Free will is the distance between impulse and response
Free will is the distance between impulse and response On seeing addicted people relapsing despite their best intentions, we may wonder, “Do they still have [...]
Seek freedom from weakness not freedom in weakness
Seek freedom from weakness not freedom in weakness Freedom from weakness refers to freedom from the lower urges that weaken our determination to act constructively. [...]
When the ego says go tell the ego to go
When the ego says go tell the ego to go When someone disagrees with us, especially someone we expected would obey us unquestioningly, our ego [...]
Humans who pursue subhuman goals become anti-human
Humans who pursue subhuman goals become anti-human We humans are considered the most evolved among all species on our planet. Ironically though, we often cause [...]
To argue that the truth is unknowable is to presume that it is knowable
To argue that the truth is unknowable is to presume that it is knowable Some skeptics look for flaws in all philosophies, especially philosophies that [...]
What we fear reflects what we hold dear
What we fear reflects what we hold dear When we feel fearful, our fear points to something we hold immensely dear, something whose possible loss [...]
To not feel bad on doing bad is bestially bad
To not feel bad on doing bad is bestially bad Suppose we accidentally step on someone’s foot. We would naturally apologize, ask if they are [...]
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 [...]
Godliness is both a decision and a disposition
Godliness is both a decision and a disposition When we strive to lead a godly life, we soon realize that some of us are innately [...]
Materialism reduces human life to an inhuman race from nowhere to nowhere
Many people adopt a materialistic lifestyle without thinking about its implications. A materialistic worldview implies that we have come from nowhere because we didn’t exist [...]
The comfort blanket of rationalization keeps us willingly in the cage of illusion
Suppose a person is trapped in a cold cage. They will naturally look for a way to escape. But if inside the cage they are [...]
Illusion can cover everything, even the way out of illusion
Illusion sometimes captivates us, as when we see a mirage in a desert. When allured, we can find a way out of illusion if, say, [...]
People who are too full of themselves are empty
Egoistic people think and talk only about themselves: “I went here, I achieved this, I experienced this, I am so great.” Even if others talk [...]
Illusion misdirects our determination to drive us deeper into illusion
When we become addicted to some unhealthy habit, we may try to give it up, but may keep relapsing. The illusion of pleasure may be [...]
Humility arises from acknowledging our vulnerability
Some people equate humility with lack of self-respect. However, the humble respect their self so much that they are ready to do whatever it takes [...]
Obsession can make the covetous murderous
The greed that is present in all human hearts makes us covet for more and more things, way beyond what we need. Such greed, though [...]
Drive the mind’s chariot – don’t be driven by it
If a charioteer is inattentive, the horses will take the chariot where they want instead of going where the charioteer needs to go. The Bhagavad-gita [...]
Seeking more is often the cause of our problems, not the solution
Today’s culture propagates that we can solve our problems by getting more – more money, more possessions, more comforts. But does getting more make us [...]
Taking shelter of lust amidst problems is like taking shelter of kidnappers when threatened by thieves
Suppose we are being chased by thieves. While fleeing from them, those who we take shelter of turn out to be kidnappers. The thieves would [...]
Why crave for any pleasure that makes us a slave?
If someone is enslaved, they would try to break free. If instead someone who is free tried to become enslaved, we would consider them insane. [...]
Forgiving is not forgetting – it is a fresh way of remembering
Forgiveness is often commended as a stellar virtue, as in the Bhagavad-gita (16.03). However, forgiving often seems difficult because we equate it with forgetting. And [...]