Are we trying to move up while looking down?
Seasoned mountaineers who aim to scale a lofty summit avoid looking down unnecessarily. Of course, they stay aware of the terrain below so that they [...]
Are we sending our intelligence on a vacation?
Imagine a person who has a priceless treasure carefully protected by a competent guard. Suppose a thief persuades the owner to send the guard on [...]
We see not by staring but by hearing
When our computer breaks down, we can’t see the problem merely by staring at the specific parts of the computer. We need to hear from [...]
Tap the power of devotion that supersedes nature, nurture and culture
We are what we are because of three primary factors: nature, nurture and culture. Nature: All of us are born with a particular psycho-physical nature [...]
The mental avatar of AIDS
AIDS is an extremely dangerous disease, largely because of its sinister method of attack. Normally when a disease attacks the body, the immune system springs [...]
Are we using religion as a cloak instead of as an armor?
A cloak is often used to concealoneself; an armor, to protect oneself. When we use our religion as a cloak, we hide our weaknesses under [...]
When it requires courage to be afraid
Imagine a group of children playing in an epidemic-struck area without knowing about the disease. When a child gets infected, falls sick and dies, the [...]
Is our culture preventing us from growing up?
Children desire toys and cry when thwarted and angered. Undiscriminating desire and unmanaged anger – these two defining emotions of childishness underlie many of our [...]
The incomprehensible comprehensibility and the comprehensible incomprehensibility of the universe
“The most incomprehensible thing about the universe is that it is comprehensible,” wondered Albert Einstein. If the universe were just matter emerged by chance, why [...]
Sensual pleasures are easily visible, rarely relishable
Sensual pleasures tantalize us by their appearance and frustrate us by their experience. They last at the most for a few minutes; so the actual [...]
We can’t reach new planets without leaving the earth
The prospect of traveling to new planets is both stimulating and unnerving. It’s stimulating because of the excitement ofexploring uncharted territory. And it’s unnerving because [...]
Increasing willpower – The only way and the best way
When we fall short while doing something challenging, we often wonder: how can I increase my willpower? The factors that determine our present level of [...]
Where is the glory in a backdoor victory over attachments?
In sports a backdoor victory is universally considered inglorious. If India deliberately schedulesa cricket seriesagainst Pakistan at a time when all the top Pakistaniplayers are [...]
Are we like doctors who give medicines to everyone except themselves?
Doctors going to epidemic-struck areas are extremely careful to vaccinate themselves from the disease they intend to treat. Gita wisdom informs us that the entire [...]
We are our own devils
Some traditions have the conception of the Devil, an intrinsically evil being who is independent of and almost as powerful as God. He wants to [...]
Better to be exhausted than rusted
With every passing moment time moves forward inexorably and irreversibly. The passage of time causes non-living things to rust. Living beings also age as time [...]
How humility boosts our self-esteem…
We often feel under-recognized by the world. We frequently think that we have far more talents and much greater potential than what others credit us. [...]
We are just extras in others’ plots
We often worry what others think about us – without realizing how little they think about us. We are usually extras in their life-plots. Let’s [...]
When life makes us emotionally seasick…
Seasickness is caused by the continuous up-down movement of the ship due to the sea-waves. Similarly, when we travel through life, its ups and downs [...]
When neither the summits nor the valleys matter…
The Bhagavad-gita’s recommendation(02.56) to stay equipoised amidst success and failure puzzles many people. It is antipodal to the modern sporting ethos, wherein the winner is [...]
Is our sight causing us to lose sight?
When we see a blind person struggling to find the way with a stick, we often feel compassion for that person’s condition. We consider our [...]