The mind makes us spin like dirty laundry and leaves us dirtier
Our mind is extremely powerful and restless. Through its thoughts, it can go from one end of the universe to another within a moment. It [...]
To forget that the world is a hurtful place is to place ourselves on a path full of hurts
Suppose we walk out on a thorny path without any footwear. We will hurt our feet. If someone warns us that the way is thorny, [...]
Problems are like burdens whose weight increases with the attention we give them
Suppose we have to carry a huge bag. We may struggle to carry it, but if that bag became bigger and bigger, the struggle would [...]
Materialism reduces you to a number and glamorizes things that make you number
Most people nowadays are materialistic: they live to seek materialistic sensations and possessions. Yet most of them haven’t thought through the philosophical implications of materialism. [...]
Mindless feeds don’t feed our mind, they feed our mindlessness
Suppose we regularly eat food that is high in calories and low in nutrition. We would soon become bloated and drained. To be more productive, [...]
No one has a right to mistreat you, not even you
Suppose someone repeatedly derided us. We would be incensed: “You have no right to mistreat me like this.” Yet we let ourselves be mistreated like [...]
Let your practices make you a spiritual fruit, not a religious nut
Religious nuts are those people who in the name of religion become fanatical, irrational, disagreeable. In contrast, spiritual fruits are those religious practitioners who manifest [...]
Choose the good when it protects you from the bad, but not when it deprives you of the best
Suppose we had to choose between a low-quality product for a high price and a high-quality product for a high price. We would naturally choose [...]
Watch the mind, or the mind will catch you
Suppose we are living in a high crime locality where thieves will catch and steal from us if we aren’t alert. Naturally, we will give [...]
Gita 10.36 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 10.36 dyūtaṁ chalayatām asmi [...]
We are like birds on a branch — our wings need to grow before the branch breaks
Suppose a bird is perched on a branch. Does it live in constant fear that the branch under it may break? No, because it knows [...]
The notion that love can exist outside of sacrifice is a dangerous lie
In today’s world, many people equate love with feel-good. When they experience an overwhelming hormonal rush that makes them feel attracted and captivated by someone, [...]
The images of prosperous people that make us burn with envy are just our mind’s illusions
Suppose we see someone driving a Porsche and looking prosperous. That sight may make us burn with envy and resentment: “Why do they get to [...]
To be nice is not to be naive — it is to be free from the control of vice
Some people say, “If you are nice, you will be exploited by others.” They equate being nice with being naive, with the starry-eyed belief that [...]
The wild mind will make us homeless at home
Our mind is extremely powerful and restless. Through its thoughts, It can go from one end of the universe to another within a moment. It [...]
The choices you make make you
During our life, we constantly make choices. Even when we know that our choices are consequential, we may not realize how consequential they are. Why? [...]
Resenting reversals locks us in ignorance, accepting reversals opens the door to transcendence
When things start going wrong, we often feel resentful: ‘Why is this happening to me? Why do things always go wrong with me? Why is [...]
On some days, in some ways, we all can make a difference – provided we try
During our lives, we sometimes wonder, “Whatever I do, does it count? Does even my existence count?” Especially when we try to do something good [...]
Our belief system doesn’t just shape our perception of reality – it becomes our reality
What we believe, that we perceive. This is a well-known principle in philosophical circles. When we observe the world, we don’t experience it in a [...]
Our clock may stop, but time doesn’t – don’t waste time
Suppose we are working on a deadline-driven project. While we are racing against time, suppose our clock suddenly stops, giving us the illusory feeling that [...]
More important than understanding what we observe is understanding what it is that observes
Every day, and indeed at every moment, many things pass through our visual range. If we observe such things carefully, we can understand a lot [...]