter coloring every experience. But if you recognize it as just a thought, another possibility opens up: not living the whole day under its shadow.
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CREDIT: Excerpted from Ten Ways to Awaken: A Contemporary Guide to Finding the Way by Ramiro López Larroy. All Beings Press. Copyright 2026.
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