To evaluate advancement, examine anxieties
Devotee-seekers often get the question: “How do I know whether I am making spiritual advancement?” One reliable way is: by examining our anxieties. The Bhagavad-gita [...]
Choose the collective that is corrective, not disruptive
We are social beings. Not only do we long to belong to some social group, but also the mindsets and passions of the social group [...]
Surrender means to do what we can, with what we have – now
Many people think of surrender as passive acceptance. However, surrender involves not just acceptance but also action. The Bhagavad-gita’s conclusion demonstrates this active dimension of [...]
The cure for pride is not suppression of talent but purification of intent
As pride is a major pitfall on the spiritual path, we may think, “By not expressing my talent and keeping a low profile, I will [...]
The Gita shows the best peak to seek and the best route to reach it
All of us need something to live for, some target to achieve, some mountain peak to seek. Materialistic culture offers us many peaks –wealth, sex, [...]
Krishna is not just the object for meditation but also the subject for reciprocation
For aspiring meditators, Gita wisdom recommends Krishna as the best object for meditation. Let’s see how and why. While outlining yoga in its sixth chapter, [...]
Purification transforms theoretical propositions into spiritual realizations
“Krishna is non-different from his holy name.” How can we realize such incomprehensible-seeming scriptural statements? By purification. As souls, we are capable of pure spiritual [...]
In life’s multiple-choice exam, select an alternative based on what it says, not where it stays
In a multiple-choice exam, the position of an alternative doesn’t determine its correctness. Just because an alternative is positioned first doesn’t make it correct. The [...]
Arrogance perverts the wings that free into nets that bind
As spiritual practitioners, we are like baby birds developing wings – wings that will help raise our consciousness to the spiritual level, thus freeing us [...]
Be reflective, not reflexive
Our physical reflexes often protect us from danger – if we unconsciously place our hand on something hot, it recoils from that object even before [...]
Those who parade their purity accumulate the impurity of pride
On the spiritual path, freedom from the gross impurities of lust, greed and anger is invaluable. Such purity keeps us focused on Krishna amidst temptations. [...]
Process produces progress – focus on process, not progress
Sometimes parents tell their children who are reluctant to eat: “Eat, then your muscles will become big – like those of your favorite heroes.” The [...]
Weaken your weaknesses – don’t let your weaknesses weaken you
In a war, an army wins not just by the determination of its soldiers fighting on the forefront, but also by the steadiness of the [...]
Celebrate the commotion of emotion in the ocean of devotion
Some people conceive of spiritual perfection as an emotionless peace, a sanctuary of silence beyond the agitations and complications of material existence. Gita wisdom acknowledges [...]
When we hide ourselves from ourselves, we destroy ourselves
Leading a principle-centered life involves a dynamic tension between our aspirations, which are determined by our cherished principles, and our actions, which is often determined [...]
Worry more about inconsequential intentions than about unintended consequences
“What will happen if I practice spiritual life too seriously, neglect my material life and then things go wrong?” Such worry may trouble us when [...]
The mind may be like a hog in a confectionary, but we don’t have to be
We are all innately pleasure-seeking creatures. Where we seek pleasure defines us and determines our destiny. Normally, due to the influence of the culture externally [...]
Faithfulness to tradition includes faithfulness to the tradition’s flexibility
The human mind tends to become attached to externals. Among materialists, this tendency makes people attached to external material things, thereby keeping them trapped in [...]
When we demand Krishna’s protection on our terms, we deprive ourselves of his best protection
When we face problems, we often pray to Krishna for protection. He always protects, but not necessarily on our terms. If we demand protection on [...]
That all of us are in the same boat is a treacherous comfort when the boat is sinking
Our mortality is perhaps our best-kept secret. It’s a secret not in the sense that it’s not known, but in the sense that it’s hardly [...]
Don’t waste extra thought on people for whom you are extras
“If I do that, what will people think of me?” Such concern over the world’s opinion can sometimes protect us from unworthy actions but it [...]