Verse 35 of the 37 Verses of a Bodhisattva tells us when afflictions arise, act fast. It reads:

Habitual afflictions are hard to reverse with an antidote.

So it is a practice of a bodhisattva to destroy afflictions, such as attachment and others, as soon as they appear,

By bearing the antidotal sword of mindfulness and introspection.

Verse 35

The moral of this story is: act fast. When you notice you’re reacting, don’t let things escalate. Respond as quickly as you can to shut that old pattern down. Here’s an example: You’re scrolling social media and you see someone that pushes all your buttons- and the content of their post just hammers in that reality to the fullest. As soon as you feel that anger, resentment, and dislike rising up, change course by sending that person wishes to be healthy, happy and free. And then keep scrolling.

Consider it a perpetual game of whack-a-mole. As soon as you see something pop up, knock it down without delay. As Gyalse Thogme says, “Never give deluded thoughts free rein.”

How can you practice this? By “bearing the antidotal sword of mindfulness and introspection.” Be alert. Stay present. Notice your patterns and recognize what sets them off. Dilgo Khyentse says it’s like being struck with a poisonous arrow. You wouldn’t just sit there, you’d act fast!

I know there’s a common perception that indulging our emotions is sometimes helpful. In very particular cases, that’s true. For example, when someone comes to terms with a traumatic experience and wants to scream it out or break something, these acts allow this long-repressed emotion to have a healthy presence. But in everyday life, if you indulge your anger or frustration every time you feel it, it doesn’t shrink. It grows. So use this indulgence wisely, and only when you feel it’s truly going to be an antidote.

As a general rule, the best antidote for our negative patterns is to act fast, quickly re-patterning it toward a way that is more life-giving for all.