In the light of the pain of recent events on London Bridge and in Manchester, IFS is an efficient way to see through the barriers to the natural truth of the Mind, which is usually run by our conceits and fears. Ajita asks the Buddha, ‘What is it that smothers the world? What makes the world so hard to see? What would you say pollutes the world and threatens it most?’ ‘It is ignorance which smothers,’ the Buddha replies, ‘and it is heedlessness and greed which make the world invisible. The hunger of desire pollutes the world, and the great source of fear is the pain of suffering.’ ‘In every direction,’ said Ajita , ‘the rivers of desire are running. How can we dam them, and what will hold them back? What can we use to close the flood-gates?’ ‘Any such river can be halted with the dam of mindful awareness, ’ said the Buddha. ‘I call it the flood-stopper. And with wisdom you can close the flood-gates.’ (Sutta Nipata, vv. 1032-1036)