Safeguarding intelligence from corruption by lower desires
Our intelligence is designed to counter our lower desires, not to serve them. However, we all have desires that can bring out the worst in [...]
Combating addiction: Recognizing the battle within
Whenever someone is abducted, the abductor demands a ransom for the person’s release. The most fiendish abductors, however, continually increase their ransom without ever releasing [...]
Analyzing why we succumb to temptation
Suppose a person were caught by the traffic police for speeding. If it was the first time that person was apprehended and they claimed that [...]
The dual defenses against self-destructive impulses
Whenever we struggle with conditionings that impel us toward actions we know we shouldn't do, two defense mechanisms can protect us: conscience and intelligence. Conscience [...]
Balancing authenticity and service: Navigating inner-outer differences
We all have weaknesses that sometimes lead to lapses in self-discipline and spirituality. For those in visible leadership roles within communities striving for high moral [...]
Our inner war against temptation is far bigger than we think
Whenever we strive for self-improvement, particularly in resisting self-sabotaging indulgences, we may perceive this battle as a personal affair with minimal consequences. This mindset can [...]
How to be a leader even if we don’t have any position
The essence of leadership lies not in how much value people give to us but in how much value we can bring to their lives. [...]
Understanding what pushes us toward transcendence and what pulls us toward transcendence
Intelligence means keeping accessible not just the factors that push us toward transcendence but also those that pull us. When we aspire to grow spiritually [...]
How discernment makes detachment easier
Detachment becomes easier with discernment. When we understand that what we seek to let go of was never really there or was never really ours, [...]
A better lie or a better life?
When we commit a mistake due to some impurity inside us, do we seek a better lie for covering that mistake, or do we seek [...]
Support the intelligence to be supported by the intelligence
If we offer loose support to our intelligence, we will lose the support of intelligence. For example, consider having a bodyguard to protect us when [...]
Intelligent mind management
Intelligence means to focus on not just the thoughts that are maximized by the mind but also the thoughts that are minimized by the mind. [...]
The life of pleasure or the pleasure of life
Only when we stop chasing the life of pleasure can we find the pleasure of life. The life of pleasure means that we think life [...]
When compassion discourages instead of encouraging
When we wish to be compassionate to others, we may not realize that we might be unintentionally discouraging them instead of encouraging them. How might [...]
The determination to fight against addiction
When someone is subjected to an addiction, they experience it to be like an unbearable itch. They feel that the only way to get relief [...]
How to see addiction with compassion
Whenever we see somebody suffering from addiction, unable to give up some indulgence, even when it is harmful to them—harmful to their loved ones—it will [...]
Casual attitude
There isn't much value in thinking about how not to do something; that will only create fear. If I am driving, thinking about how not [...]
Effective education: what to NOT focus on
Education requires a dynamic awareness of the level of those being educated. Suppose a math teacher with a triple PhD in calculus is teaching children [...]
Why all motivators don’t have to be models
When we want to change ourselves for the better, we can have two powerful aids: motivators and models. Let's understand their significant and distinct roles. [...]
Fearless = Shameless?
When shame is used to deter people from destructive activities, it can be considered constructive and even desirable. For instance, a few decades ago, smoking [...]
A free entry-pass into our consciousness?
Suppose we were organizing a special event at an elite theater. Would we give a free entry pass to everyone wandering around that area? Certainly [...]