Don’t lose the purpose of living for the sake of living
The purpose of living refers to the thing that brings meaning and fulfillment to our life. Living refers to the process of earning a livelihood. [...]
The modes are not monochrome, but are multi-level
The Bhagavad-gita (17.04) analyzes different kinds of worship according to the modes: people in sattva-guna (mode of goodness) worship the gods; people in rajo-guna (mode [...]
Know the mind by the company it craves
A well-known saying goes, “Man is known by the company he keeps.” We can apply this principle to our inner life for discerning the nature [...]
Tolerance means to call off our war with reality
Tolerance is sometimes equated with weakness and passivity. But it is actually the basis for strength and dynamism. Tolerance essentially means that when faced with [...]
Being saintly is not a substitute for being sensible
Some people think that being saintly is impractical in the real world. But the Bhagavad-gita reveals a pragmatic standard of saintliness. At the Gita’s start [...]
We become free by choosing what controls us
We all cherish freedom, but the reality is that we can never have absolute freedom. We can’t fly unaided like birds in the sky; we [...]
A respectable addiction is still an addiction
Usually, if someone gets addicted, the addiction attracts disapproval. While drinking at parties is considered in some circles as cool, still getting drunk isn’t. And [...]
All noes are not created equal
We often instinctively resent whenever we are told no to something that we wish to do. Such resentment is understandable because we equate the no [...]
Our ability to tap our ability is enhanced by our spirituality
People sometimes ask, “How can spirituality benefit me practically? Can it help me improve my performance?” Yes, spirituality enhances our ability to tap our ability. [...]
Don’t let persistence of vision cause persistence of illusion
Persistence of vision refers to the erroneous perception caused by the eye’s inability to perceive change occurring at a high speed. For example, if someone [...]
Yesterday’s victory doesn’t protect us today
In a series of matches, a team may have won a match yesterday, but that victory doesn’t guarantee victory today. True, the previous win can [...]
Don’t relax the treatment just because the symptoms have disappeared
When germs of a deadly disease such as tuberculosis infect us and give rise to manifest symptoms of sickness, we take treatment immediately and diligently. [...]
We need to evolve if we are not to dissolve
The news periodically features scenarios of imminent environmental super-disasters. While some such prophecies may well be exaggerated, there’s little doubt that the environment is on [...]
Devotion molds our heart and service shapes our life
Bhakti-yoga is a symbiosis of inner emotion and outer action. The Bhagavad-gita (09.13-14) points to these inner and outer dimensions. Devotees are internally fixed in [...]
Lust allures men with pleasure and women with power
Men sometimes accuse women of dressing provocatively. Women sometimes accuse men of seeing women just as sex objects. Taking the discussion beyond such blame games, [...]
Don’t use a gold slab as a shade against sunburn
Suppose a tribal who has never heard of gold is walking under the hot sun and spots a gold slab jutting out of the ground. [...]
The revelation of the revelation comes from the living tradition
Revelation is not just a one-time event that happened long ago. No doubt, at extraordinary moments in human history, God interacts directly with humans, without [...]
Focus not on God’s rules – focus on his purpose
Suppose a patient with an upset stomach is told by a doctor to restrict diet. If the patient focuses on all the foods that are [...]
Suffering defines the human condition, but the human condition doesn’t define us
Suffering is an undeniable reality of the human condition, as the daily news of death and disease and destruction demonstrate. And these are just the [...]
We can’t shut the mouth of our critics, but we don’t have to let their words fill our heart
The nature of the world is such that whatever we do, someone will criticize us. When we take to spiritual life, materialists will criticize. Even [...]
Healing requires not just the expelling of germs, but primarily the boosting of immunity
When germs infect us and we start feeling sick, we take treatment for driving out the germs. However, healing requires not just the driving out [...]