Yogi: I felt a bundle of emotions and pain in the chest and heart, like an injury. It kept coming and was extremely difficult yesterday. I took a break and went out for a run – and then I was completely out of this depressed mode.
Sayadaw: It’s good for you to change object – don’t stay with this object.
There is no need to deal with the object – it’s there, but you don’t have to pay attention to it.
It’s a very simple rule of thumb – if you watch an unpleasant object and it starts to get less unpleasant for you, then you can continue watching it.
If it is getting worse for you, don’t watch that unpleasant object because the mind is not having the right attitude; it doesn’t feel neutral about it.
Go for a simple object – go for a walk and be aware of walking, seeing or hearing. If you’re sitting, you can just be aware of your breath. Ignore the emotional bundle.
Right now, right attitude of the mind is not very strong. So, when it has an unpleasant object, you’re not also watching the disliking mind, but the thing that the mind doesn’t like. The disliking keeps growing and it feels more and more unpleasant.
It’s a useless exercise – don’t do it.