Speaker: Bob Reid. Bob explores the meaning, benefits, and practice of making aspirations. Since they take place in the mind, they are always available to all of us, and are unlimited in their scope. Rooted in humility, they are important because they help us to clarify and reinforce our intentions to benefit beings. Aspiration bodhicitta is the basis for all other bodhicitta practices; as one of the ten paramitas, aspiration is also related to application bodhicitta. Making aspirations creates karmic links, which are essential for bodhisattvas who wish to benefit all beings. Although the practice of making aspirations is a powerful way to accumulate merit, it may not seem to have any real benefit for others. This is not so. Aspirations transmit energy that can have an immediate and direct benefit to beings, even to who are unaware of them.