A few years ago I had a surgery that resulted in many severe complications. One of the complications was that my body was filled with pockets of infection, some of which were resistant to any known antibiotic. My condition was very serious.
A medical specialist was called in. He took a sample of the infected material from inside my body and then cultivated this in his laboratory. From this sample he developed an antibody specific to the bacteria in the culture. The antibiotic was administered intravenously for several weeks. It took a while for the new antibiotic to work—but it did! After six weeks the infection was completely gone.
I now want to talk about how you can do something similar when working with the poisons of the mind: craving, aversion and delusion. I want to talk about how you can turn poison into medicine.
The process I will describe has the acronym: ROAR. The steps should be engaged initially in the sequence shown: R-O-A-R; then you may repeat any of the previous steps.
R stands for Recognize. Recognize craving/aversion. To do this you must release (at least momentarily) your focus on the external object that triggered the reaction. Don’t focus on the (presumed) external cause, but on the (internal) poison itself—which is craving/aversion/delusion. This begins to dissolve delusion, which is (in part) your perception that the cause of your reaction is external—outside of yourself.
O stands for Observe. Observe your experience of craving/aversion without prejudice, that is, without any preconceived ideas. Face the experience directly without an agenda. Be as objective as you can be. This objectivity is the antidote for delusion.
A is for Apply. Apply the appropriate remedy to craving/aversion /delusion. This means to meet the experience with equanimity. Equanimity begins by allowing the experience to be just as it is. Then make friends with the experience--welcome it into your heart. Be equally open to the experience remaining or disappearing. Do this for every (internal) experience: pleasant, unpleasant or neutral; intense or subtle; physical, mental, or emotional.
If craving is chronic and persistent then practicing generosity can an effective remedy. This helps you to focus on what you can give, rather than on what seems to be lacking. Give what you most want—love, money, acknowledgement etc.
If aversion is persistent then the practice of kindness, benevolence and opening the heart ican be very helpful. Open your heart and welcome every experience-- as well as every person-- in your life.
R is for Release. Release may occur automatically with the first three steps. Yet, sometimes you may need to remind yourself to breathe, release and let go. Let go of the past, let go of the future and return awareness to the present moment. Release mental and physical contractions and open to life as it is in this moment.
A question often arises: What if there is real danger looming. Do I just work with it inwardly? What about taking action? And then, how do I even know the difference between real danger arising and that which my mind is creating?
If the danger is not immediate (e.g. house is on fire) then first engage in self-awareness using ROAR or a similar process. Clear the mind and open the heart if you can. If you do need to make a decision or take action then it is far better to do it with a clear mind and an open heart.
As fear, anger and delusion clears out you have greater access to your innate wisdom—your own Buddha-Nature. You are then able to respond with conscious choice rather than react from past conditioning. When living in awareness of the Buddha nature, you will always know exactly what to do and when to do it.