Most of us know how little it takes. A few words, a look, a memory that bubbles up from nowhere, and in an instant the mood has changed. It can feel like being a passenger in your own head.
This teaching treats the mind differently: as a faculty you use, not the whole of who you are. It asks three plain questions. Who thinks? Does anyone else think for you? So who is responsible for what goes on in there? Its answer is simple. Thoughts lead to feelings, and you are the one creating the thoughts.
One teacher on the course once thought freedom meant getting the key to the door. Now, for them, it means choosing the quality of mind you want and being able to keep it, without waiting for someone to be kind, to praise you, or to bring you flowers before you can be happy. That's harder than it sounds. Your eyes, ears and memory stay open, and things will get in. The work is to notice, and gently restore the quiet.