How and why our past shapes our present
Many people think of history as a subject of academic interest or as a personal hobby for some individuals. Not many consider history as something [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Gita 03.41 explained
Bg 3.41 tasmāt tvam indriyāṇy ādau niyamya bharatarṣabha pāpmānaṁ prajahi hy enaṁ jñāna-vijñāna-nāśanam Synonyms: tasmāt — therefore; tvam — you; indriyāṇi — senses; ādau — in the beginning; niyamya — by regulating; bharata-ṛṣabha — O chief [...]
What is your most dangerous distraction?
Though we are exposed to many distractions, some are more harmful than others. How can we know which distraction is most hazardous for us? By [...]
How to know when desire becomes dangerous? — Desire management series 8
How to know when desire becomes dangerous? — Desire management series 8 - When we use something powerful like electricity, warning systems such as fuses [...]
Protecting ourselves by defining and defending boundaries
Suppose a country has a hostile neighbor, who is constantly trying to infiltrate into its territory. If the boundary between the two countries is not [...]
No barrier is foolproof, that is not proof no barrier is useful
Suppose a particular coastal area is prone to get flooded because of high tides or sea-storms or tsunamis. Suppose the government constructs a barricade, but [...]
Sensuality erodes both our tendency and our capacity for spirituality
If we are to travel from place A to place B, we need the tendency and the capacity to make the journey. Tendency refers to [...]
Be vigilant to know when the mind becomes incoherent
Suppose while we are doing some important work, an acquaintance approaches us and starts mumbling and gesticulating wildly. We try to understand what they are [...]
For changing internals, changing externals is almost always necessary and almost never sufficient
Consider an alcoholic who wishes to give up alcoholism. Breaking free from the addiction is ultimately an inner resolution that they need to make and [...]
Culture is meant to instill values, not instigate cravings
We all are shaped by the culture of our times. In today’s world, the culture is extremely sensual and materialistic. Consider, for example, the contemporary [...]
Stay aware of your triggers – and stay away from them
Recovering alcoholics are warned to stay away from things that trigger their desire for alcohol. If, for example, between their office and home lies a [...]
Regulation is the foundation for purification
Suppose we had to clean a water tank. We would need to do two things: clean the water already in the tank and regulate the [...]
Remission is not elimination
Suppose a patient’s serious disease such as cancer goes into remission, that is, decreases in severity. But if the patient imagines themselves healed and stop [...]
Regulation is a protection measure, not a trust issue
Suppose a teenager is to stay alone at home. When his parents are leaving, they remind him to bolt the door and activate the security [...]
To resist sense indulgence, resist the hype around sense indulgence
When scripture urges us to regulate sensual indulgence, our mind objects: “Why shouldn’t I enjoy?” This question misleads by invoking a sense of deprivation. To [...]
Our intelligence can be overcome by illusion, yet it is also the key to overcome illusion
To practice spiritual life means to wage an inner war against the illusion created by our lower desires, especially lust. The Bhagavad-gita (03.36-43) vividly outlines [...]
Pause is not inaction but action
Ours is an action-oriented culture; we like to be on the move. Of course, action is desirable and essential.But action-centeredness can make us forget that [...]
The mental avatar of AIDS
AIDS is an extremely dangerous disease, largely because of its sinister method of attack. Normally when a disease attacks the body, the immune system springs [...]
Where is the glory in a backdoor victory over attachments?
In sports a backdoor victory is universally considered inglorious. If India deliberately schedulesa cricket seriesagainst Pakistan at a time when all the top Pakistaniplayers are [...]