Life may be full of problems, but we don’t have to be one of them
Life is tough. We all face problems. When multiple problems attack us, we may feel overwhelmed, resentful, hopeless. These feelings can induce knee-jerk reactions that [...]
Don’t be annoyed that people are so bad, be amazed that they aren’t worse
People can annoy us in innumerable ways – they can be incompetent, insensitive, forgetful, lazy, dumb. If we let ourselves get annoyed by them, we [...]
In dealing with our urges, if we don’t consciously choose responsibility, we unconsciously choose slavery
We all treasure our freedom and would fight if someone tried to enslave us. Yet many of us unconsciously let ourselves get enslaved. How? By [...]
We can’t eliminate suffering, but we can cultivate a purpose that makes suffering bearable and meaningful
Consider soldiers fighting to free their country from tyrannical invaders. They are ready to face pain, even death, because the war is deeply meaningful for [...]
Amidst unmanageably distressing times, reduce your working frame to manageable units of time
Sometimes, we face such huge distress that everything seems dark. How can we deal with such times? By reducing our working frame. If we start [...]
Don’t ask God to fix your problems, ask God to fix you so that you can fix your problems
Some people think that if they just pray to God, he will fix their problems. However, such outsourcing of problems to God is problematic. If [...]
Karma is not like a mysterious contagious disease – it is logical, not diabolical
When we understand the principle of karma – of how we are accountable for our actions – we become cautious to avoid wrong actions and [...]
Life is a school in which everyone thinks their exam is the toughest
Suppose a school has an examination system in which each student gets a different question paper. The system might seem unfair, but actually, it is [...]
Technology may change our world for the better, but let it not change our worldview for the worse
We live in a world that has been dramatically transformed by technology, be it through electricity, airplanes or net connectivity. Many places whose extreme weather [...]
To put ourselves together, put aside the things that pull us apart
Suppose we are driving and come across an intersection with many roads ahead. We need to choose the road that takes us to our destination. [...]
When time becomes unfavorable, don’t become unfavorable to the Lord beyond time
We all go through phases in our life when many things go wrong. While going through such bad times, if we let our attitude go [...]
Even if we can’t see adversity as opportunity, we can still see opportunity in adversity
Some people say, “See every adversity as an opportunity.” While such an exhortation to think positive sounds good and can be helpful, it can be [...]
We can’t avoid being pushed by time, but we can choose where we are pushed by time
Just as leaves fallen in an ocean are pushed inexorably by waves, we are pushed inexorably by time toward death. Does that mean we are [...]
When fighting temptation, focus just on surviving the present battle, not on winning the whole war
Suppose we were to fight a boxing match against a formidable opponent. Suppose further, before and during the fight, an acquaintance from the audience discouraged [...]
Don’t let the craving for clarity distract us from working with whatever clarity we have
Suppose we are driving through a storm. If water, sleet and dust obscure our front window, we will keep navigating the car with whatever clarity [...]
Gita 14.01 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Chp13 Jnana Chakshu Overview 27 [...]
Spiritual growth is defined not by the possessions we give up, but by the conceptions we give up
We live in a glamor-driven world; we tend to look at things externally, making inferences about their nature by their appearance. We may carry this [...]
Don’t bolt from temptation, bolt the door to temptation
When a horse hears a sudden loud sound, like that of a gunshot or a thunderclap, it bolts from that sound. Struck with fear, it [...]
The body reacts mechanically – don’t take its reactions personally
Suppose we had a machine that was programmed to behave in a particular way, to respond to certain stimuli with certain actions. Suppose we didn’t [...]
Fighting urges is like a timed arm wrestling match – if we just survive the present round, we will resume on neutral ground
Suppose we are playing an arm wrestling match with someone. If our opponent is much stronger than us, they will force our arm down. On [...]
Stop resenting your struggles, start habituating yourselves to them – and they will start hurting less
Suppose we have to do something difficult, be it physical such as push-ups or intellectual such as complicated assignments or spiritual such as mantra meditation. [...]