See the addicted not as demented or degraded but as tormented
Suppose someone becomes addicted to drinking. Despite being urged to give up drinking and despite even promising to give up, they keep drinking. We may [...]
Suppose someone becomes addicted to drinking. Despite being urged to give up drinking and despite even promising to give up, they keep drinking. We may [...]
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 [...]
Suppose we can’t resist some sensual temptation despite trying repeatedly. Over time, we may become disheartened, thinking: “Maybe I am incorrigible.” Thankfully, no one is [...]
Many drug dealers give drugs free to gullible kids. Though the drugs may be delivered free, those dealers do take a price: the price of [...]
Suppose we encounter people who follow some philosophy in which we can find many holes. We may be tempted to call their philosophy wrong. We [...]
Suppose we are afraid of some aggressor and choose to hide behind some protector. Later, if our protector starts oppressing us, we won’t be able [...]
Suppose someone who is in a disaster-hit area knows the path to a safe, prosperous area. Naturally, they will be respected for their knowledge by [...]
When someone we care for does something stupid, they often try to hide it from us, either denying it entirely or concealing it under various [...]
When we strive to lead a principle-centered life by adopting spiritual practices, we start becoming more disciplined and self-controlled. As we become more virtuous than [...]
Suppose we have some unhealthy habit such as impulsive overeating. Once some behavior becomes ingrained as a habit, we often react without thinking. If some [...]
While driving along an expressway, suppose we see something attractive nearby and suddenly take a turn toward it. Other drivers will have to brake forcefully [...]
Suppose a patient loses faith in the potential of any treatment to cure them. They will become sicker, suffer more and soon die. What applies [...]
Many people like to be daredevils. Wanting a sense of adventure and achievement, they dive into extreme sports. While those living on the edge may [...]
Self-interested people sometimes pursue their own agendas by inciting others to violence. And in today’s globally connected world, such hate speech can trigger widespread frenzy [...]
Love is the heart’s deepest aspiration; we all want to love and be loved. Through love, we can establish the sweetest connections with others. Yet, [...]
Suppose some invaders attack a fort suddenly. The defenders, being caught unawares, are stunned, and the invaders start plundering the fort. Nonetheless, the defenders soon [...]
When doing anything responsible, we need to make judgments: we need to evaluate who is suitable for doing what and who isn’t. If someone tends [...]
If we move to a new place, we look for a safe locality. Similarly, we need for our consciousness a safe place, a place free [...]
A prominent law-upholder such as a head of state is often protected by a security guard. But suppose such a guard is unwittingly hired by [...]
The vise of vice refers to the unbreakable grip (vise) with which we are held by our lower desires (vices). An example of such entrapment [...]
When we indulge repeatedly in some self-destructive desire, it becomes addictive. Addictive desire torments us so severely that it feels like an inner forest fire. [...]