I was never big into the mussar approach. Yiras ha'onesh never talked to em, and still doesn't. I know there is a hell and I don't care enough to not act out because of it.

However, I want to sahre what has made a profound impact on my life. It doesn't help me stay clean when I have unrestricted internet access.. that environment is not one I want to be in and not one I think I will ever be able to be in at this time. But learning Shaar bitachon is Chovos halevavos every day (or at least regularly) has made a huge difference in how I see the world. I started with one or two minutes a few times a week, just to 'tune in'. Eventually I wanted to do a little more and got into doing it daily fora few minutes. The sefer does not tell you you have to have bitachin. But basically (as I read it) outlines what the relationship of bitachon looks like- whether that is bitachin in a friend, in god (which is his angle). The point is there are definitions for a trusting relationship. This was really powerful for me. Combined with an external environment that does not incite me, I feel very happy and normal. 

Ironic. I as well. Since the good old days, I'm about to finish shaar habitachon for the first time. Makes a difference in my life and those around me as well.

When you learn it, do you see it as only referring to God? I see it entirely as a blueprint for trust in relationships. Of course his objective it to teach us bitachon in HAshem. But I think it was written in a way that we can derive and apply to all . What say you mr trouble? 

OTR wrote on 20 Feb 2019 16:55:

No, I don't/didn't see it that way, but that's fine.

Someone asked me to post????

Sometime I put all my trust in trouble...

Mark . what did that mean?