We need inner accounting before we can have inner accountability
Suppose a social welfare organization is short of money and asks us to become a regular patron. Naturally, we will want some accountability. But if [...]
What we contemplate mentally we cultivate mentally
Suppose we have a garden. We will be careful about what we cultivate there. And we certainly wouldn’t intentionally cultivate weeds or toxic plants. Unfortunately, [...]
Don’t fight against your bad habits — cultivate good habits and let them fight against your bad habits
Don’t fight against your bad habits — cultivate good habits and let them fight against your bad habits When we have some bad habits, we [...]
Attachment makes us blind arrogance keeps us blind
Suppose someone allures an unsuspecting passerby into a dark alley and then attacks them so brutally as to blind them. That would be terrible. But [...]
If we wait till we feel inspired we will definitely wait indefinitely
Suppose we want to develop a good habit centered on doing something creative or constructive such as meditate, study wisdom-texts, journal or write. Even when [...]
Regret for wrongdoing reforms regret for only the consequence of wrongdoing deforms
Regret for wrongdoing reforms regret for only the consequence of wrongdoing deforms Suppose a teenager drives beyond the speed limit just for the thrill of [...]
The mind makes us depressed and then makes us depressed that we are depressed
Life by its very nature is characterized by both good and bad. And when bad things happen, we naturally feel disappointed. But our mind starts [...]
Treating the mind as an enemy can be uncomfortable treating it as a friend can be fatal — treat it as a patient
Suppose we are living with someone prone to wild mood swings. We will need to watch them carefully to understand their present mood and adapt [...]
Devotion is not just about bringing God into our life; it is also about letting God bring us into his life
Devotion is not just about bringing God into our life; it is also about letting God bring us into his life Most people nowadays are [...]
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, [...]
When we react to atrocity with fury we give the forces of illusion control over both sides of the war
When we react to atrocity with fury we give the forces of illusion control over both sides of the war Suppose two countries start fighting [...]
God takes our potential seriously do we?
Suppose a coach takes the potential of a budding cricketer seriously. That means even if the player goes through a bad patch, the coach stands [...]
The more our consciousness is crowded the more our conscience becomes clouded
Suppose we are walking through a crowded place where people are pushing each other. In that crush, if a pickpocket reaches into our purse and [...]
To get the consequences of our wrongdoings may feel like misfortune, but it can save us from misfortune
To get the consequences of our wrongdoings may feel like misfortune but it can save us from misfortune Suppose someone gambles for the first time. [...]
Gita 18.54 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Now Krishna will talk about [...]
If we start dwelling on whatever our mind is thinking, our thinking starts stinking
Suppose something is stinking in our home. We will immediately find and remove it. We need to do the same when our thinking starts stinking. [...]
Raised fists or linked arms don’t transform as effectively as folded hands
Raised fists or linked arms don't transform as effectively as folded hands Suppose we see something terribly wrong in the world around us. It may [...]
More important than staying in touch with the world is staying in touch with ourselves
More important than staying in touch with the world is staying in touch with ourselves We often want to stay in touch with the world, [...]
Philosophical education teaches us how to think, ideological indoctrination tells us what to think
Philosophical education teaches us how to think ideological indoctrination tells us what to think We all speak, but that doesn’t mean we know how to [...]
Even if we can’t drive away inner impurities, we can still drive away from inner impurities
Suppose an obscene billboard comes up in our neighborhood. If we want our locality to be family-friendly, we will want that image removed. But if [...]
Power needs to be kept out of the hands of those who worship power
Power needs to be kept out of the hands of those who worship power To do anything at all, we need power, be it physical, [...]