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 [...]
Why all motivators don’t have to be models
When we want to change ourselves for the better, we can have two powerful aids: motivators and models. Let's understand their significant and distinct roles. [...]
Why we are NOT defined by our desires
One of the Bhagavad Gita’s most life-transforming insights is its clear, categorical, and consistent emphasis on differentiating between us and our mind. While some of [...]
Fearless = Shameless?
When shame is used to deter people from destructive activities, it can be considered constructive and even desirable. For instance, a few decades ago, smoking [...]
Authentic = Shameless?
When we strive to be authentic by aligning with our true nature, we may face the world’s disapproval or even censure. People around us may [...]
Suppressing emotions vs repressing emotions
When we are trying to discipline and elevate ourselves, we may resort to two unhealthy approaches toward emotions: suppress them or repress them. Although these [...]
What to pray for amid distress
When confronted with a huge problem, especially one that causes acute or unbearable distress, we often desperately turn to God for help. We pray for [...]
Unsustainable and sustainable approaches to purification
When we try to purify ourselves, we soon become acutely aware that there are two parts within us: one part of us — our higher [...]
Whom NOT to turn to for processing our emotions
When someone behaves outrageously and triggers within us strong emotions such as revengefulness or resentfulness, it is essential that we find a balance between expressing [...]
Surviving the earthquake drowning in the tsunami — why suppressing emotions is dangerous
In social circles that value self-control, those people are highly respected who remain calm in a highly provocative situation caused by another person’s outrageous behavior. [...]
When the mind repeats things we don’t want to repeat …
Suppose we try to give up an unwanted habit to indulge in some unhealthy pleasure. Unfortunately, we are often undermined and even sabotaged by the [...]
Why the mind automates repeated actions
Our mind tends to make the repetition of frequently performed actions easier. For example, when we are learning to drive, we may be told to [...]
Two functions of the mind – and its two malfunctions
There is much mystery associated with the mind: what it exactly is and what it exactly does. The Bhagavad-gita's teachings offer us a three-level model [...]
The transformative power of deep listening
When we are conversing with someone about a subject close to their heart, we can connect better with them through deep listening. Such listening enables [...]