Importance of intelligence in meditation
Our intelligence is meant to be our protector, akin to an inner guard. We need such a guard because inside us is our mind, which [...]
Are we in charge of our inner world?
The Bhagavad Gita (6.6) warns us that our mind can be our enemy if we are not in control of it. In politics, there are [...]
Listening to my Lord who always has hope
When we feel, "What's the use of trying yet again?" Let's respond by asking the mind that is saying that statement, "What's the use of [...]
When self-talk is constructive and when destructive
Self-talk generally refers to the talk that is going on inside the self. This can go on in two ways.: our mind inside us can [...]
Why change is challenging
The mind wants us to stay in our place because often our current place is a place of subordination to the mind. There are times [...]
Protecting ourselves from a bad attitude
Just as we wouldn't choose to live with someone with a bad attitude, why should we tolerate our own bad attitude? Imagine living with a [...]
When does our mind become our friend?
The Bhagavad-gita (06.06) states that our mind can be our friend when it is controlled. To control our mind, it needs to be informed and [...]
What’s wrong with treating the mind as an enemy (Managing the mind 3)
Suppose we live in a house whose accessway is controlled by a neighbor. Though they act friendly, they often covert trouble us, by obstructing, distracting, [...]
Are we the fisherman or the fish? (Managing the mind 2)
Suppose a fisherman casts a bait in a river to catch a fish. The fisherman stands to profit and the fish stands to lose its [...]
Three ways to avoid being misdirected by our mind
Suppose we are walking toward a destination and some passerby suggests we go somewhere else. Just because of their suggestion, we won’t change course. Yet [...]
Dealing with the mind’s negativities (Why we need inner redesigning 3)
Suppose we are trapped in a cell with a cellmate who constantly draws our attention to the many terrible images on the cell walls. While [...]
The mind as our inner cell and inner cellmate (Why we all need interior redesigning – 1)
Suppose we are confined in a cell whose walls are filled with pictures of all the worst moments in our life. Suppose further we are [...]
How we become both villains and victims …
Typical movies have two characters: one who acts in villainous ways and one who is victimized by those villainous actions. But suppose a movie featured [...]
Our choice: push up or be pulled down?
Suppose we hold an object such as a dumb bell in front of us. If we let go of it, it will fall down. If [...]
How we might defeat ourselves in our inner war
Suppose an army is defending itself against invaders. Suppose the invaders have been allowed in by a prominent general who has turned traitor. If the [...]
How the mind and intelligence work — and how to make them work for us
Our mind often comes up with impulses such as to eat something or to watch something online. If we start giving into such impulses, we [...]
The more we watch the mind’s movie, the more we make our life a horror movie
Suppose a friend takes us to a movie theater and then gets us so engrossed in watching the movie that we become oblivious to everything [...]
The mind demands that others leave us alone and then complains they don’t care for us
Suppose someone who we care for is going through difficulties. When we try to help them, they demand from us, “Leave me alone”, but then [...]
The mind makes the uncomfortable seem unbearable and then makes us do the unconscionable
Suppose someone lives in a place with uncomfortably hot weather. If they accept their situation, they will gradually get used to it. But suppose they [...]
When the mind insinuates, it is often more insidious than when it incites
Suppose a politician speaks hate speech against a particular community. Hearers can easily detect and reject such speech as emotional manipulation. But suppose that politician [...]
The mind makes us fight wars that aren’t winnable and wars where victory is not even definable
During our life-journey, we often have to fight against various adversities and adversaries. Among these fights, the fight we focus on is frequently determined by [...]