Opening the mouth without opening the mind helps neither the mouth nor the mind
Opening the mouth without opening the mind helps neither the mouth nor the mind We all have had to sometimes bite our words. On seeing [...]
If conscience doesn’t create a barrier between impulse and indulgence, intelligence must
If conscience doesn’t create a barrier between impulse and indulgence intelligence must Suppose a river tends to overflow unpredictably, flooding the nearby areas. To protect [...]
When the sensual deludes the eye the spiritual eludes the I
When the sensual deludes the eye the spiritual eludes the I The world around us is filled with innumerable sensual stimuli. And most such stimuli [...]
When we are attached to someone we don’t care much for them; we care much more for what they think about us
When we are attached to someone we don’t care much for them; we care much more for what they think about us Suppose a doctor [...]
Use introspection as a confession by the self to the self
Use introspection as a confession by the self to the self Confession is a religious practice wherein confessants, people who have done something wrong, admit [...]
Pleasure is too fragile a purpose to sustain us through life’s troubles
Pleasure is too fragile a purpose to sustain us through life's troubles We all seek pleasure. Yet life can put us in such dilemmas and [...]
No matter how bad things are we can always make them worse – we are never powerless
No matter how bad things are we can always make them worse – we are never powerless Sometimes, life puts us in so many difficulties [...]
We may have to fight against others but we don’t have to be against others
We may have to fight against others but we don’t have to be against others When we strive to lead a principle-centered life, those who [...]
Focus on life not on the mind’s commentary about life
Focus on life not on the mind’s commentary about life Suppose a cricket match is accompanied by a special kind of commentary that is heard [...]
The environment is not ours to take or leave it is ours to make
The environment is not ours to take or leave it is ours to make We are living in an age of considerable climate change. For [...]
Don’t try to be someone better try to be an example of something better
Don’t try to be someone better try to be an example of something better When we strive to lead a principle-centered life by adopting spiritual [...]
Our expectation that nothing should come in our way, often comes in our way
Our expectation that nothing should come in our way, often comes in our way Our culture often glamorizes go-getters who achieve great goals without letting [...]
Praying to get our need fulfilled isn’t our need – praying is our need
Praying to get our need fulfilled isn’t our need – praying is our need When we pray to God for something, we may fear, “What [...]
Don’t reduce people to their group identity – differences within groups often exceed differences across groups
We often have certain preconceptions about certain groups of people. Driven by such preconceptions, when we come to know a person’s group identity, we presume [...]
Hold your plans lightly not tightly
Hold your plans lightly not tightly Suppose we catch a beautiful butterfly and hold it in our fingers. If we hold it too tightly, fearing [...]
To decrease unhealthy reactions increase healthy reminders
To decrease unhealthy reactions increase healthy reminders Suppose we have some unhealthy habit such as impulsive overeating. Once some behavior becomes ingrained as a habit, [...]
Living for the moment is a prescription for chaos at best and calamity at worst
Living for the moment is a prescription for chaos at best and calamity at worst While driving along an expressway, suppose we see something attractive [...]
Never lose faith in your potential to improve or you will court cowardice and malice
Never lose faith in your potential to improve or you will court cowardice and malice Suppose a patient loses faith in the potential of any [...]
Between naiveté and cynicism is the courage to trust
Between naiveté and cynicism is the courage to trust When we are inexperienced, we may naïvely believe that everyone is entirely trustworthy. Exploiting our naiveté, [...]
Where we are doesn’t determine who we are
Where we are doesn't determine who we are We might sometimes be at a terrible place in life — we may be addicted to something [...]
Words are not just vehicles of thought but also engines of thought
Words are not just vehicles of thought but also engines of thought We often think of words as tools for expressing our thoughts. When we [...]