You can see your own state of mind, and it rarely fluctuates. So it’s not that you have no troubles; when you do, you deal with them. But when a problem arises, you don’t become unbearably troubled—that’s not how it is.
Some things can be solved, and some may not be. But it’s not that every little problem, every little thing, makes you upset. And when a sensation arises, you try to restrain it but can’t control yourself, as though you were going crazy. Whatever sensation arises, if your reaction is so intense, you get yourself entangled in it and suffer unbearably. None of this will do. If you can’t get these things sorted out, it won’t do—what are you even practicing for, then? Right?
What I’m talking about, especially these sensations, comes from the nervous system. Opening all the energy channels and chakras right from the start is unlikely; it’s very hard to do in a short time. At the very least, the nervous system—or our energy channels—can be purified, or, in some respects, states such as ease and joy can be attained.
And when you have some depth of practice—some cultivated skill in how you speak and act—or open the heavenly eye, or gain a little spiritual power or something like that, cultivation becomes enjoyable. What if you have no depth of practice at all? This is how I see it: I just want you to become more capable.
No matter what he says or thinks, even if your habitual tendencies and desires can’t be exhausted all at once, it’s all right; take it slowly, right? Gradually perfect yourself. As long as your aspiration is right, that’s enough. As long as you can say, “I’m willing to move in a good direction; I’m willing to gradually perfect myself and become a Bodhisattva of noble character,” or even just have that thought, that’s enough. In other words, your habitual tendencies and desires can’t be exhausted all at once, so it’s all right—as long as you have this aspiration toward what is good.
The more capable we are, the more we can gradually perfect ourselves; if you have no ability, how can you perfect yourself? So don’t be afraid of becoming capable—what’s there to fear? The more capable, the better. Even if you all slammed your hands on the table and sat on the rooftops, one person on each roof, what’s there to fear? Waving a knife, opening a shop—what’s there to fear? Going out into the desert isn’t frightening either; as long as you don’t open a shady shop, there’s nothing else to fear.
Note: This text was prepared from a teaching video by Yang Ning. If it differs from the video, the video takes precedence. Watch the video.