The more we live for the world, the further we go from the self
To live for the world means to spend our life pursuing goals set by the world. Because the world’s mainstream culture is materialistic, the things [...]
Our mind is like our inbox – focus on the thoughts that matter
When we check our inbox, if we find any junk mails, we neglect them. Our mind is like an inbox, wherein various stimuli come in, [...]
Surrender makes us not just peaceful but also purposeful
When we are disturbed, we often approach God through prayer and surrender, hoping to become peaceful. Pertinently, the Bhagavad-gita (18.62) states that surrender leads to [...]
The mind is like a window that unpredictably changes into a TV
Suppose we are at an acquaintance’s house and are gazing out of the window at the beautiful greenery. Suddenly we see a giant gorilla glaring [...]
Solitude requires distancing ourselves not just from the world but also from the mind
Life’s frenetic pace can easily consume us with its unending urgencies. To introspect and re-align ourselves with our priorities, not the world’s priorities, it’s helpful [...]
Our mistakes are not Krishna’s plan, but Krishna’s plan accommodates our mistakes
Some people say, “Everything is God’s plan.” Is it really? Are our mistakes his plan? If some people become alcoholics or commit suicide, did God [...]
Intelligence may not be a decisive weapon, but it is an incisive weapon
Some seekers on the devotional path downplay the intelligence: “We just need devotion; we don’t need elaborate intellectual analysis. Ultimately, we can go beyond illusion [...]
Humility paves the way from perplexity to clarity
Suppose we are driving along an unfamiliar road and can’t figure out our route. We need to ask someone and we need the humility to [...]
God determines the scope of our actions, not our actions themselves
Some people ask, “If God is the supreme controller, does his controllership mean that whatever we do, he is controlling us and compelling us to [...]
To become broad-minded, know that reality is broader than what the mind shows
Why are some people narrow-minded? Because they are very attached to their mind. Their vision is limited to what their mind shows, and they hold [...]
Engage with reality on your terms, not on the mind’s terms or the world’s terms
Suppose we want to watch some educational program on TV. If someone else had set the TV to a celebrity gossip channel, we would change [...]
Devotion transforms backbenchers into toppers
In every classroom, some students are perpetual backbenchers – they don’t like to study; they attend classes just because they have to. Predictably, they fare [...]
Devotion is not just emotion – it is conscious continuous cultivation
Many people conceive of devotion as a pleasant, pious emotion that they experience occasionally. However, devotion is much more: it is conscious continuous cultivation. To [...]
Our thoughts are not always wise – we don’t have to follow their advice
Suppose we have a chronic disease. Our acquaintances may recommend various remedies. Knowing that they aren’t medical experts, we wouldn’t immediately follow their recommendations. We [...]
When the ego says go, tell the ego to go
When someone disagrees with us, especially someone we expected would obey us unquestioningly, our ego flares up. It goads us: “Yell at them; lash out [...]
When life hurts, don’t let the mind increase the hurt
Suppose we fall on our arm and hurt it. If someone starts hitting the hurt arm, that would be malicious. Our mind often attacks us [...]
Our inner screen is lined with lying links – be leery
Suppose we are reading an online article and adjacent to it are many links that turn out to be deceptive. They promise something free but [...]
Our capacity for emotions comes from the soul, but our current emotions come from the mind
Suppose a child is watching a horror movie on TV and is becoming fearful. Herein, the ability to experience emotions comes from the child – [...]
Monism puts the head and heart at war with each other; devotion harmonizes them
Many aspiring spiritualists think that the Absolute Truth is non-differentiated oneness. Because attachment to material form and personality causes illusion and bondage, they hold that [...]
Maturity means to acknowledge that no one is obliged to fulfill our needs
When infants are hungry, they just cry and expect others to come running to fulfill their need. However, when adults are hungry, they aren’t expected [...]
Intelligence means to know which thoughts to contemplate and which to neglect
Intelligence is essentially the ability to make good choices. For example, IQ tests often assess students’ intelligence based on their ability to choose the right [...]