Beyond mindfulness to purposefulness
Beyond mindfulness to purposefulness - Suppose we are working in customer support and a disgruntled customer is speaking with us rudely, even obnoxiously. Still, we [...]
When morality feels like a burden …
When morality feels like a burden - When we try to follow moral standards to live purely, we sometimes feel harassed by temptations that keep [...]
What does it mean to “follow our heart”?
What does it mean to “follow our heart”? - Suppose we have to decide about complex and consequential issues such as choosing a career, a [...]
Do emotions reside in the mind?
Do emotions reside in the mind? - To understand, consider an analogous question: do sensations reside in the body? Suppose a 20 kg dumbbell is [...]
Will negative imagination lead to self-fulfilling prophecies?
Will negative imagination lead to self-fulfilling prophecies? - When a person having unhealthy habits is told to imagine the disasters that may result if they [...]
Understanding the relationship between love and freedom
Understanding the relationship between love and freedom Love is founded in freedom: Suppose a boy proposes to a girl saying, “I love you. Will you [...]
How Krishna’s relationship with us differs from our relationship with him
How Krishna’s relationship with us differs from our relationship with him - The Bhagavad-gita’s conclusion contains a disarming declaration: Krishna is determined to love us [...]
How the Gita demonstrates its teaching
How the Gita demonstrates its teaching - The Bhagavad-gita concludes, in one sense, with Arjuna agreeing to do Krishna’s will (18.73). Yet the Gita continues [...]
How purpose makes pain bearable
How purpose makes pain bearable - Suppose a person dear to us is sick and in great pain. Suppose further the only available doctor is [...]
The way to a better future
The way to a better future - The future can be better than the present and we can play a part in bringing about that [...]
When God doesn’t seem to help us …
When God doesn’t seem to help us - Suppose we pray to God for help amid difficulty but the difficulty remains. Does that mean God [...]
When the tendency to doubt helps
When the tendency to doubt helps - In today’s educated circles, doubt is celebrated as an intellectual strength. Whenever thoughtful people encounter any claim, especially [...]
The pleasure of being miserable
The pleasure of being miserable - Pleasure and misery are opposites — how, then, can there be any pleasure in being miserable? Because the mind [...]
Are we using our intelligence intelligently?
Are we using our intelligence intelligently? - When we see someone with intelligence far greater than ours (as measured by some parameter such as IQ), [...]
What does growing up mean? – 2
What does growing up mean? - 2- When someone complains too much about how hard things are, they are sometimes told to grow up. What [...]
Two ways to deal with resentment
Two ways to deal with resentment - Resentment is a toxic but telling emotion. To understand what it is telling us, we need to attentively [...]
How the mind is a robber who pretends to be a well-wisher
How the mind is a robber who pretends to be a well-wisher - Suppose a robber comes to our house pretending to be our well-wisher [...]
How depressed desire leads to depression
How depressed desire leads to depression - Suppose someone riding a cycle pedals too fast and falls into a ditch. On getting up, they decide [...]
Three benefits of fasting
Three benefits of fasting - Fasting is a time-honored practice in most of the world’s great traditions. The Bhagavad-gita too urges us to minimize our [...]
Do we choose our interests or do our interests choose us?
Do we choose our interests or do our interests choose us? - We all can think of several things in our life that are important [...]
When our interests aren’t in your best interests …
The word ‘interests’ can refer either to the things that we find interesting or to the things that are beneficial and rewarding for us, as [...]