The cause of fights — a deeper examination
Whenever fighting breaks out between two sides, we may naturally ask: “What is the cause?” While a particular issue may be stated as the cause, [...]
Is our need to nurture aiding or impeding those whom we nurture?
We living beings have a deep need to nurture. That noble need is what inspires us to become parents, even if caring for infants sometimes involves sleepless [...]
Get rid of misplaced guilt
Get rid of misplaced guilt- Suppose a policeman feels guilty about putting a vicious criminal in solitary confinement. If that criminal has been duly tried [...]
Forgiveness shouldn’t enable atrocity; it should end animosity
To know when to forgive, we need to recognize two different needs: ending atrocity and ending animosity. Ending atrocity: If someone is treating us hurtfully, [...]
Our attachments are like a rented house that we don’t usually leave unless we are evicted
Our attachments are our mental home – that’s where our thoughts go by default when we have nothing to think about, just as we physically [...]
The essence of renunciation is not giving up worldly things, it is giving up worldly thoughts
The essence of renunciation is not giving up worldly things it is giving up worldly thoughts Some people define spiritual advancement in terms of renunciation: [...]
To deal with fear, focus not on what if, but on what is
To deal with fear focus not on what if but on what is Suppose we hear about an acquaintance getting a heart attack. We may [...]
The mind makes us fight wars that aren’t winnable and wars where victory is not even definable
The mind makes us fight wars that aren't winnable and wars where victory is not even definable During our life-journey, we often have to fight [...]
Value those who value you and don’t overvalue those who devalue you
Suppose we are giving a talk. If the audience is responsive and appreciative, we feel enthused to speak. But if the audience starts frowning and [...]
Attachment is the inability to say no, whatever the cost
Attachment is the inability to say no whatever the cost No matter how challenging a situation may seem, there’s always good to be found. Discover [...]
Tolerance empowers us when we focus on our purposefulness, not on our powerlessness
Tolerance empowers us when we focus on our purposefulness not on our powerlessness Some people feel that tolerating makes them powerless: “If things are going [...]
Tolerance empowers us when we focus on our purposefulness, not on our powerlessness
Tolerance empowers us when we focus on our purposefulness not on our powerlessness Some people feel that tolerating makes them powerless. To know more about [...]
If we are grateful when ability manifests through us, we can be graceful when it doesn’t
If we are grateful when ability manifests through us we can be graceful when it doesn’t Amid life’s challenges, we all look for some ability [...]
Solutions that try to satisfy everyone usually sway no one and solve nothing
Whenever we face problems, different people suggest different solutions. Because everyone is irreducibly individual, people often have irreducibly different opinions. While deciding which solution to [...]
When we are attached to someone we don’t care much for them; we care much more for what they think about us
When we are attached to someone we don’t care much for them; we care much more for what they think about us Suppose a doctor [...]
Detachment is absence of emotional dependence not absence of emotion
Detachment is absence of emotional dependence not absence of emotion Some people fear, “If I become detached, will I become emotionless, uncaring, stone-hearted?” No, detachment [...]
Don’t pack what is back – the past – in your backpack
Don’t pack what is back – the past – in your backpack Suppose we are going trekking with just a backpack. We will carefully decide [...]
The heaviest thing to hold is a grudge
When someone hurts us, we may become filled with anger and resentment. Entertaining revenge fantasies, we may hold grudges against them. Just as heavy weights [...]
In the war of egos, the winner is the bigger loser
When people disagree on an issue, the disagreement sometimes degenerates into a war of egos, where the issues are pushed into the background. People obsess [...]
When we resent others, we drink poison and expect them to suffer
Suppose a person becomes furious with someone and decides to hurt them. So, they drink poison themselves. Ridiculous, we would say: Who would do anything [...]
We can help the unable, but not the unwilling
If a car is not starting, helpful passers-by may push it. With the driver and the pushers working together, the car may start moving. But [...]