"The mind makes a better servant than a master"
Last Saturday, Sarah Sadd walked us through something that sounds simple but cuts deep: we can change the way we think and see the world by changing where we focus. She covered how to identify thought loops and end them — and wove in resonant teachings on the inner world. One that hits home: "Where attention goes, energy flows." It's a mirror principle. What happens inside reflects what's happening around us. The outside reflects what's within. And in both, what we repeatedly focus on grows. You've probably heard it told this way: A grandfather tells his grandson about a battle inside him — two wolves. One carries joy, peace, and love. The other, fear, anger, greed. The boy asks: which one wins? "The one you feed." This idea shows up everywhere, across traditions and teachers: Vietnamese Buddhist monk and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh described the mind as a garden with seeds of both positive and negative emotions — and made a pledge to water the seeds of joy and love. Buddhist meditation pioneer and author Sharon Salzberg teaches that the mind strengthens whatever we repeatedly turn toward, making intentional attention a form of self-determination. American poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou was clear: dwelling in bitterness feeds it. American author, feminist theorist and culture critic Bell Hooks reminds us that attention is inseparable from love — what we genuinely attend to, we begin to care for. The throughline across all of it: our thoughts create our world. The feelings you focus on become the feelings you keep returning to. Focusing on the same path cements that pathway and makes it automatic, shaping your entire outlook. And even being aware of this brings change. That's why Sarah's session matters — it's a foundation for real mind hygiene. Because you are not your mind, your thoughts, or your feelings. And all three make better servants than masters. This week, we're going further with awareness. I'm hosting a live session where we take duality and the Observer to the next level.