The more we live for the world, the further we go from the self
To live for the world means to spend our life pursuing goals set by the world. Because the world’s mainstream culture is materialistic, the things [...]
Humility comes by acknowledging that we don’t have access to Krishna’s plan
Suppose we are driving a car and come to an unexpected intersection. Or suppose we are flying in a plane and suddenly find it turning [...]
Purification reveals the healthier choice to be also the tastier choice
Suppose we have to choose between candies and carrots. Even if we understand that carrots are healthier, we will still crave the candies because they [...]
Seek strength not just in conviction but also in connection
When we strive to grow spiritually, we need strength to resist worldly temptations. How do we gain such strength? We might seek it through the [...]
As long as our functional core differs from our constitutional core, we stay in delusion
Our functional core refers to the thing that is central to the way we function, whereas our constitutional core refers to the thing that is [...]
The consequence of indulgence is not the only problem – the indulgence itself is
Some smokers hope, “We can smoke unlimitedly if medicine could find some way to prevent the harmful effects of smoking.” Fueled by such hopes, they [...]
We may have scars, but we don’t have to be scarred
To have scars means to have some physical marks. To be scarred means to feel insecure and inferior because we let those marks define us. [...]
Our losses empty our heart for God to fill
Suppose our house is filled with junk. If we buy some good furniture, we won’t have any space to keep it till we get rid [...]
Personhood is innate to consciousness; it’s not a stage of manifestation of consciousness
Some spiritualists hold that our sense of personhood (“I am a person”) is just a stage in the evolution of consciousness – when consciousness evolves [...]
Tolerance comes by meditating on not just matter’s ephemerality but also spirit’s eternality
Tolerance is a great power that enables us to keep small things small so that we can focus on big things. How can we increase [...]
If we let our mundane desires drive us, they will drive us mad
To be conscious is to be desirous – our desires naturally drive our perceptions and actions. While traveling, when we desire to eat something, we [...]
The power of habit is terrible – and terrific
Habit can be terribly powerful. When people get caught in some bad habits such as smoking or drinking, they find quitting those habits almost impossible [...]
Humility transforms a protest against God into a prayer to God
When we face perplexities or adversities, we may protest, “Why is this happening to me?” And if we accept God as the supreme controller, we [...]
Emptiness in the pursuit of worthy goals is a pointer to the worthiest goal
We all have certain goals: positions, possessions, relations. Such goals are worthier than wantonly sensual goals. Yet while pursuing such worldly goals honorably or even [...]
For the godly, illusion is occasional; for the ungodly, illumination is occasional
We live in a world where illusion reigns. The Bhagavad-gita (02.60) states that illusion can snare even the godly, even those who are discerning and [...]
The best protection from agitation is absorption
We frequently get agitated by life’s ups and downs. However, that agitation is especially aggravated by the forces of desire, fear and anger that reside [...]
Emotion divorced from reason ends in tribulation
The Bhagavad-gita’s beginning demonstrates the devastating power of emotions. When attacked by negative emotions, Arjuna, a battle-hardened warrior, was reduced to tears (02.01) and could [...]
When we resolve, “I will not do this,” the mind erases the “not”
We all have certain unhealthy habits that we resolve to give up. Yet, we frequently find ourselves relapsing. Why does this happen? Because negative resolutions [...]
Self-control is best maintained by avoiding situations that require self-control
Suppose we have resolved to increase our self-control by, say, regulating our eating. But we suddenly get a desire to eat something. If we have [...]
Bhakti is not another to-do – it is another way to do
Amidst our overscheduled and overworked lives, practicing bhakti may seem like another to-do that adds to our burden. However, devotion is not another to-do. Why? [...]
Be ready to wait in the confusing in-between till it becomes illuminating
When driving, if we come to an intersection and don’t know which way to go, we need to wait till we get some guidance. In [...]