We suffer not because we are last but because we are lost
“Everyone is better than me. I am good-for-nothing.” Our mind sometimes discourages us with such thoughts. These thoughts are the tricks of the mind, tricks [...]
End the tradition of abuse with the tradition of love
We are all shaped by our experiences. The way people deal with us, especially during our formative years, becomes our standard reference, conscious or subconscious, [...]
Life determines our problems; we determine their size
We often feel irritated, overwhelmed, helpless when our dreams are wrecked by things beyond our control. But there is always something in our control. The [...]
No problem is so dreadful and no pleasure is so wonderful that it is worth losing our inner connection with Krishna
The world offers us two main distractions: problems and pleasures. Both attract, even demand, our attention and make us forget the higher inner reality of [...]
Let the road from the eyes to the heart not bypass or bulldoze the head
We all rely constantly on our eyes to show us our way. While the eyes are quite reliable in showing the way physically, they are [...]
Let where we crave to be not drag us away from where we need to be
When our plans are thwarted by things beyond our control, we usually become irritated and distracted. Such disruption of our plans often blinds us to [...]
Beware of the universal solvent that dissolves everything including us
Today’s materialistic culture provokes us into seeing everything in monetary terms: “There are so many good-looking things that I could enjoy if only I had [...]
Use the intelligence in Krishna’s service, not Krishna in the intelligence’s service
We often delight in intellectual stimulation, as recreations like chess, crossword puzzles and other cerebral teasers demonstrate. These recreations are especially appealing if we are [...]
Greed makes the wealthy needy
Money, money, money. That’s the supreme goal of life for many people today. We obviously need money to survive. But is it survival that drives [...]
The mind not only befools but also betrays us
“Why did I do that? It was such a foolish thing to do.” We often find ourselves asking this question – if not publically at [...]
Have the intelligence to doubt the supremacy of the intelligence
“Look at all the incredible advances that modern science has made – all thanks to our human intelligence.” Such thoughts impel many people to enthrone [...]
Disdain the pain that is a pain to miss
We often think of self-restraint as a pain: “I have to give up so many of the pleasures of the world.” Factually however, for us [...]
From our place, at our pace, Krishna offers his embrace
Krishna’s love for all of us is so encompassing that he accepts us wherever we are. And he invites us to come towards him from [...]
Rise from defiance through reliance to transcendence
Our journey towards Krishna progresses through three stages: Defiance: We start of imagining that we don’t need Krishna, that we can do fine without him. [...]
Be curious, not superstitious; be cautious, not suspicious
Superstitious or suspicious – these are the two approaches many people have towards spirituality. Some people adopt an anti-intellectual approach to spirituality, basing everything on [...]
Accepting that we are ordinary is extraordinary
We all like to think that we are special. And Gita wisdom agrees that we indeed are. Spiritually, each one of us is a unique [...]
We may be broke but we don’t have to be broken
Becoming broke is usually among our worst nightmares. Something that we try our best to avoid. Yet the inscrutable ways of life sometimes make our [...]
Are we mistaking the cause of torture to be the source of shelter?
Suppose we are stranded in an ocean on a sharp jagged rock. The rock seems to be our shelter, but it is actually the cause [...]
See skepticism with skepticism
“I am a skeptic.” Today’s intellectuals often see skepticism as their badge of honor, as the evidence that they are freethinkers, unbound by other’s beliefs [...]
Krishna offers us shelter, not a hiding place
“If I pray to Krishna, he will make all my problems disappear.” We may sometimes hope thus when we practice spiritual life. Of course, we [...]
Throw light on the daylight robbery that doesn’t come to light
If we find a large sum of money missing from our house, we immediately go all out to nab the thief. But if small amounts [...]