With thanks to Marc for the quote.

Regarding the meditation practice of shamatha, or “calm abiding” in Sanskrit, also known as “shiné” in Tibetan:

“Many of us are slaves to our minds. Our own mind is our worst enemy. We try to focus, and our mind wanders off. We try to keep stress at bay, but anxiety keeps us awake at night. We try to be good to the people we love, but then we forget and put ourselves first. And when we want to change our life, we dive into spiritual practice and expect to see quick results, only to lose focus after the honeymoon has worn off. We’re left feeling helpless and discouraged.

We all have the potential to awaken from the sleep of ignorance. We can create an alliance that allows us to actually use our mind, rather than be used by it. This is a practice anyone can do.”

~ from “Turning the Mind into an Ally,” by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche.