I’ve been in a very unskillful mood as of late, how do I stop it?As of late, I haven’t meditating, I’ve been lazy, I’ve been a bit of a dick, what’s a good way of reversing this?
you cannot stop it, it has arisen due to causes and conditions, and will cease on its own accord due to causes and conditions. You can do various techniques to manage it and to minimize the suffering to yourself and others that may stem from it, but the best thing to do is set the groundwork for it to not arise again, or for it to be much weaker when it does arise again in the future.
How to set the ground? follow the Noble Eightfold Path, listen to Dhamma talks and engage in good Dhamma discussion with kalyana mitta, virtuous friends. Meditate even if you don’t want to, and above all investigate the mindstate, really observe and watch how your mind feels, and watch the thoughts and impulses that arise, then ask yourself if you follow those thoughts and impulses, will that lead to your benefit and the benefit of others or your harm and the harm of others?
being very mindful of the four foundations of mindfulness during this time, and your perceptions , reactions, etc, is how you minimize the damage, and also how you gain insight into the causes and conditions for it’s arrival, and how to cause it to lessen.
Also practice metta for yourself, have compassion for yourself that you are in a tough spot and that its ok, this happens on the path, the best thing to do is keep moving forward on the path , and this too shall pass.
Then you gain an insight.. become happy and elated, have zealous energy to practice… and this too shall pass… but the path remains.
The awakened ones are said to walk evenly over the uneven, can you practice walking evenly through the ups and downs of life?