How to hold others accountable without becoming judgmental
Suppose police remain silent while a rioting mob lynches hapless victims. For such an alarming dereliction of duty, the police need to be held accountable. [...]
To be truly non-judgmental, stop being judgmental about those who are judgmental
If we are judgmental, we make snap judgments about people. We blame them for actions that were almost inevitable for them given their circumstances which [...]
Passing blame is easy but disempowering, accepting responsibility is tough but empowering
Passing blame is easy but disempowering accepting responsibility is tough but empowering Whenever things go wrong, our mind naturally looks for a scapegoat. We want [...]
To be nice is not to be naive — it is to be free from the control of vice
To be nice is not to be naive — it is to be free from the control of vice Some people say, “If you are [...]
The desire that the dark be darker defines a dark mind
The desire that the dark be darker defines a dark mind Suppose we know that someone is short-tempered. Suppose further we hear through the grapevine [...]
16.02 Even if people are not faultless we can still find faults less
16.02 Even if people are not faultless we can still find faults less When we find faults with others, we are often told to not [...]
To know people’s backgrounds means to know what’s on their back and what’s under their ground
To know people’s backgrounds means to know what’s on their back and what’s under their ground If we see someone walking with drooped shoulders, we [...]
The most dangerous jumping is jumping to conclusions
Jumping can be dangerous if we jump too far and fall twisted, injuring ourselves, or fall on someone, injuring them. While physical jumping can be [...]
Replacing addiction to sinfulness with addiction to self-righteousness is not progress
When we start practicing bhakti, we often experience amazing transformation – even without much effort on our part, sinful habits to which we may have [...]
Give others as much benefit of doubt as we give to ourselves
If we oversleep, we often justify, “I was tired.” But if someone we don’t like oversleeps, we label them as “lazy.” If we overeat, we [...]
Those who obsess over what is wrong overlook what is right
Some people are industrious faultfinders. Whoever they are with, they zero in on the faults of that person. Such people who obsess on the wrong [...]
The Gita is not an exhortation to war; it is an exposition on dharma
Some people feel alarmed by the Bhagavad-gita’s battlefield setting, especially in today’s world where many rationalize brutal violence against the innocent in the name of [...]
Don’t point fingers – move fingers on prayer beads
Whenever we face problems, especially problems that we feel are caused by others, we point fingers at them. However, different people see the same situation [...]
Know when to doubt and when to give the benefit of doubt
In cricket, suppose an appeal is made against a batsman, but the umpires can’t see clearly whether the batsman is out or not. Then, they [...]
The better way to feel better about ourselves is by appreciation, not denigration
We naturally want to feel better about ourselves. Sometimes we try to feel thus by criticizing others. By pointing others’ faults, we think that the [...]
Don’t use the axe of criticism where the scalpel of correction is needed
When someone commits a mistake, we often feel as if it is our right and our duty to correct that person. Certainly, many situations call [...]
When we best serve Krishna by keeping out of his business
Faultfinding comes easy for most of us; it gives a much-craved boost to our false ego by making us feeling superior to the faulty. And [...]
What we speak about others speaks about us
We reveal more about ourselves when we speak about others than when we speak about ourselves. Our words offer listeners glimpses into our heart. When [...]
Don’t assume that faultfinding is an obligation – it may well be a temptation
The Bhagavad-gita (16.02) mentions that the godly are averse to faultfinding. Gita wisdom explains the rationale. All of us have a godly side and a [...]