The mind demands that others leave us alone and then complains they don’t care for us
Suppose someone who we care for is going through difficulties. When we try to help them, they demand from us, “Leave me alone”, but then [...]
To avoid emotional extremes center your emotions on the eternal, not the external
To avoid emotional extremes center your emotions on the eternal not the external We sometimes experience mood swings, whereby small good things make us elated [...]
Light is usually seen before warmth is felt but spiritual warmth frequently needs to be felt before spiritual light is seen
If we are lost in the dark and cold, we can spot the light of a fire long before we feel its warmth. In the [...]
When the mind complains about the shortage of enjoyable sense objects contemplate the shortage of enjoyment in the supposedly enjoyable sense objects
Suppose we go to a hotel to eat a full meal and find that the delicacy we wanted is provided only in limited quantity. Our [...]
Avoiding some risks keeps us alive taking some risks brings us alive
The world is filled with dangers that can overrun us if we aren’t careful. Avoiding unnecessary risks keeps us alive. Still, we want to not [...]
To feel small can be disempowering to feel small in God’s presence is empowering
Suppose we walk on the streets of a giant metropolis, surrounded by huge skyscrapers, thousands of passers-by and hundreds of cars. We may feel small, [...]
We need inner accounting before we can have inner accountability
Suppose a social welfare organization is short of money and asks us to become a regular patron. Naturally, we will want some accountability. But if [...]
What we contemplate mentally we cultivate mentally
Suppose we have a garden. We will be careful about what we cultivate there. And we certainly wouldn’t intentionally cultivate weeds or toxic plants. Unfortunately, [...]
Don’t fight against your bad habits — cultivate good habits and let them fight against your bad habits
Don’t fight against your bad habits — cultivate good habits and let them fight against your bad habits When we have some bad habits, we [...]
Attachment makes us blind arrogance keeps us blind
Suppose someone allures an unsuspecting passerby into a dark alley and then attacks them so brutally as to blind them. That would be terrible. But [...]
If we wait till we feel inspired we will definitely wait indefinitely
Suppose we want to develop a good habit centered on doing something creative or constructive such as meditate, study wisdom-texts, journal or write. Even when [...]
Regret for wrongdoing reforms regret for only the consequence of wrongdoing deforms
Regret for wrongdoing reforms regret for only the consequence of wrongdoing deforms Suppose a teenager drives beyond the speed limit just for the thrill of [...]
The mind makes us depressed and then makes us depressed that we are depressed
Life by its very nature is characterized by both good and bad. And when bad things happen, we naturally feel disappointed. But our mind starts [...]
Treating the mind as an enemy can be uncomfortable treating it as a friend can be fatal — treat it as a patient
Suppose we are living with someone prone to wild mood swings. We will need to watch them carefully to understand their present mood and adapt [...]
Devotion is not just about bringing God into our life; it is also about letting God bring us into his life
Devotion is not just about bringing God into our life; it is also about letting God bring us into his life Most people nowadays are [...]
Forgiveness shouldn’t enable atrocity; it should end animosity
To know when to forgive, we need to recognize two different needs: ending atrocity and ending animosity. Ending atrocity: If someone is treating us hurtfully, [...]
When we react to atrocity with fury we give the forces of illusion control over both sides of the war
When we react to atrocity with fury we give the forces of illusion control over both sides of the war Suppose two countries start fighting [...]
God takes our potential seriously do we?
Suppose a coach takes the potential of a budding cricketer seriously. That means even if the player goes through a bad patch, the coach stands [...]
The more our consciousness is crowded the more our conscience becomes clouded
Suppose we are walking through a crowded place where people are pushing each other. In that crush, if a pickpocket reaches into our purse and [...]
To get the consequences of our wrongdoings may feel like misfortune, but it can save us from misfortune
To get the consequences of our wrongdoings may feel like misfortune but it can save us from misfortune Suppose someone gambles for the first time. [...]
Gita 18.54 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Now Krishna will talk about [...]