We start any new activity by generating our motivation. We do this at the beginning of the day, the beginning of a project, or the beginning of a meditation session. We do this because our motivation is the prime factor that will determine the value and worth of whatever we do.

Buddhism always points us inwards to examine the state of our mind, our motivations, and our intentions. We can look good on the outside and be doing the “right thing”, but it is not considered spiritual practice if we have a manipulative or rotten motivation. This is why we take special care with our motivation and continually check why we are doing something. We frequently try to cultivate an attitude of love, compassion, and altruism in order to train our minds so those thoughts will be our motivators. Even if we do not always feel it from the heart, just bringing the mind back to a compassionate motivation, again and again, makes a profound imprint on us and helps us to generate genuine love, compassion, and altruism.

“365 Gems of Wisdom” Volume One (January — March) e-book is out now!