"For most of us, our image of ourselves as spiritual practitioners is dependent upon things going well for us. The great Tibetan master Togmey Zangpo wrote, 'When the sun is shining and the belly is full there is the form of holiness, however when faced with adversity, no trace can be found of the truly holy one.' When things are going well we see ourselves as practitioners, but when challenges arise, any trace of virtue seems to vanish. We will argue with our fellow beings, even insulting them when necessary.

"A true spiritual practitioner, particularly one engaged in mind training, is able to use misfortune for spiritual practice. The practitioner would rather be disparaged than praised. When we are admired there is danger of pride arising, causing arrogance toward inferiors, jealousy toward superiors, and competition toward rivals. We are less likely to experience these emotions without an inflated sense of self.

"If we enjoy success in life, we should avoid conceit and, instead, use the opportunity to appreciate the results of virtue and determine to practice it as often as possible. If we wish to be true practitioners of mind training then we must skillfully transform any conceivable event to enhance our commitment to others. When even an inkling of arrogance arises within us, the thought of Bodhicitta should deflate it. And when faced with tragedy, instead of feeling demoralized, we should utilize the situation to further enhance our practice by considering the countless beings suffering in similar and even greater ways. Shantideva, in his Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life, expresses this sentiment in a verse I find particularly inspiring:

For as long as space remains,
As long as sentient beings remain,
May I too remain
To dispel their misery.

"Thus, training our mind enhances Bodhicitta in a most skillful way, molding our mental faculties and enabling us to appreciate and benefit from the difficulties that would otherwise cause us misery."