Pray to gain purpose not pleasure
Pray to God—not for pleasure, but for purpose. When we approach God through prayers, we often seek pleasure or, more specifically, the objects that we [...]
The right to be unhappy
Just because we have a right to be unhappy does not mean that we are right to be unhappy. Sometimes, such terrible things may happen [...]
When we feel powerless …
The world may make our power less, but it is our mind that makes us feel powerless. Sometimes, the world may put us in situations [...]
How to not be discouraged by our imperfections
As we function in life, we quickly come to realize our deficiencies and defects. Deficiencies refer to areas in which we can't do things as [...]
Unmasking the sinister strategy of fear
Suppose we are lost in a dangerous forest, trying in vain to find a way back to safety. Suppose further we find a way that [...]
Stopping the mind’s horror movie
Suppose we are in our home theater, and we find a horror movie playing on our TV when we had no desire to watch such [...]
When our mind doesn’t cooperate what can we do?
Suppose we are working on an important project, and we have a clear vision of how that project will be executed most efficiently and effectively. [...]
How to balance destiny and responsibility
When we face a difficult situation, to what extent do we accept that situation as destiny and to what extent do we take responsibility for [...]
How to balance destiny and responsibility
When we face a difficult situation, to what extent do we accept that situation as destiny and to what extent do we take responsibility for [...]
Taking things positively vs taking things nonchalantly
Suppose something bad happens, be it due to our own mistakes or due to factors beyond our control, or due to a combination of both, [...]
Why measurement matters for improvement
When we seek to improve ourselves by developing virtues such as self-control, politeness, or kindness, we often make resolutions that don't sufficiently translate into transformative [...]
Worrying about imaginary problems can be a real problem
Uncertainty is an undeniable fact of existence — life often requires us to tackle complex situations, in which many factors are beyond our control. Faced [...]
Suppressing emotions vs repressing emotions
When we are trying to discipline and elevate ourselves, we may resort to two unhealthy approaches toward emotions: suppress them or repress them. Although these [...]
What to pray for amid distress
When confronted with a huge problem, especially one that causes acute or unbearable distress, we often desperately turn to God for help. We pray for [...]
The difference between consciousness and conscience
Consciousness is the fundamental energy of the soul. The Sanskrit word for it is chetana. If we compare the soul to a flashlight, consciousness is [...]
How to make judgments without being judgmental
Making judgments is a functional necessity in life. We need to make judgments about the kind of people we want to befriend, the habits or [...]
Beyond stereotypes of a wrathful God
Some religious groups portray God as a mighty and scary entity who sits above the clouds and casts thunderbolts to punish sinners. According to them, [...]
Might life be better if we pursued something other than happiness?
We live in a world that oversells happiness to us, with unending promises and unendingly glamorized products. And we have minds that are programmed with [...]
Gita 18.61 – 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 18.61 Now Krishna explains [...]
Gita 18.70 – 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 Someone may say O this [...]
Seven levels at which Gita verses can be understood
The Bhagavad-gita is a book of profound wisdom. One way to unpack its wisdom is by looking at its verses at multiple levels. Let’s consider [...]