The point of success is to point to the source of all success
The world defines success in terms of possessions and positions. Yet celebrities who have these things sometimes commit suicide. Not infrequently, people feted publically as [...]
Curiosity is for knowledge what hunger is for food
Suppose we are offered delicious food. If we are hungry, we will relish the food and also digest it well, thereby gaining strength. Similarly, when [...]
The world is not the benchmark of reality – Krishna is
When we want to evaluate things, especially things that seem unbelievable, we often ask: “Is this for real?” For discerning what is real, we need [...]
“God did it” is not necessarily a curiosity-stopper; it can be a curiosity-stimulator
Atheists sometimes argue, “Theists say that everything in nature is done by God. Accepting this explanation kills the curiosity that fuels scientific progress. For example, [...]
Recollection is a function of connection
To remember some fact, say, the year of America’s independence, we need to connect that date with other dates we already remember. In general, placing [...]
Gita 10.33 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 10.33 akṣarāṇām a-kāro ’smi [...]
Let the barrier of temptation become the bridge to devotion
Suppose we are walking towards a destination and are suddenly blocked by a wall. We try to get past it, but in vain. When we [...]
Choosing Krishna is the one choice that empowers us to make better choices
Our life is determined largely by our choices. The choices we make are like the turns we take while driving; those turns determine whether we [...]
Craving can’t be curbed, but cravings can be cured
We all are conscious beings. The very nature of consciousness is to observe, feel and desire. And desire when intensified becomes a craving. Cravings can [...]
The Gita is a revelation of love and an invitation to love
Some people feel apprehensive about studying the Bhagavad-gita: “It contains a lot of complicated philosophy.” Yes, the Gita is a profoundly philosophical book and its [...]
Spiritual vision is meant for deepening our experience of reality, not denying it
Some people conceive of spirituality as world-rejecting. They hold, “This world is the arena of illusion, wherein we are trapped by the attractiveness of worldly [...]
Spiritual progress is not all-or-nothing; material progress is all-for-nothing
All-or-nothing refers to situations where the winner gets everything and the loser, nothing. In a war, specifically the take-no-prisoners kind of confrontation that ends with [...]
Transcendence means to go beyond testing Krishna to tasting Krishna
Testing God means questioning his existence or at least his benevolence. Whenever we face difficulties, if God frees us from those difficulties in response to [...]
Socialization should be a spur for spiritualization, not a substitute for it
Many people find spiritual association a good place for socialization. As spiritually-minded people are often warm, gentle and thoughtful, their association can be a comforting [...]
God outgrows every frame through which we see him
Suppose we look at a person through a camera frame to click their photo. But just as we focus, they grow beyond the frame. We [...]
Recollection is a function of conception
Some seekers ask, “Why do I keep forgetting spiritual truths? Why is my memory so poor?” Frequently, what is poor is not our memory, but [...]
When God wants to speak to you, don’t let your mind give him the busy signal
Suppose we have fixed a phone appointment with an important mentor. When they call at the scheduled time, suppose our aide tells them we are [...]
Study matter for deconstruction, edification, redirection and utilization
On the spiritual path, studying matter can aid our inner growth in many ways. Let’s consider four of them: Deconstruction: Study of matter can help [...]
We need mentors who understand our mind and who can help us understand our mind
Whatever be our specific inclination – which stems from the nature of our mind – that mental inclination presents distinctive challenges in our life in [...]
Whatever we feel we need, we need Krishna
What we feel we need varies according to our situations and our dispositions. We all have the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter – and money to get these needs. But what we feel we need often exceeds far beyond what we need. We need food, but we may feel that we need a particular delicacy.
People may worship one God, but they don’t necessarily worship the same God
The word “God” is used across the world’s various monotheistic traditions to refer to the Supreme Being. Although all monotheists profess to worship one God, [...]