These ancient recipes for inner work are contained, for example, in some suggestions from the Dalai Lama, offering practical steps for dealing with afflictive emotions. One is to develop a clear understanding of why the emotion is destructive — in other words, to step far enough back from it to see that the reaction is self-defeating. Another is to examine the unfounded or distorted assumptions that give rise to the emotion. Realizing that these thoughts are just projections of the mind helps counter the disturbing emotions they provoke.
He also recommends one crucial method: "Cultivate mindfulness right from the beginning," the Dalai Lama teaches. "Without mindfulness, you give the afflictions free rein."
— Tara Bennett-Goleman, Emotional Alchemy