Why understand a wrongdoer
Understanding a wrongdoer is not justifying a wrongdoing; it is simply evaluating whether the wrongdoer is reformable or incorrigible. When someone, a person, or a [...]
The higher taste is not smaller it is subtler
When we strive to practice spirituality and gain the higher taste of spiritual happiness, we sometimes feel that this happiness is much smaller than the [...]
When age brings realization and when it brings frustration
We may often think that as we grow older, we will also grow in wisdom, that we will understand the futility of our lower, material, [...]
Self mastery through leverage not through age
Self-discipline becomes easier not by growing in age, but by gaining leverage. Some people think that when they are trying to battle their lower desires, [...]
What our mind thinks we need
What our mind thinks we need often takes us away from what we actually need. Whenever we feel down or distressed, our mind often tells [...]
Fear looks backward faith looks upward
When we are overcome by fear, then we constantly replay the bad things that have happened to us in the past, and we dread that [...]
Fear paralyzes faith energizes
Whenever we are overcome by fear, we often get paralyzed, not knowing which way to move. We end up unable to move at all. That [...]
Chronic pessimism is covered atheism
When things go wrong or even when we do something wrong, we might start feeling negative emotions rising within us; that's an understandable response to [...]
The life of pleasure or the pleasure of life
Only when we stop chasing the life of pleasure can we find the pleasure of life. The life of pleasure means that we think life [...]
Emotions: not commanded but cultivated
Even though emotions can't be commanded, they can still be cultivated. Suppose someone is feeling cold. We can't command them not to feel cold. But [...]
Serving when we don’t feel like serving
Serving when we don't feel like serving is an expression of determination, not of deception. Sometimes, when we don't feel like doing something, for example, [...]
The easiest way to face temptation
The easiest way to deal with temptation is to not deal with temptation. Whenever we are faced with temptation, especially temptations that we tend to [...]
Far away from God
We may be far away from God, but God is close to us. Sometimes we may pray to God and not get any result from [...]
Dussehra with three lessons
The significance of Dussehra can be conveyed in three words: burdening, burning, and blessing. There are many things that are burdening us from within: our [...]
Make up for lost time
Even if we can't get back lost time, we can make up for lost time. Sometimes we may miss some opportunities in the past, or [...]
Catching opportunities or complaining about opportunities
Are we catching opportunities or complaining about opportunities? Whenever we seek to do something special, we may often not endeavor because we feel that we [...]
Focus on progress not success
To grow steadily, focus on progress, not on success. Whenever we start doing something challenging, such as focusing our mind and learning to gain mastery [...]
Giving others what they deserve is not love
Love means to give others what they need, not what they deserve or even what they desire. When we try to show our affection to [...]
Two ways to avoid agitation
Whenever something happens in the world, which is agitating, be it in the form of some temptation or some trouble coming upon us, how can [...]
Changing emotions unchanging actions
Even if we can't stop our feelings from changing, we can stop our feelings from changing our actions. Whenever we resolve to do something good, [...]
Awesome or Wholesome?
Not everything wholesome is awesome, and not everything awesome is wholesome. We are often attracted to things that feel good, even if they're not actually [...]