Bhakti has to be a choice before it can become a calling
Some people say, “I will become devoted to God when I feel his call from within.” The problem with such thinking is that we are [...]
To fight for what is right is right
The world today is haunted by the specter of terrorism, which rationalizes itself based on a religious book. Coming from this context, we may feel [...]
We don’t breathe twice in the same body
We frequently misidentify with our body. However, Gita wisdom explains that not only are we not our body, but the thing we call our body [...]
Get out of the drought of doubt
Doubt is a dangerous obstacle on the devotional path. In a heart scorched by doubt, the nectar of devotion gets evaporated and eliminated. Indeed, doubt [...]
Free love is far too costly
Many people find the notion of free love appealing because it brings together two things dear to us: freedom and love. Few things energize us [...]
When we remember Krishna, we dismember illusion
Suppose a warrior is being attacked by an enemy who is charging in with an upraised sword. But before the enemy comes close enough to [...]
Don’t take shelter of the intelligence – take shelter of Krishna with the intelligence
Our intelligence is vital for our spiritual growth – it helps us to reject illusion and choose reality. Aptly, the Bhagavad-gita (02.49) begins by asking [...]
Let temptation activate the warrior within, not the philanderer within
Suppose enemy forces sneak in to attack a country. If the border is guarded by their own spy instead of a faithful warrior, the spy [...]
Set targets not so much to meet them as to meet Krishna through them
Few things are as empowering in casting off lethargy as setting targets – they infuse our work with urgency and intensity. Of course, there’s a [...]
Not everything that comes in our vision is worth our attention
Suppose we are driving a car. In the path of our vision come so many objects: trees, houses, passers-by, billboards and landmarks. If we pay [...]
Love doesn’t have to come in the way – love can be the way
Some people conceive of spirituality as fundamentally centered on world rejection. Love is the strongest among all the emotions that we experience and usually our [...]
Strive for self-understanding, not self-esteem
As we live in a rabidly competitive society, we may feel that we lack self-esteem. Such feelings become aggravated when the media bombards us with [...]
The reincarnation of avatar in English is a revealing distortion
The Sanskrit word avatar has become mainstream in English due to both a Hollywood blockbuster and computer role-playing games. In contemporary usage, avatar refers to [...]
Focus on harmony, not hormones
From the time we enter adolescence, we feel ourselves impelled by our hormones. We find ourselves craving and exploring a whole new world of sensual [...]
Don’t give in to a death wish — give it the death sentence
The Bhagavad-gita (01.45) begins with a death wish. Arjuna is faced with the horrendous prospect of a fratricidal war against his loved ones, especially his [...]
Don’t equate the essential with the exclusive
A person driving a car needs fuel, but if they carry with them nothing except fuel and if they imagine that fuel can satisfy their [...]
Attachment to results confuses cause and effect
When we want to achieve something difficult, we often envision the result and that vision inspires us to strive determinedly. While envisioning the result can [...]
The lower our consciousness, the lesser is our contribution
When we live in a fast-paced activity-centered culture, we may wonder whether we are wasting our time by practicing spiritual life, wherein we don’t do [...]
To change your life, change the narrative of your life
Suppose three people are carrying bricks. When asked what they are doing, the first replies sullenly, “Can’t you see? I am carrying bricks.” The second [...]
Absorption of consciousness in Krishna brings about expansion of consciousness through Krishna
Expansion of consciousness is an oft-used term in spiritual circles. People seeking deeper fulfillment in life intuit that they can do so by expanding their [...]
Those who don’t have money are poor, but those who have only money are poorer still
To be labeled as poor and be looked down at by others ranks among people’s most dreaded nightmares. Money is essential. However, when it becomes [...]