When fear locks our consciousness …
Suppose we face some outer danger, which makes us feel overwhelmed by fear. That a cautionary note sounds inside us in such situations is natural, [...]
Stopping the mind’s horror movie
Suppose we are in our home theater, and we find a horror movie playing on our TV when we had no desire to watch such [...]
How to grow in courage
When we seek to become more courageous, we may believe that we have to uproot fear from our heart. But courage doesn’t require fear to [...]
Courage in the absence of danger?
We all sometimes dream of situations in which we act bravely and offer great help, even life-saving help, to someone in need. Whenever we think [...]
How to be courageous in the presence of fear
Whenever we strive to be courageous, we may think that we need to be free from fear. But this conception of courage and fear as [...]
How to see failure positively
When we strive to do anything in life, we naturally want to be successful. It is delightful when we succeed, and our capacity to persevere [...]
When our mind doesn’t cooperate what can we do?
Suppose we are working on an important project, and we have a clear vision of how that project will be executed most efficiently and effectively. [...]
Karma: resignation or responsibility?
When we study the Bhagavad-gita teachings on karma, we may often read into it ideas that are prevalent in contemporary conceptions about karma. Such ideas [...]
How bhakti helps us balance destiny and responsibility
When we adopt a spiritual worldview, especially a devotional theistic worldview, it changes our approach to life, specifically in terms of how we view destiny [...]
How to balance destiny and responsibility
When we face a difficult situation, to what extent do we accept that situation as destiny and to what extent do we take responsibility for [...]
How to balance destiny and responsibility
When we face a difficult situation, to what extent do we accept that situation as destiny and to what extent do we take responsibility for [...]
Fight today’s battles not yesterday’s battles
Life in this world is characterized by constant change. Functioning effectively in such a world, therefore, demands a dynamic approach to life. The need for [...]
The difference between cleverness and wisdom
When we interact with others, we often like to be perceived as lively and witty. Accordingly, we may aspire to come up with clever comments [...]
Effective education: what to NOT focus on
Education requires a dynamic awareness of the level of those being educated. Suppose a math teacher with a triple PhD in calculus is teaching children [...]
Taking things positively vs taking things nonchalantly
Suppose something bad happens, be it due to our own mistakes or due to factors beyond our control, or due to a combination of both, [...]
Taking responsibility for the effects of our speech
When a doctor gives a medicine to a patient, the doctor's intent may be good: to help the patient heal. Though the doctor may carefully [...]
Why sensitivity in speech is especially needed in the internet age
The Bhagavad-gita (17.15) urges us to speak the truth sensitively — that is, in a manner which is non-agitating at the very least and pleasing [...]
Sensitivity in communicating superiority
Whenever we share a spiritual message with others, we may naturally feel inspired to emphasize the things that inspire us the most. Such an emphasis [...]
How humility empowers amid difficulties
Amid difficulties, our mind tends to propel us between extremes, akin to the extremes of a pendulum. For example, when we are faced with a [...]
Why measurement matters for improvement
When we seek to improve ourselves by developing virtues such as self-control, politeness, or kindness, we often make resolutions that don't sufficiently translate into transformative [...]
Worrying about imaginary problems can be a real problem
Uncertainty is an undeniable fact of existence — life often requires us to tackle complex situations, in which many factors are beyond our control. Faced [...]