If you look closely and mindfully at your incessant mind chatter during the day, you will likely notice there are two broad kinds of thought: wholesome ones (those rooted in compassion, generosity and wisdom) and unwholesome ones (those rooted in aversion, greed and delusion).
Observe your thoughts today and categorize them according to the root intention behind each thought. Make two lists — one for wholesome thoughts and one for unwholesome ones. If you notice a thought that is fueling anger, recognize the aversive state at the root, and add it to your unwholesome list. If you notice a thought of care and concern, recognize the wholesome root of compassion, and add it to your wholesome Iist. When you notice impatience, see the underlying force of aversion. When you think about dessert, feel the force of greed. When confused, arrogant, or hypocritical thoughts arise, notice the root of delusion. And when thoughts of impermanence, cause and effects, and the value of honesty intrigue you, notice the wholesome root of wisdom from which they spring. Track your thoughts
throughout a day.
To the extent that you can learn to mindfully notice the presence of wholesome and unwholesome thoughts, you can begin to choose which thoughts to nurture and which ones to abandon.