According to Tsoknyi Rinpoche, a contemporary Buddhist teacher, everything you are feeling at any particular time is based on a prior imprint in your being. He distinguishes between two types of imprints:

Patterns that have been learned

remains of karmic (karmic patterns)

The number of imprints that have left their mark on our being is incalculable. These tendencies usually run (and occasionally damage) your life.

Tsoknyi Rinpoche combines science and old knowledge to show how we might transform our deeply ingrained emotional patterns. According to him, we need a roadmap with three aspects to bring awareness to our emotional patterns:

• Feelings, emotions, and mood

• Knowing, thinking, and being aware

The reified “I” – a sensation of concentration on one’s own self

To break free from ingrained emotional habits, we must deal with all three parts.

“…using emotion as the road demands talent, regardless of what feelings come, because emotions are intensely experienced in the body’s chemistry, as well as the mind.” Tsoknyi Rinpoche, Tsoknyi Rinpoche, Tsoknyi Rinpoche

Rather than perceiving emotions as the enemy, one of the most crucial strategies is to accept them – even the tough ones.

The key to overcoming a deep-seated emotional pattern is to bring consciousness to it on a regular basis in a kind and loving manner. At the same time, we correct the underlying misconceptions.

A fear, for example, or patterns of anger, grief, anxiety, or other turbulence that recur in our lives are all examples of pesky emotions.

Tsoknyi Rinpoche developed three “contemporary mantras” that encapsulate this philosophy. He used them to overcome a childhood fear of heights and a fear of flying that arose from a traumatic trip between two Himalayan mountain peaks in the middle of a violent storm.

“It’s Not Me,” says the first mantra.
The first stage is to recognize and embrace the emotional cycle completely. Rather than perceiving it as a foe, make friends with it. Simply be conscious that you have a specific fear or emotion that appears on cue when prompted, or for no apparent cause at all.

We’re usually so engrossed in an emotional pattern that we recognize it as “myself” when it appears. “I am a sad, angry, or terrified person,” for example. The first mantra gradually dissolves this association with the feeling as a component of a concrete self, or “reified I,” as Tsoknyi Rinpoche defines it.

We normally follow our feelings when they come. We then follow it up with a series of reinforcing ideas, amplifying the sensation. Instead, we can utilize the first mantra and gently say to ourselves, “It’s not me,” whenever the feeling occurs.

It’s critical to repeat the mantra with compassion. Even though your intellectual mind comprehends your information completely, the emotional brain struggles to integrate it. It must be able to truly experience and absorb it. It requires repeated exposure to the new message.

You’re expertly connecting between awareness and feeling, as well as between the three separate areas of the brain — the neo-cortex, the limbic system (the emotional brain), and the reptilian brain — with this current mantra and soft tone.

“It Is Real, But It Isn’t True,” says the second mantra.
Isn’t it true that when a disturbing feeling occurs, it feels real? In the event of a phobia, for example, you are afraid and the sense of impending danger is palpable.

The issue is that you believe what the imprint says. However, there are numerous imprints that are utterly incorrect. They’re no longer relevant, but they still have power over you. With the help of these new mantras, you can make a difference.

Accept the sensation with an open mind once more. Recognize that it is genuine.

Then gently introduce the correct understanding to it.

“Dear feeling, I know you’re right. It stems from an imprint I received as a child. It appears to be extremely real, but you know it isn’t. It appears to be real, yet it isn’t me. “It isn’t true.”

Kindness is necessary. Kindness causes the emotions to respond and evolve gradually. Harshness or overworking yourself will simply cause you to shut down even more and cause more problems.

It is required to recite these mantras several times. To dissolve the imprint, it must be done several times. Changing deeply held emotions and patterns that are carved into the brain and subtle body takes time.

Before we can purify karmic imprints, Tsoknyi Rinpoche says we must change our taught tendencies. It’s much easier to purify the karmic imprints if you change the taught patterns, he explains.

As a result, progressing on the spiritual path requires altering unproductive emotional habits in order to become a healthy human being.

“Happy for No Reason!” is the third mantra.
All of the reasons and conditions we choose for ourselves to be happy are in flux. They’re transient, thus they’re vulnerable to change.

Accept the belief that happiness originates from within and repeat this mantra to yourself:

“I’m overjoyed for no reason!”

I’ve used the first two mantras to help me cope with deep-seated melancholy that seemed to emerge from nowhere. The endless sense can be demoralizing in and of itself.

When melancholy struck, I felt a tightening in my throat, followed by tears streaming down my cheeks. As soon as I feel the physical sensations seizing hold in my body after learning these “mantras,” I gently tell myself, “This is not me.” This appears to be true, but it isn’t.”

That has frequently been enough to calm the physical feelings and let go of the emotion. This technique is not intended to repress or reject feelings. You observe the still as they rise up. Using the mantras, on the other hand, is a technique to let go of the emotion rather than being overwhelmed by it and sinking into a torrent of misery or anguish.

These current mantras have proven to be effective for me. I’m aware that these must be done several times in order to completely eliminate a long-held imprint. However, I’ve experienced their quick effectiveness.

These current mantras may be the perfect remedy for you if you’re tormented by repetitive emotional patterns, which who isn’t? They can also be used in conjunction with psychotherapy, which may be necessary if emotional patterns or trauma are interfering with your daily life.

Tsoknyi Rinpoche gave me these instructions personally. He’s also mentioned them in a number of video teachings over the years. Check watch these short films if you want to learn more: It’s Not Me, I’m Crossing a Bridge, It’s Not Me, It’s Not Me, It’s Not Me, It’s Not Me, It’

Last Thoughts
In any given situation, learned and karmic emotional patterns often govern our thoughts, words, and conduct. They have the potential to cause us to repeat harmful and counterproductive patterns.

You are not, however, bound by these patterns. They can be unlearned just as easily as they were learnt.

Tsoknyi Rinpoche recommends employing these three “modern mantras” in a gentle way to help you change problematic emotional patterns and increase happiness in your life.

“It’s not my fault.”

“It’s genuine, but it’s not accurate.”

“I’m overjoyed for no reason!”

Try them out the next time you’re provoked. Check them out and see if they work for you.

Do you consider your worrisome feelings to be real? Have you discovered any effective strategies for releasing them?