Be not self-conscious; be conscious of the self
The word ‘self-conscious’ refers to an excessive awareness of one’s appearance and actions. For example, when we give our first public speech, we may be [...]
Do not ensure heart breaks; insure against heart breaks
Where our heart is, that’s where we are. Usually, our heart is in material things; we long for them fervently. As all material things are [...]
Krishna is not just the object of meditation but also its objective
Object of meditation refers to the thing that we meditate on. Objective of meditation refers to the thing that we want to get by meditating. [...]
Cultivate compassion for the complete being of all living beings
“Aren’t spiritualists self-centered, being concerned only about their own liberation and not about the elevation of others?” Some people get this question when they see [...]
Illusion means that the content of our experience blinds us to its context
Sometimes we get so caught up in watching a movie that we forget where we are, even who we are. The content of our experience, [...]
Let’s not renew what we need to remove
The nature of the mind is to wander unsteadily and unstoppably. During its wandering it frequently goes to memories that are emotionally potent. These may [...]
Let research reinforce, not replace, search
The essence of the spiritual journey is not research, but search. Research refers to an academic, intellectual quest for information, whereas search refers to a [...]
Bhakti is not a part of life; life is a part of bhakti
Many people treat bhakti as an optional part of life: “You like bhakti, you practice it. I don’t like it, so I won’t practice it.” [...]
Disbelieve the mind’s disastrous misdiagnosis
During sickness, when we consult a doctor, a possible danger is misdiagnosis. The doctor may mistakenly prescribe the medicine meant for some disease other than [...]
The mind not only befools but also betrays us
“Why did I do that? It was such a foolish thing to do.” We often find ourselves asking this question – if not publically at [...]
We may be broke but we don’t have to be broken
Becoming broke is usually among our worst nightmares. Something that we try our best to avoid. Yet the inscrutable ways of life sometimes make our [...]
Throw light on the daylight robbery that doesn’t come to light
If we find a large sum of money missing from our house, we immediately go all out to nab the thief. But if small amounts [...]
Let’s learn to laugh with others, not laugh at others
Laughing at others – their fallacies and follies – is something we often enjoy. If not publically, then at least privately. It makes us feel [...]
Let’s guard our consciousness the way we guard our homes
We guard our homes against trespassers, often warding them off with the notice, “Trespassers will be prosecuted.” Gita wisdom urges us to guard our consciousness [...]
Stability and maturity that takes us beyond adversity
Life can bring adversity upon us at any moment. To protect ourselves, we often take insurances like life insurance, health insurance, car insurance. Such insurances [...]
When the mind tempts us to play the victim game, stop playing
“People always trample over me; life always gives me a raw deal; things always go wrong with me.” When we thus feel sorry for ourselves, [...]
Parent the childish mind by being vigilant and diligent
When a mother cares for her child, she has to be vigilant and diligent: vigilant to constantly watch whether the child is doing anything mischievous [...]
Bind the blind mind
The greatest threat to our wellbeing is our blind mind. The mind is considered blind notbecause it can’t see anything but because it doesn’t see [...]
The mind is not just a liar but also a traitor
We all experience that the mind frequently incites us to do things that we regret later. To protect ourselves from such self-defeating actions, we can [...]
Is it human nature to want to transcend human nature?
We humans exist as divided beings: divided between what we are and what we want to be. This quest for improvement comprises the essence of [...]
Are we placing in the treasury that which belongs to the dustbin?
We clean our home regularly because dirt inevitably comes in from somewhere. While cleaning, first we check if the dirt is coming from any specific [...]