The mind may give us a flashback, but we don’t have to turn back
When we strive to lead a principle-centered life, we sometimes get sudden flashbacks. Some flashbacks are joyful, some painful. The unpleasant flashbacks are often of [...]
Tolerance is not an end in itself – transcendence is
Tolerance implies the readiness to live with unpalatable situations. It is a strength that enables us to keep small things small so that we can [...]
The highest spiritual vision culminates in compassion, not inaction
Some spiritual seekers think that to avoid bondage and to grow spiritually, they need to reject the world and give up all action. While this [...]
Our activities may need to be spaced out, but we don’t need to be spaced out
The word “spaced out” can refer to our actions or to our consciousness. When we have a lot of things to do, especially demanding things, [...]
The mind on auto-pilot leads us to destruction, not destination
When a plane is flying on course in the sky, it can be set on auto-pilot and it will cruise towards its destination – provided [...]
The event of death isn’t avoidable, but the trauma of death is
Death is life’s scariest reality. Even when we see it happening around us, we shield ourselves from it by believing that it won’t happen to [...]
The whole is far greater than the sum of its parts
Modern science often analyzes objects to be the sum of their parts. We may extend this scientific approach to spirituality – on coming to know [...]
Focus not on where the inner voice is coming from, but on where it is taking
We often hear different voices within us. Some voices prompt us to act foolishly, some to act wisely, some to actions in between. Gita wisdom [...]
Union of wills requires not the breaking of will but the building of will
We may have a lose-win conception in our relationship with God: He is the Supreme, and we have no option but to obey him, else [...]
The spiritual vision of all living beings is both saddening and gladdening
A foundational philosophical insight is that the material vision and the spiritual vision do not see alike. When we strive to gain spiritual vision through [...]
The mind is not inherently our enemy – it is circumstantially our enemy
When we understand how our mind frequently sabotages us in our endeavors to do constructive things, we may become averse to it, deeming it as [...]
To achieve transformation, see devotion more as intention than as emotion
We may think of devotion as the sweet emotion we feel on, say, beholding Krishna’s Deity form or hearing a sweet kirtan. Such emotion is [...]
To avoid the inner bad feeling, don’t weaken conscience – strengthen willpower
Whenever we do something wrong, we feel bad, “I shouldn’t have done like that.” This bad feeling is the pinch of conscience. Conscience is like [...]
The first place we lose the battle is in our thinking
The Bhagavad-gita is spoken just before a major war against vicious aggressors. And yet at that critical moment, the foremost virtuous warrior, Arjuna, loses his [...]
The existence of evil points to God, not away from him
A common atheist argument is: “Why does evil exist?” But the question could well be turned around, “Why should evil not exist? Why do we [...]
See religion not as a cultural phenomenon, but as a spiritual process
People in various parts of the world often follow different religions. Even if they are affiliated to the same religion, the ways in which they [...]
Our purpose is to serve the Name, not to make a name
In life, what we do is important, but why we do it is equally, if not more, important. Intention is critical in religious activities, wherein [...]
Let the barrier of temptation become the bridge to devotion
Suppose we are walking towards a destination and are suddenly blocked by a wall. We try to get past it, but in vain. When we [...]
Self-improvement is best achieved through spiritual development
We often seek to improve ourselves in specific areas. For example, to improve our elocution, we may enroll for a public speaking course. Improving our [...]
Our intelligence is our guard – and we need to guard it
VIPs have guards to protect them. But they too need to guard their guards – not from attacks, of course, but by providing for their [...]
Let technological literacy not lead to intellectual illiteracy
Technological literacy is nowadays spreading rapidly. With machines being used widely at workplaces, knowing how they work is often essential. But interest in devices goes [...]