The value of what we drive doesn’t matter as much as the values that drive us
We live in a materialistic culture that determines our stature by externals such as the cars we drive, the clothes we wear and the phones [...]
The Gita’s concluding prophecy answers its starting enquiry
Great books often feature between their start and end a symmetry, a circularity that brings a fulfilling sense of completeness and elegance. The Bhagavad-gita too [...]
Momentum manifests by movement from moment to moment
An obstacle that blocks a truck can be broken through if the truck acquires adequate momentum. Similarly, the conditionings that block our self-transformation can be [...]
Know when to doubt and when to give the benefit of doubt
In cricket, suppose an appeal is made against a batsman, but the umpires can’t see clearly whether the batsman is out or not. Then, they [...]
When God wants to speak to you, don’t let your mind give him the busy signal
Suppose we have fixed a phone appointment with an important mentor. When they call at the scheduled time, suppose our aide tells them we are [...]
Whatever doesn’t challenge us doesn’t change us
Suppose a person can lift 20 kg, but they go to a gym and lift 5 kg. Such weight lifting won’t strengthen them. To become [...]
To have our needs met by being unhappy is unhealthy
Children who have neglectful parents may find that their parents’ give them attention only when they cry. Damaged by such parental neglect, they may develop [...]
Change of inclination requires not just resolution but also reconstruction
Our mind is inclined towards certain things: some good, some bad. We often resolve to overcome our unworthy inclinations, yet we succumb to them. To [...]
See anger as a sign of weakness, not strength
When we get angry, we often speak and act in regrettable ways. Still, we falter and fail in our attempts to resist anger. How can [...]
Study matter for deconstruction, edification, redirection and utilization
On the spiritual path, studying matter can aid our inner growth in many ways. Let’s consider four of them: Deconstruction: Study of matter can help [...]
The weighing scale does not lie
[one_half_last]Some excessively obese people may be told, almost forced, by their doctors and relatives to adopt a regulated diet to lose some extra fat. They [...]
We need mentors who understand our mind and who can help us understand our mind
Whatever be our specific inclination – which stems from the nature of our mind – that mental inclination presents distinctive challenges in our life in [...]
See the effort in focusing the mind as an exercise, not an exertion
Suppose a person arriving at an airport finds that they don’t have any porter to carry their luggage from the carousal to the car. They [...]
We live in a broken world, but we don’t have to live broken lives
The world we live in is a broken place. No matter how hard we work and how well we plan, even the best work that [...]
The mind should do our work, not make us do its work
Suppose we need to know some information and so open the browser on our phone to visit a particular site. But while going there, suppose [...]
Gita 06.15 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya 10-32: From practice to perfection in [...]
Be a spiritual worker, not a material shirker
Some people who become spiritual but don’t have an inclusive understanding of spirituality start neglecting their work and their worldly responsibilities in the name of [...]
Our caliber is seen not just when we give our best but also when life gives us its worst
The caliber of sports players is revealed when they are in a flow, when they exhibit their peak performances. Their caliber is also revealed in [...]
See the mind not as too strong for us to resist, but as too weak to resist the world’s toys
When we wish to do something constructive, the mind often diverts us here, there and everywhere. Seeing how forcefully the mind distracts us can be [...]
To change the way you feel, change the way you think
Suppose someone wants to rid a field of weeds – and they get a lawn mower. They may remove the weeds, but the roots will [...]
Gita 18.21 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 18.21 pṛthaktvena tu yaj [...]