Bird Watcher

From the Legacy of the Divine, the Ace of Swords; from the Tea Leaf Reading Cards, the 'Mountain:'

          Occasionally I'll see a commercial from UNCF scholarship drive that says, "A mind is a terrible thing to waste." The mind is perhaps the greatest resource of humans, allowing us to learn, create and solve problems. But it is a two-edged sword that can be used skillfully or unskillfully, for selfish benefit or altruistic purposes. The Buddha said that even if we were to solve all the material problems in the world, there would still be suffering. The untrained mind lacks wisdom and discernment because it is easily influenced by moods. As a result, we rarely feel peace or contentment. The Mountain suggests a challenge, and though climbing one requires a great deal of effort, the view from the top often gives us a clearer, broader perspective. Such is the result of mind training, an adventure that lasts a lifetime. Becoming aware of our thoughts without buying the story they're selling is helpful, yet we must do so with gentleness and curiosity - more like a bird watcher than a dog trainer.