Lust locks the soul in an unholy embrace
When two people engage in an illicit relationship, their embrace is unholy. Lust is such an insidious partner that locks us in an unholy embrace. The [...]
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 mistake a ceasefire to be a treaty is suicidal
Suppose two warring armies decide to stop fighting. But one army thinks that they have arrived at a treaty that settles the dispute, while the [...]
Don’t abandon the very differences that make you essential
Today’s society often glamorizes a particular definition of success. Thus, for example, students who take up particular careers such as engineering or medicine are considered [...]
To be a spiritual freedom fighter, be a sensual fire fighter
The world over, freedom fighters are lauded as national heroes. We all have the opportunity to do something heroic: become freedom fighters who strive for [...]
Break people’s misconceptions – don’t break people
The Bhagavad-gita concludes by urging us to share its message of love with others (18.68-69). Sometimes, we misconstrue this call to share as a license [...]
Bhakti is not inaction – it is action with the deepest sense of purpose
Sometimes people think that practicing spirituality means giving up all action. While some forms of spirituality do recommend inaction as a means for minimizing one’s [...]
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 [...]
Satisfying our longing for the infinite with finite pleasures ends in addiction
We all long for pleasure. And the world promises us pleasure through its myriad material objects. But materialist propaganda downplays the fact that even the [...]
Violence is too small a weapon against evil
When anti-social elements brutalize innocents, some people declare that violence is essential to counter such terrorists. Others say that violence is not the answer – [...]
We can’t eliminate fire, but we can become firefighters
When a fire starts off, civilians often become panicky and run here and there, making things worse. But seasoned firefighters quickly spring into action – [...]
The mind may be a drinker, but the intelligence doesn’t have to be a bartender
Suppose a compulsive drinker enters a bar and orders drinks. The bartender may be obliged to obey, but if the drinker orders a well-wishing friend [...]
Our impressions go with us, but they don’t have to grow with us
Suppose we change from an old computer to a new computer. Once we log in using our id, our browsing information – such as bookmarks, [...]
Terrorism arises from ignorance, materialism and ego
To make sense of the senseless violence unleashed by terrorists, we can seek insight from the Bhagavad-gita’s analytical framework centered on the three modes of [...]
Spiritual success depends on stamina, not speed
In a sprint, speed determines success, whereas in a marathon, stamina determines success. Spiritual growth is a marathon, not a sprint. To purify our consciousness [...]
A lot is happening when nothing seems to be happening
When people meet each other, they often ask, “What’s happening?” And one reply may be, “Not much.” When people talk about happenings, they usually refer [...]
The best is not as important as the best for you
Suppose someone places a persimmon in competition with an apple and tries to make it the best apple. Not only will they fail, but also [...]
The mind is not your boss – don’t let it boss you
Suppose a colleague started bossing us around. We would rightly be annoyed and would counter, “Mind your own business. You are not my boss.” Yet [...]
To stop defeating yourself, stop deceiving yourself
Suppose a sick person denies their sickness not just to others but also to themselves. By their denial, they deprive themselves of the good health [...]
Know the mind by the company it craves
A well-known saying goes, “Man is known by the company he keeps.” We can apply this principle to our inner life for discerning the nature [...]
Lust allures men with pleasure and women with power
Men sometimes accuse women of dressing provocatively. Women sometimes accuse men of seeing women just as sex objects. Taking the discussion beyond such blame games, [...]