Integration inspires integrity
To live with integrity means to commit to live according to certain principles and thereafter conscientiously live accordingly. Integrity is best inspired by integration. For [...]
As soon as we stop working constructively, our mind starts working destructively
We often do things that we regret later. If we look back at why we did those things, we will notice that some voice within [...]
Craving can’t be curbed, but cravings can be cured
We all are conscious beings. The very nature of consciousness is to observe, feel and desire. And desire when intensified becomes a craving. Cravings can [...]
The Gita is a revelation of love and an invitation to love
Some people feel apprehensive about studying the Bhagavad-gita: “It contains a lot of complicated philosophy.” Yes, the Gita is a profoundly philosophical book and its [...]
We may be taken aback, but we don’t have to go back
When things turn out opposite to our expectations, we mentally shrink back, being surprised or shocked. Such an inner reaction is described by the idiom [...]
Introspection distances us from our situations and our emotions
Sometimes, people do things that provoke us, and we react angrily. But our kneejerk reaction only worsens the situation, which we realize after the passage [...]
Sensuality is the rust that blunts the axe of our consciousness
Woodcutters who try to cut trees with a blunt axe waste their time. Taking time out to sharpen the axe is prudent. How can we [...]
Culture is meant to instill values, not instigate cravings
We all are shaped by the culture of our times. In today’s world, the culture is extremely sensual and materialistic. Consider, for example, the contemporary [...]
Reality is not as rosy as our dreams, but neither is it as scary as our nightmares
We often see life with rose-tinted glasses because of the media propaganda that unending sensual bliss is available through worldly enjoyment. These fantasies are deflated [...]
Seek God not just in the privacy of the heart but also the activity of the world
Some people think that to seek God, we must renounce the world, go to a secluded place in a forest and meditate on him in [...]
Mental blocks block far more than road blocks
While driving, if we find a road block, we can’t just deny or wish it away – we need to practically deal with it, either [...]
Failure is not the enemy of success – it is the entry to success
Some people ask, “When we try to improve ourselves, if we fail repeatedly, how can we avoid becoming discouraged?” By reconceptualizing failure – instead of [...]
Let introspection be for fact-finding, not fault-finding
While striving to live according to principles, if we falter, we become disheartened. Even if we introspect to find out why we fell, that introspection [...]
To think that the illusions tempting us are new is an old illusion
The world we live in is a place of illusion. The primary illusion is that sense objects can make us happy. But the illusion runs [...]
We can never have a bird’s eye-view – we can only have a human eye-view from a bird’s perspective
Getting a bird’s eye-view of something refers idiomatically to looking at the big picture, seeing that thing in a broader context – akin to how [...]
The cunning combination of complacency, complicity and carnality consumes our conscience
Our conscience is our inner guard – it cautions us whenever we feel tempted to do anything unworthy. However, just as a carnivorous predator may [...]
Don’t treat others as a waste-basket for your words
If we have a lot of waste in our house, we wouldn’t throw it at any visitor. But strangely we sometimes throw our waste-words at [...]
See Krishna not just as a shock-absorber, but also as a goal-transformer
Many people treat God as a shock-absorber. Just as a car’s shock-absorber is needed to minimize jolts while driving, they think God is needed to [...]
One person’s diversion can be another person’s devastation
To relieve life’s monotony, we sometimes seek various diversions. While diverting ourselves, we may simply want some harmless entertainment. But diversions can easily degenerate from [...]
We are not our feelings – we are the feelers of our feelings
Some people ask, “We often act on our feelings such as anger, frustration or dejection, and later regret those actions. How can we avoid such [...]
To offer our best, we need to discover our best
Suppose someone has a precious inheritance buried in their backyard, and they want to give a valuable gift to their loved one. Naturally, they would [...]