The mind is like a window that unpredictably changes into a TV
Suppose we are at an acquaintance’s house and are gazing out of the window at the beautiful greenery. Suddenly we see a giant gorilla glaring [...]
If we don’t ask “What am I doing?” we will end up asking “What have I done?”
While driving, if we don’t conscientiously keep the car on track, it will by default go off track. And we may find ourselves in a [...]
When the mind is fast, the intelligence needs to be faster
Our mind can act extremely fast – within moments, it can take our thoughts from one direction to an entirely opposite direction. We may be [...]
We may be distracted, but we don’t have to be disheartened
When we try to focus on purposeful service to Krishna, our mind frequently distracts us. On being distracted repeatedly, we may get disheartened. To avoid [...]
Unsolicited distraction may be unavoidable, but intentional inattention isn’t
While doing things that require concentration, we are sometimes interrupted by unsolicited distractions. For example, while we are meditating on Krishna’s holy names, someone may [...]
Control the mind before it controls you
Suppose a horse-rider becomes inattentive about controlling the horse. If the horse gets attracted by some fruit on the side of the road, it starts [...]
Set it and forget it approach won’t work because the mind will reset it
Suppose in our home we have a fire alarm that can be set to go off whenever any danger signs arise. Some devices are advertised [...]
Strong security means that unusual activity triggers immediate inquiry
Suppose we log in to our mail id from a new place or device. If we have set a high level of security for our id, we will be immediately asked to pass through some verification option. Such vetting is meant not to prevent us from logging in, but to decrease our vulnerability to hackers.
The mind is a slow learner – learn to help it learn
Suppose parents learn that their child, who had been struggling at school, has dyslexia. This knowledge, though distressing, is also empowering. How? Because they can [...]
Children will be childish, but parents don’t have to be childish
Children are temperamental, mischievous, rash. They may want to stick their neck out of a car, but their parents are meant to stop their foolhardiness. [...]
Don’t just restrain the mind – retrain it
Suppose a horse-rider finds their horse going off in dangerous directions. They will have to restrain it, and restrain it forcefully if it is recalcitrant. [...]
Nothing distracts us as much as we ourselves
We live in a culture of mass distraction. Worldly things around us try to catch our eye in myriad ways. And with us lie devices [...]
When your mental expressway gets overcrowded, direct your thought traffic with your intelligence
Suppose we are caught in a traffic jam on an expressway. We honk and maneuver, but make little progress. But instead of staying vexed, we [...]
Observe your mental neighborhood just as you would observe your physical neighborhood
Suppose in a new neighborhood, we glance at a passerby with interest. They invite us to a hotel for a chat, and we go along. [...]
Focus on the mind before focusing on its focus
Suppose we were studying in a library and our neighbor repeatedly pointed our attention here and there, mostly towards unimportant things and only occasionally towards [...]
Protesting that the mind is wandering is progress over wandering with the mind
When we start practicing spiritual life and try to fix the mind on Krishna, we may become disheartened at how frequently and forcefully the mind [...]
Check the train before you check into it
Suppose an inattentive person on a huge, noisy, crowded railway station boards a wrong train. Some trains may stop after a few minutes, but some, [...]
If we let the mind fill in the blanks, it will overwrite the sentence
We all have during our schedules certain slots that are filled with obligatory engagements and certain slots that are freer. Though we may have lots [...]
We can’t replace the mind, but we can re-place it
Suppose we have a careless colleague who keeps making a mess of things, but whom we aren’t allowed to replace. The best way to deal [...]
Reposition the mind as the object of observation instead of its subject
Seekers often question: “My mind keeps getting distracted from Krishna. What can I do?” Make the mind the object of observation, answers Gita wisdom. Usually, [...]
Even if we can’t be consistent in our devotion, we can still be resilient
When we want to drive to a particular destination, we stay straight on the path that will take us there. But if factors beyond our [...]