What provides happiness – & what doesn’t
Happiness comes not by gaining something enjoyable, but by pursuing something valuable. The world teaches us that when we get desirable objects, especially objects that [...]
Gita 5.21 explained
Bg 5.21 bāhya-sparśeṣv asaktātmā vindaty ātmani yat sukham sa brahma-yoga-yuktātmā sukham akṣayam aśnute Word for word: bāhya-sparśeṣu — in external sense pleasure; asakta-ātmā — one [...]
Beyond reductionist notions of spirituality
Given that contemporary life subjects us to spiraling levels of stress, and spiritual practices such as meditation are known to provide non-intrusive stress relief, spirituality [...]
How to feel grateful when we are not successful
When our endeavors don’t lead to success, how can we cultivate gratitude? By contemplating what really matters for us. Aiding such contemplation, Gita wisdom offers [...]
Why our determination falters when faced with temptation
We all have a certain capacity for determination that enables us to resist temptation. Still, we are innately pleasure-seeking. To resist temptation steadily, we need [...]
The more we consider others’ need, the more we can free ourselves from our greed
Suppose we come to our home and are starving. We see some food in our fridge and devour it all, even though it is more [...]
Happiness is found not in collecting and consuming, but in connecting and contributing
Today’s corporate-controlled consumerist culture makes us believe that our success and happiness are defined by how much we collect and how much we consume: how [...]
Our loudest desires won’t lead us to happiness – our deepest desires will
In a conversation, suppose one person speaks the loudest. That doesn’t make them right; the person who has given the deepest thought to the issues [...]
Turning away is not running away if we are turning toward something better
Suppose we see a person who constantly agitates us. Not wanting to interact with them, we turn away. Are we being cowardly? Not necessarily. If [...]
Fulfilling our every desire won’t make us happy, focusing on our most important desire will
We all have many desires that remain unfulfilled because we don’t have the necessary resources. For example, we may want to wear the trendiest clothes, [...]
Happiness is not a product of gratification, it is a byproduct of dedication
We all long for happiness. Today’s culture declares that we can become happy by gratifying our senses. The more gratification we have, the happier we [...]
Happiness is found not in sensation but in absorption
We often equate happiness with sensations. If something tastes good, if something looks attractive, if something smells delightful, we think that by getting those things, [...]
Subtler joys aren’t smaller – they are just softer
Affection can be conveyed by both a long, tight hug as well as by a quick, gentle squeeze of the shoulder. To appreciate the affection [...]
Crave not for what lies outside the fence – cultivate what lies inside it
Suppose we have a garden with the potential for beautiful flowers and delicious fruits. Still, we need to grow them. If instead we keep craving [...]
External success may be a zero-sum game, but internal success isn’t
External success requires us to achieve worldly things such as positions and possessions that are considered markers of success. But such success markers are limited. [...]
Seek not the mirage of sensual titillation – seek the ocean of spiritual satisfaction
For a thirsty person lost in a desert, a mirage promises the very thing they need: water. Actually however, the mirage is the very thing [...]
To overcome desires, outgrow them
When children want to spend all their time playing and their parents force them to study, the children resent their studies and sneak back to [...]
Why look at a mirage when heading to the oasis?
It’s bad to be lost in a desert. It’s worse to be chasing a mirage. But it’s worst of all to be nearing an oasis [...]
See sense gratification as spiritual deprivation
“You are depriving yourself of so much pleasure,” the mind whispers when we practice spiritual life seriously and regulate sense gratification. We may neglect the [...]
Those who give up pleasure for principle gain life’s principal pleasure
Many people fear, "If I practice spiritual life, I will have to give up so many material pleasures." However, the essence of spiritual life is [...]
What comes fast doesn’t last; what does last doesn’t come fast
Our culture allures us with the promise of immediate pleasure: “Eat this, smell this, touch this – and you will enjoy real fast.” Material pleasures [...]