We sentient beings have different kinds of lifestyles, different kinds of happiness and different kinds of suffering. All this, whether happiness or suffering, is all created by our own different kinds of conceptual thought. Mind is a slave to conceptual thought; conceptual thought is a slave to afflictive emotions.

These afflictive emotions are the daily ups and downs we get caught up in, that we think someone else has created. Now, how do we create negative karma? First, we follow the negative emotions, make negative intentions; then from those we do negative actions. Then, from negative actions, we imprint negative karma; from the negative karma ripens our suffering. So, this situation we want to blame someone else for, actually we have created it - now it's our choice how we will react. Do we want more negative karma?

So how do we transform negative conceptual thought to positive thought? The first step is mindfulness. That means watching your actions, what you say, and especially what you think. We are usually so caught up in our emotions, in this thing we label "I." When you are mindful, you start to see clearly if you are creating negative or positive and the choices you have.

Tibetan Buddhist Vajrayana practitioners transform negative conceptual thought - which is usually focused on worldly, short-term goals - by setting a daily motivation to work towards Enlightenment for all sentient beings. Then practitioners can build positive conceptual thought by visualising ourselves receiving the blessings and qualities of a deity. Then we visualise giving everything to sentient beings that they require, satisfying all their needs.

If we don't purify a negative conceptual thought as soon as possible, then in addition to leading to negative action, etc., it also becomes an imprint on our continuum. Just like a seed: if you put it in the ground, it will undoubtedly be the plant it is supposed to be. However, if you are able to throw the seed away and before it has sprouted, then there will be no plant.

By cultivating compassion and then doing an action from this positive thought to benefit and satisfy others, sincerely and without expectations, and then rejoicing ("good, I am able to help them!"), in this way we are training our mind to be positive.