Speaker: Natasha Carter. We cultivate the blessings of the lineage by contemplating the four thoughts that turn the mind to the Dharma, by keeping an open heart, and by remembering the ultimate purpose of engaging in the three pillars. The four thoughts that turn the mind towards the dharma---our precious human birth, our impermanence, the karmic effects of our actions, and the truth of suffering---remind us of the importance of taking advantage of our good fortune in being able to practice Dharma. The purpose of engaging in the three pillars of the path---practice, service, and study---is to renounce self-centered attitudes and self-grasping ignorance in order to discover the ultimate truth and to benefit beings. It is only by accumulating merit in these ways that we can receive the blessings of the lineage and progress on the path.