Ceaseless visual temptation causes pointless mental agitation
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Success in one field can’t compensate for failure in another
In today’s work-centered culture, some people achieve stupendous success in their professional lives – but often at great cost to their personal lives. Their relationships [...]
Death is a comma, not a full stop
Most people dread the prospect of death because they think that it implies losing everything they hold dear and losing their very existence. Thankfully however, [...]
In the mystery that is spirituality, the investigator is the investigated
Suppose an investigator is asked to solve the mystery of the missing heir of a dynasty – and after due investigation, he discovers that he [...]
Unconsciousness is a state of consciousness – not an absence of consciousness
People who undergo near-death experiences (NDEs) sometimes report that they perceived, from an out-of-body perspective, things that happened while they were medically unconscious. Occasionally, they [...]
Our destiny is bigger than our biology
People are often eager to know their destiny – what lies ahead in their life. This eagerness accounts for the widespread fascination with astrology, numerology, [...]
Be detached from results, not goals
People familiar with the Bhagavad-gita often question the practicality of its instruction (02.47) to work without attachment to results: “If we are detached from results, [...]
Be mentally fit, not mentally fat
When fat accumulates in our body, we feel burdened because of having to lug around all that extra weight. We are often concerned about physical [...]
Rules free you to be you
Most reputed authors make a rule to write daily a certain minimum number of words, irrespective of how they feel or even how the words [...]
Detachment from results culminates in attachment to something bigger than results
Some people ask, “The Bhagavad-gita recommends detachment from the results of work. But how can we work responsibly if we don’t care for the results?” [...]
Don’t resolve what you will not fall for – resolve what you will stand for
When we succumb to a temptation, we may resolve, “Never again will I fall for that temptation.” While such a resolve is well-intentioned, it is [...]
Our desires are not just linear, but also triangular
We usually think of our desires as linear, as connectors between us and our desired objects. The Bhagavad-gita (02.62) supports this linear view when it [...]
To make our mind grow up, we need to realize that we are grown-up
Suppose an adult were playing in the dirt with a child, doing whatever caught the child’s fancy. If occasional, such frivolous behavior might be funny; [...]
Performance matters, but performance is not all that matters
Sports players often have their pet superstitions. An Australian batsman would insist that all the pavilion commodes be covered whenever he went out to bat. [...]
Possibilities expand when we begin where we are instead of where we should be
Suppose we take a wrong turn and end up somewhere other than our destination. If we keep resenting, “Why am I here instead of where [...]
Let emotion inform, but not form, your decision
Our emotions are a big part of who we are, but they are not all of us. We are bigger than our present emotions, most [...]
Don’t stay crying in the night – start crying for the light
A child lost in a strange dark place may start crying helplessly, but an adult similarly lost will instead of collapsing into tears look for [...]
Focus not on avoiding entanglement – focus on seeking engagement
When a person is traveling on a boat, they need to be aware of the dangers, but they needn’t become paranoid – otherwise, they will [...]
Gradual destruction is as destructive as sudden destruction
When sudden, huge destruction occurs because of, say, an earthquake, we are jolted out of our routine complacency. Being confronted with the brittleness of our [...]
Purity is the key to freedom from misery
Suppose an alcoholic has become sick because of excessive alcohol indulgence. While the disease is a danger that needs treatment, an equal, if not greater, [...]
The ego’s default defensiveness doesn’t protect us – it protects the misconceptions that limit us
When someone points out our faults, our ego often makes us respond defensively and deny those faults. Defending is a natural survival instinct – if [...]