Take mindfulness to its fullness by becoming mindful of the fullest reality
Mindfulness is, broadly speaking, the conscious awareness of what we are doing, why we are doing it, what we are thinking and why we are [...]
For humanity to not work against humanity, spirituality is a necessity
Today, humanity is the greatest danger to humanity – not just by direct attacks by humans on other humans but also by human exploitation of [...]
Go beyond two equalities to true equality
A modern social critic, George Orwell, highlighted how the illusoriness of the equality that communism tried to create: “In communism all people are equal, but [...]
Self-control is best maintained by avoiding situations that require self-control
Suppose we have resolved to increase our self-control by, say, regulating our eating. But we suddenly get a desire to eat something. If we have [...]
To claim that everything is an illusion is to be in illusion
Some people say that everything is an illusion. But such a statement is self-contradictory. When we say that everything is an illusion, then we are [...]
Even if our past seems like a prison, Krishna is the key to unlock it
Our past can sometimes seem like a prison, especially if some of our past indulgences have become compulsive. The way out of the prison of [...]
Crave not for what lies outside the fence – cultivate what lies inside it
Suppose we have a garden with the potential for beautiful flowers and delicious fruits. Still, we need to grow them. If instead we keep craving [...]
Knowledge that is inert can’t make us alert
Suppose the knowledge about road signs that we studied for getting a driving license has become inert within us. It has gone so much to [...]
Satisfaction comes most reliably not by accumulation or appreciation but by absorption
We all want to be happy. However, where we seek that happiness determines whether we will become happy or not. Quite often we look for [...]
We will give in to outer drives unless we discover our own inner drive
Suppose we are caught in a crowd. We will be pushed by the force of the crowd and we may let ourselves get pushed if [...]
Don’t waste your pain
Amidst pain, if we obsess on it, we can’t learn from the pain and grow through it. By thus squandering the opportunity provided indirectly by [...]
Bhakti is not another to-do – it is another way to do
Amidst our overscheduled and overworked lives, practicing bhakti may seem like another to-do that adds to our burden. However, devotion is not another to-do. Why? [...]
Be ready to wait in the confusing in-between till it becomes illuminating
When driving, if we come to an intersection and don’t know which way to go, we need to wait till we get some guidance. In [...]
Trying to be materially over-productive is spiritually counter-productive
Suppose somebody who can lift a twenty-five-kg weight tries to lift a fifty-kg-weight – they will injure themselves. We too similarly hurt ourselves when we [...]
Grace is not life’s sugar coating; it is life’s substantial reorienting
We usually seek God’s grace in material terms such as more money, a bigger house or a better job. However, for the spiritual soul, which [...]
We may be theists nominally and yet be atheists essentially Gita 01.04
We think of atheists as people who reject God’s existence. If we are religious, we would never count ourselves among the atheists. However, atheism is [...]
Be not just discerning and determined – be devoted
When we decide to do something right or give up something wrong, we need discernment. Why? Because the forces of illusion distort our perception. Illusion [...]
Devotion is meant to be manifested not just on our lips but also in our lives
When we practice bhakti-yoga and cultivate devotion for Krishna, we may become very effusive in manifesting that devotion through our lips – we may speak [...]
The most dangerous jumping is jumping to conclusions
Jumping can be dangerous if we jump too far and fall twisted, injuring ourselves, or fall on someone, injuring them. While physical jumping can be [...]
Overcompensation doesn’t restore balance; it aggravates imbalance
Suppose we are driving a car and find it steering off-course towards another lane. Alarmed, we move the steering wheel rapidly, and the car starts [...]
Focus on the mind’s track record, not on its sound track
Our mind frequently repeats a soundtrack within us: “Eat this, watch this, touch this, enjoy this.” This soundtrack, by sheer repetition, can overwhelm us. For [...]