Gratitude for the ordinary
During our life, whenever we receive something special — for example, getting an unexpected job promotion or winning the lottery — we feel overjoyed. And [...]
How to speak more effectively: Cross or Across?
Whenever we have a difference of opinion with someone, wherein despite our best attempts to persuade them, they just don't seem to get our point, [...]
Gita 17.16 – Explanation from Bhakti Shastri Class
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 17.16 manaḥ-prasādaḥ saumyatvaṁ maunam [...]
Facing losses but not feeling lost — the reorienting power of gratitude
Suppose we are driving through a remote area guided by GPS and suddenly the GPS connectivity gets lost due to a heavy storm. Not knowing [...]
Is gratitude a state or a trait?
Gratitude can be both, and it is best when manifested as both. Let’s see how. State: Gratitude as a state refers to the emotions of [...]
What we do with our blessings
In our life, we all have both blessings and problems. Unfortunately, we often tend to fixate on our problems, which may arise due to our [...]
Gita 17.15 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Next we will discuss about [...]
The power of words: be aware and beware
When we use something regularly, we may forget how powerful it is. Consider electricity. As it is widely available, we tend to forget its importance [...]
Does gratitude decrease our motivation to make things better?
Some people fear, “If I keep feeling good about the present, won’t it take away my motivation for seeking a better future?” Not necessarily; just [...]
How to feel grateful when we don’t feel grateful
To cultivate gratitude, we need to expand our conception of what it is. Gratitude as an emotion: While gratitude is certainly an emotion, it is [...]
How not to cultivate gratitude
We all know the importance of cultivating gratitude. And we all have in our life at least some good things that we should feel grateful [...]
Two aspects of compassion as seen through our speech
Suppose a doctor sees a sick person and decides to offer free treatment in the form of an injection. Suppose further that the patient has [...]
When being truthful is helpful and when it isn’t
Suppose our partner came to us and started listing out all our faults, which number over a hundred. How would hearing that list affect us? [...]
Why all insensitivity is not equal
We all are wired differently and we may just not have certain faculties. Some people’s minds may be so geared as to have low emotional [...]
How sensitivity differs from sentimentality
Suppose a doctor is treating a patient for a painful ailment wherein a boil needs to be cut. If the doctor is sensitive, they are [...]
How to become more sensitive
The Bhagavad-gita (17.15) recommends increased sensitivity of speech when it urges us to speak non-agitatingly and pleasingly. How can we develop such sensitivity, which essentially [...]
When calling a spade a spade doesn’t help …
In today's politically correct climate, not many people speak candidly; they understandably fear being condemned or ‘canceled.’ Amid such an environment, those who do call [...]
Gita 17.12 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan But on the other hand [...]
How Krishna’s words demonstrate the discipline of speech that he recommends
In the Bhagavad-gita (17.15), Krishna outlines the characteristics of disciplined speech. Let’s consider how those characteristics are demonstrated by Krishna’s words in the Gita. Non-agitating: [...]
Why does Krishna analyze yajna dana and tapa in the three modes?
When analyzing faith in the three modes in the Bhagavad-gita’s seventeenth chapter, Krishna focuses on three particular activities: yajna (sacrifice), dana (charity) and tapa [...]
Gita 17.03 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 17.3 sattvānurūpā sarvasya śraddhā [...]