Are we rude to the crude?
Suppose we come from an urbane background and behave in ways that our culture considers well-mannered. Suppose we meet someone from a rustic background with [...]
Gita 06.28 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya 10-32: From practice to perfection in [...]
How spiritual experiences affect our spiritual journey
When we embark on a spiritual journey, we may read in wisdom-texts about saints who have spiritual experiences, wherein they feel some sublime joy or [...]
Three ways to see our abilities spiritually
We all have certain abilities. Though we often think that those abilities belong to us, they sometimes inexplicably desert us, as when talented sports players [...]
How to persevere amid uncertainty?
Suppose we are driving. We gain confidence by seeing the path ahead clearly and knowing how it takes us to our destination. However, if the [...]
Is death just a snag in our biological hardware?
Some people believe that humanity can attain immortality if we just understand what causes the aging process and then reprogram the genes that cause that [...]
Sensuality + Technology – Spirituality = Recipe for self-destruction
Sensuality + Technology - Spirituality = Recipe for self-destruction Sensuality: When we are consumed by sensual pleasures or even sensual fantasies, we become oblivious to [...]
What do we need to be happier?
Many people think that to be happy, they need to become richer and thinner. By their wealth, they believe they can buy the things that [...]
How Krishna descends to civilize and spiritualize humanity
One of the greatest civilizing forces in human history has been the belief in a God who keeps track of our actions and who [...]
Why fear of God is healthy — and when it becomes unhealthy
To stay civilized, every society needs to instill in its members a healthy fear of the law, which essentially means fear of the consequences of [...]
Beyond thoughtless action and spineless inaction
At the start of the Bhagavad-gita, when Arjuna is confronted with the prospect of fighting a brutal war against his venerable elders, he pauses. Throughout [...]
Why we remain strangers to ourselves …
We are often fascinated by characters depicted in novels and movies. Fans fill blogs analyzing every single dialogue spoken by fictional characters in, say, Star [...]
How to live amid danger
We often worry when visiting dangerous areas infested with terrorists or infected by pandemics. If fear overwhelms us, we can remember that we can [...]
Gita 06.30 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Krishna is talking about perfection of [...]
Who is defining our identity: our mind or our Lord?
Our mind often acts as our enemy (Bhagavad-gita 06.06). One way it acts inimically is by discouraging us whenever we attempt anything worthwhile: “You are [...]
How can we know reality?
Suppose someone is walking on a road with their eyes blindfolded and ears plugged. If they struggled only to remove the ear plugs that blocked [...]
How can we become immune to temptation?
Suppose someone is living in a pandemic area. If they have developed immunity to that disease, they may think they are safe. However, if they [...]
How to assess the value of our work
We often value our work based on the paycheck it provides — the bigger the paycheck, the better the work. Such assessment is understandable because [...]
How humility protects us from the ego’s trident?
Our ego often acts like a trident that pierces us with three prongs: grandiosity, blame and shame. Grandiosity: When we set out to achieve something, [...]
Can devotion and ambition go together?
Some people feel, “Devotion involves pursuing God beyond this world, whereas ambition involves pursuing worldly gain. The two are therefore incompatible.” Not necessarily. It’s true [...]
How we can learn from history to shape our history
Modern history is often a compilation of facts and figures, wars and conquests, births and deaths. Traditionally however, especially in spiritual cultures, history was studied [...]