Heart work is hard work
We think of hard work usually in terms of physical labor and occasionally in terms of intellectual work. But we rarely recognize that another kind [...]
The heart’s core is never hardcore
Hardcore is often the describer for people who are rigid and inflexible, convinced that their particular way of doing things is the only way of [...]
Gita 10.34 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 10.34 mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham [...]
Protecting cows protects the cow protectors from greed
Some people ask, “Why does bhakti culture stress cow protection?” Multiple reasons. The cow is a gentle animal that gives us the same life-sustaining gift [...]
Hating the wrongs done to us blinds us to the wrongs done by us
When we feel wronged, we often magnify our side of the story, while minimizing any other side the story may have. Such was the disposition [...]
Even if we lose hope with ourselves, Krishna doesn’t
We often face difficulties because of outer conditions or inner conditionings or both. If these difficulties seem unresolvable, we may lose hope. Thankfully however, even [...]
Immigration to the spiritual world happens not by infiltration but by invitation
When two countries have huge economic disparities, people from the poorer country often try to immigrate to the wealthier country. And if they can’t enter [...]
As long as we are bound by desire, we will be bound to fear
Suppose an alcoholic is in a de-addiction center. Driven by desire for alcohol, they are sneakily seeking it somewhere. They will be fearful: will anyone [...]
The mind is not just a window; it is also a camera
The mind is like a window; it integrates inputs coming from the senses and presents them to the soul for processing (Bhagavad-gita 15.09). Of course, [...]
Devotion is not just reverential deference to God’s greatness; it is also passionate advocacy of his sweetness
Some people think that to be devoted means to perpetually bow down to God, being awed by his greatness. Yes, appreciating God’s greatness and submitting [...]
The most exhausting burden is a mask
If we see someone carrying a huge burden on their back, we may feel pity for them. Yet we ourselves may be carrying a heavier [...]
Don’t just keep waiting – keep pushing too
When urged to practice spiritual life, some people stay lethargic, saying, “I am waiting to get an inner call.” However, do we adopt such an [...]
Unconditional love doesn’t mean that whatever we do is loved; it means that whatever we do, we are loved
Some people say, “If God loves us unconditionally, he should let us do whatever we want. But in the Bhagavad-gita, he asks us to do [...]
We may be victimized, but we don’t have to be victims
We may sometimes be victimized. How can we deal with the resulting devastation? By ensuring that the emotional dimension of the victimization doesn’t aggravate our [...]
Meditation on space spaces us out
Meditation is becoming popular nowadays. However, given people’s preference to do things their way, many meditators meditate on whatever object catches their fancy, without considering [...]
When the Infinite is discovered, the infinitesimal is uncovered
Love is our innate need – we all long to love and be loved. However, in searching for love, we may get lost. When people [...]
Letting the mind run free is the quickest path to exhaustion
After waking up in the morning, suppose we soon feel tired, even though we have hardly exerted ourselves. Why might that be? Often, such exhaustion [...]
Don’t mess every new day with yesterday
Suppose we are driving through an intersection. If at a previous intersection, someone had suddenly cut across us. Their actions might have annoyed us, but [...]
Determination means to place our intention above our emotion
We all want to be determined, at least about some things that are important to us. But frequently our determination lets us down. That may [...]
Krishna has faith in our potential – let’s have faith in his potency
Suppose a celebrated sports coach has faith in the potential of an aspiring sports player. If that player lacks confidence, seeing the coach’s confidence in [...]
We are always full of thoughts, but we aren’t always thoughtful
Our consciousness is always filled with thoughts, for we can never stop thinking. Even the notion of stopping all thinking is also a thought. Thus, [...]