Evidence is only as good as the person evaluating it
Suppose someone infected by a disease is in denial. Even when their physician shows them the relevant reports, if they aren’t medically well-read enough to [...]
Happiness is found not in sensation but in absorption
We often equate happiness with sensations. If something tastes good, if something looks attractive, if something smells delightful, we think that by getting those things, [...]
Krishna already has the result – what he seeks is our endeavor
Some people think that Krishna spoke the Bhagavad-gita to persuade Arjuna to fight for establishing dharma. However, the Gita (11.33) reveals that the opponents of [...]
Don’t ascribe to God’s will that which happens due to free will or evil
When someone does something terrible, we may ask, “Why did God let this happen?” The Bhagavad-gita (05.15) indicates that people’s actions can’t be attributed to [...]
Atheism claims to reject God, but only replaces him
Atheists often devote themselves to their atheistic theories that serve as their surrogate gods. For example, to explain the working of the universe, they propose [...]
Not every thought is worth our thought
The word “thought” can mean two different things: an idea that has appeared in our consciousness (“I got a thought”) or our calm conscious deliberation [...]
The best motivation for ambition is realization, not recognition
Some aspiring spiritualists fear, “Will becoming spiritual mean that I have to give up my ambitions?” No, to grow spiritually, we don’t need to give [...]
See the mind as a predator, not a protector
Suppose a farmer has a guard dog. But if that dog turns into a predator who devours the farm poultry, the farmer would be in [...]
Comparing various paths up a mountain can’t take us up the mountain
Prospective spiritual seekers are often perplexed by a question: which path to follow? This important question merits deep deliberation. Still, if agonized over for too [...]
Bhakti requires a radical re-assessment of our deepest desires
Some people equate bhakti with externals – they assume that if they are doing devotional rituals right, they are well-situated. However, the essence of devotion [...]
It takes courage to dream – and it takes courage to hand our dream over to Krishna
Achievers often talk about the courage needed to dream big and to work untiringly for actualizing the dream. But not many achievers talk about another [...]
Let pleasing others be a decision, not a compulsion
We are social beings who thrive in happy relationships. To keep our interactions with others pleasant, we usually want to please them, or to at [...]
Don’t go behind the mind, go beyond the mind
To go behind the mind means to follow the mind, to do whatever it does. To go beyond the mind means to seek something higher, [...]
Spiritual learning culminates not just in learning about Krishna but in learning to keep learning about Krishna
When we start exploring life’s spiritual dimension, we sense that something eternal exists beyond this world – and that we ourselves belong to that eternal [...]
Even if we can’t change our desires, we can change our attitude towards our desires
When we aspire to live a principle-centered life, our worldly desires often tempt and divert us. How can we deal with them? We can learn [...]
If we don’t marginalize the mind, it will marginalize us
Suppose we are the leaders of a group and are leading its discussion in a particular productive direction. But someone else starts speaking loudly, drowns [...]
When we keep liking whatever our mind likes, we end up not liking ourselves
Suppose we keep eating whatever we feel like eating. When our indiscriminate eating makes us fat or sick, we end up not liking ourselves. Gita [...]
To get Krishna, get absorbed in Krishna
The word “get” can refer to comprehension (“I get what you are saying”) and attainment (“I will get that award”). In both these senses, we [...]
A season of grieving may be necessary, but a lifetime of grieving isn’t
Suppose we get physically wounded, but are immediately told to resume normal activities. We won’t be able to. A similar principle applies to emotional wounds [...]
Krishna is the supplier of desires, the supplier of desirables and the supreme desirable
As desires are among our life’s strongest driving forces, we may wonder: How do desires relate with life’s ultimate reality, Krishna? Bhakti wisdom explains that [...]
Technological progress can’t fill the hole created by spiritual emptiness
We all are inherently pleasure-seeking. Usually, we seek pleasure through stimulating objects in the outer world. Today, technology has given us access to stimulation from [...]