Our natural state of mind

I often tell beginning meditation students that they don't have to let their thoughts and feelings take them hostage. Here is that principle very eloquently expressed:

Meditation is based on the premise that the natural state of the mind is calm and clear. It provides a way to train our mind to settle into this state. Our first reason for meditating might be that we want some freedom from our agitated mind. We want to discover the basic goodness of our natural mind.

To do this requires us first to slow down and experience our mind as it is. In the process, we get to know how our mind works. We see that wherever the mind is abiding--in anger, in desire, in jealousy, or in peace--that is where we also are abiding. We begin to see that we have a choice in the matter: we do not have to act at the whim of every thought. We can abide peacefully. Meditation is a way to slow down and see how our mind works.

I found this at the The Shambhala Meditation Center of Chicago website.
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