The people with whom we need to form deep bonds
We are happy to see some people go and we are happy to see that some people never go. In our lives, we often have [...]
Understanding what makes people tick
What people find surprising tells us not just about the surprise but also about the people. When we interact with people, we often want to [...]
There are two kinds of people
There are two kinds of people: people who never disappoint and people who never fail to disappoint. There are some people who always stay true [...]
The real bad news
How we respond to bad news reflects not just how bad the news is but also how bad our view of the world is. Whenever [...]
When others’ happiness makes us unhappy
To be unhappy on seeing others' happiness reveals a pathology of our own mind. When someone is happy, especially when somebody is happy in a [...]
Feeling unsettled: Good or bad?
To be unsettled is unhealthy when we are living a life of values and purposes. But it is healthy when we are settling for complacency [...]
Cut people or cut people some slack?
Don't cut people because they are slack. Cut people some slack. Whenever someone doesn't live up to our expectations, it is natural that we become [...]
Giving others what they deserve is not love
Love means to give others what they need, not what they deserve or even what they desire. When we try to show our affection to [...]
Might we be fanatics?
We may think of fanatics to be scary-looking monstrous people who self-righteously destroy anyone who opposes them. While that is indeed fanaticism in activity there [...]
Whom NOT to turn to for processing our emotions
When someone behaves outrageously and triggers within us strong emotions such as revengefulness or resentfulness, it is essential that we find a balance between expressing [...]
Surviving the earthquake, drowning in the tsunami — why suppressing emotions is dangerous
In social circles that value self-control, those people are highly respected who remain calm in a highly provocative situation caused by another person’s outrageous behavior. [...]
What does taking shelter of Krishna mean?
We are often conscious of many things in life, and consciousness can be said to be the energy that enables us to become aware of [...]
What differentiates spiritualists from fanatics? — 2
The differences between them arise from differing priorities. Fanatics value certainty above all things, whereas spiritualists value curiosity above all things. Let’s see how these [...]
What differentiates spiritualists from fanatics? — 1
Let’s explore what differentiates the two so that we can detect and reject any fanatical tendencies that may be lurking in our heart. Approach to [...]
Gita 12.15 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 12.15 yasmān nodvijate loko [...]
Why we need to forgive ourselves
Suppose we have mistreated others grievously in the past. We may resolve to never forgive ourselves as a way to make up for those actions. [...]
Gita 12.09 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Below 12.8 is12.9, practice Sadhan [...]
Should we speak about our spiritual practices with our colleagues?
The above question may confront practicing spiritualists, given that we live in a professional world that is largely materialistic. In dealing with this mismatch of [...]
Through discipline to the stage beyond discipline
Self-discipline can seem to be a constant struggle between our far-sighted intentions and our short-sighted emotions. We may morosely ponder: “Will the struggle ever end?” [...]
Gita 12.18-19 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 12.18-19 samaḥ śatrau ca [...]
Why is Krishna’s description of devotion so unemotional?
In the Bhagavad-gita’s twelfth chapter, Krishna’s list of qualities of devotees (12.13-20) don’t include any descriptions of devotional ecstasy. Far from it, the list stresses [...]