Chapter 4: Guidelines for Christian and monastic good practice (paragraphs 3-5)

Don't let your actions be governed by anger nor nurse your anger against a future opportunity of indulging it. (From para. 3 of Chapter 4 of Saint Benedict's Rule, trans. by Patrick Barry, OSB, 1997.)

Repetitive thoughts that run around in my head, weigh down my heart. These patterns of negativity could well come from my wounded ego. As I recognize these useless mental habits, I see how much they are like distractions at the time of meditation. I am learning to let them go.