Originally published by Leila Janah on LinkedIn: Learning from Jack Kornfield: Do The Work

Jack Kornfield came to my attention two years ago when a friend gave me a copy of The Wise Heart. I was going through a transition in life and was curious about Buddhist philosophy and the lessons it might have for my situation. The friend, who has a Master’s Degree in Psychology, told me that Buddhist teachings offer a practical method for reducing suffering by learning to observe the body closely, and by becoming aware of the changing nature of feelings. From the most euphoric highs of love to the devastating lows of death and loss, all feelings are temporary. The only inevitability, Kornfield explains, is change — and the only real choice we have in life is how we respond.

I read The Wise Heart with passion. It offered a technique to free people from the grip of acting based on emotions. By observing emotions arise through bodily changes (pounding in one’s chest, clenched fists), it becomes easier to identify and process them. I started meditating and seeing a difference in long-established behavior patterns — I became calmer, more objective, and less attached to certain outcomes.

And then, as with many habits, I let my practice slip. When things go well, we tend to stop doing the work because it feels unnecessary. A chance encounter with a friend who knows Jack offered a meeting with the legendary author. And so last Wednesday, I drove up to Spirit Rock, a beautiful meditation center in the hills above San Francisco for a meeting with America’s leading Buddhist philosopher.

Several people walked in silence as I entered — I’d come in the middle of a two-month silent retreat. Jack, a slight man with a purposeful walk, met me and whispered to join him in a tiny cabin above the dining hall.

The cabin, which Jack built himself for $10,000 from a pre-fab model on Amazon, radiated a sort of quiet goodness. There was a twin bed, a mat, a small altar with a candle burning, a writing desk facing the woods and loads of books on philosophy, religion, and the brain. I sat on a chair in the corner as Jack gathered a notebook.

The next ninety minutes were transformative. Jack asked me pointed questions: Why had I come? What was I seeking? What was I looking to change? I had come for advice on how to fix parts of myself that I knew weren’t working optimally, parts that had repeatedly resisted change. I had started to believe that I was destined to continue my pattern, that certain personality traits had calcified. He looked sharply into my eyes and said “We can always, always make change happen. It’s not so much a question of will, which most people who make it this far have. Rather, it’s about doing the work.”

What work?

Jack looked at me gently. He explained how important a daily practice is — writing, meditating, and pausing in those moments when we feel overwhelmed by emotion. He explained that so often we operate on autopilot and even if our conscious brain knows the right thing to do, our subconscious takes over and guides us into actions we may regret later. The only way to stop the subconscious brain from guiding our behavior is to be aware of what’s happening in the moment — to be mindful of the body as thoughts come and go. And the only way to be mindful is to train the brain so that mindfulness becomes a habit.

I’m admittedly one of the worst people I know at all this. But Jack’s soulful presence and encouragement gave me the motivation to get back to my daily practice.

Leila Janah is the CEO and Founder of Sama and Laxmi, and co-author ofAmerica’s Moment: Creating Opportunity in the Connected Age. You can subscribe to her updates here.