Consider the following questions for reflection. Make notes about your insights and conclusions as you reflect on them.
♦ Do you feel that some of your desires may perhaps never be fulfilled in this lifetime? Consider one of them.
♦ Why do you believe that this desire will probably never be realized?
♦ What are your motivations behind this desire? What personal emotional rewards do you expect to get if that desire were somehow satisfied?
♦ Do you have any restrictions about having this desire? (e.g. do you think it might be a selfish desire? Could the expected emotional rewards be related to satisfying your pride or vanity?)
♦ Is this desire a defense against a possible situation that you fear? (For example, a person may wish to win the lottery for fear of becoming poor; or may wish for health, for fear of sickness.)
♦ How could self-will, pride and fear be related to each other in connection with a desire that you feel as not very likely to be satisfied?