When the world is a place of distress how should we deal with distress in our life?
When the Bhagavad-gita (08.15) deems the world a place of distress (dukhalaya), what does this imply for our efforts to combat distress in our life? [...]
Four levels of gratitude
Gratitude can be valued and sought at four distinct levels of increasing depth A positive emotion: Focusing on the good things in our life infuses [...]
Responding to adversity — Resentful? Regretful? Or grateful?
When adversity befalls us, we don’t have much choice about what has already happened. But we do have a choice about how we respond. Our [...]
The difference between humiliation and humility
Humility is sometimes seen negatively because it is equated with humiliation. But they are hugely different – as different as are starving and fasting. Starving [...]
Thinking tanking thanking — moving from pessimism to optimism
At any given time in our life, we all can list several things that are wrong. And we often need to be aware of those [...]
When appreciating life’s good things doesn’t foster gratitude …
We may have heard that gratitude arises when we appreciate the good things in our life. But what if such appreciation doesn’t foster gratitude? We [...]
Gita 14.04 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 14.4 sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya mūrtayaḥ [...]
Why gratitude is vital for bhakti
Gratitude centers on appreciating the good things in our life. Such an attitude of gratitude is highly conducive to our emotional health; it fills us [...]
How our worldview shapes our capacity to be grateful
Many people recognize that gratitude is a quality worth cherishing, for it promotes emotional health and overall well-being. But not many people recognize that our [...]
How to feel grateful when we are not successful
When our endeavors don’t lead to success, how can we cultivate gratitude? By contemplating what really matters for us. Aiding such contemplation, Gita wisdom offers [...]
Gita 14.26 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Now after describing the linga [...]
Dissatisfaction: cause and cure
We could divide the world around us into two categories: the things we have and the things we don’t have. Whenever we see something desirable [...]
Gita 02.60 explained
BG 2.60 yatato hy api kaunteya purushasya vipascitah indriyani pramathini haranti prasabham manah SYNONYMS yatatah -- while endeavoring; hi -- certainly; api -- in [...]
Four stages in self-transformation
How can we assess our progress toward self-transformation? By noting the process we go through before making choices, both healthy and unhealthy. If we identify [...]
How to feel grateful when we don’t feel grateful
To cultivate gratitude, we need to expand our conception of what it is. Gratitude as an emotion: While gratitude is certainly an emotion, it is [...]
Gita 5.23 explained
Now Arjuna gets a question at this point, yes I know, even if I agree that material enjoyment leads to misery but still by knowing [...]
Wanting our wants or valuing our values?
When we try to improve ourselves, we often need to fight against our wants, especially those that are unhealthy or disproportionate. Yet we seem to [...]
How not to cultivate gratitude
We all know the importance of cultivating gratitude. And we all have in our life at least some good things that we should feel grateful [...]
Why focusing on relapse prevention can be unhelpful
When we seek self-transformation by giving up an unhealthy habit, we often assess our progress based on whether we can prevent relapses. However, such an [...]
When we can’t give up an unhealthy habit …
If an unhealthy habit keeps recurring despite our best efforts, how can we progress in self-transformation? By changing our attitude toward that habit: we can [...]
How can grievous wrongdoing be reconciled with devotion?
The Bhagavad-gita (09.30) raises a serious question: How can grievous wrongdoing and devotion go together? To address this question, consider the ocean-anchor metaphor. We all [...]