Stop struggling to turn off the inner darkness, start striving to turn on the inner light
Suppose we are lost in a dark room. We stumble over various things, hurting ourselves. To avoid such trouble, do we try to turn off [...]
In dealing with our urges, if we don’t consciously choose responsibility, we unconsciously choose slavery
We all treasure our freedom and would fight if someone tried to enslave us. Yet many of us unconsciously let ourselves get enslaved. How? By [...]
When fighting temptation, focus just on surviving the present battle, not on winning the whole war
Suppose we were to fight a boxing match against a formidable opponent. Suppose further, before and during the fight, an acquaintance from the audience discouraged [...]
Don’t bolt from temptation, bolt the door to temptation
When a horse hears a sudden loud sound, like that of a gunshot or a thunderclap, it bolts from that sound. Struck with fear, it [...]
The body reacts mechanically – don’t take its reactions personally
Suppose we had a machine that was programmed to behave in a particular way, to respond to certain stimuli with certain actions. Suppose we didn’t [...]
Fighting urges is like a timed arm wrestling match – if we just survive the present round, we will resume on neutral ground
Suppose we are playing an arm wrestling match with someone. If our opponent is much stronger than us, they will force our arm down. On [...]
Our urges aren’t like endlessly rising lines, they are like endlessly recurring waves – surf them patiently
Whenever some self-destructive urge attacks, we tend to think: “This urge is becoming stronger and stronger. Soon, it will become irresistible. When I will have [...]
Turning away is not running away if we are turning toward something better
Suppose we see a person who constantly agitates us. Not wanting to interact with them, we turn away. Are we being cowardly? Not necessarily. If [...]
We don’t have to outweigh our urges; we just have to out-wait them
Suppose a thief is trying to barge into our house by breaking the door. Suppose further that the door has a loose bolt that we [...]
When we resist our urges, they may become scarier, but they don’t become stronger
Suppose an animal trainer is domesticating a wild tiger by starving it till it becomes compliant. Like all other living beings that are kept hungry, [...]
To see our own stupidity, unvarnished and unjustified, is infuriating and invigorating
When someone we care for does something stupid, they often try to hide it from us, either denying it entirely or concealing it under various [...]
When the sensual deludes the eye, the spiritual eludes the I
The world around us is filled with innumerable sensual stimuli. And most such stimuli assault us through our eyes. When our eyes become captivated with [...]
To decrease unhealthy reactions, increase healthy reminders
Suppose we have some unhealthy habit such as impulsive overeating. Once some behavior becomes ingrained as a habit, we often react without thinking. If some [...]
Those who fight their inner devils are the ultimate daredevils
Many people like to be daredevils. Wanting a sense of adventure and achievement, they dive into extreme sports. While those living on the edge may [...]
Love becomes blind when lust becomes the blindfold
Love is the heart’s deepest aspiration; we all want to love and be loved. Through love, we can establish the sweetest connections with others. Yet, [...]
Impulse may run over intelligence, but don’t let it take over intelligence
Suppose some invaders attack a fort suddenly. The defenders, being caught unawares, are stunned, and the invaders start plundering the fort. Nonetheless, the defenders soon [...]
Intelligence is the last defense against indulgence – and also the first defense
An important fort usually has multiple layers of defense. The best security is placed at the innermost layer to protect the king. Simultaneously, strong security [...]
Friendly snakes are still snakes – beware of the snake-like senses
Suppose someone adopts a poisonous snake as a pet. Even if that snake appears friendly, it can still bite venomously at any moment. Snake-owners need [...]
Intelligence shows how indulgence is harmful and how harmful indulgence is
Less than a century ago, smoking was considered harmless. It took decades of intelligent investigation to reveal that smoking harmed health, and harmed it so [...]
A sight on a site can trigger a fire inside, watch what you watch
If we live in a house made of inflammable material, we will meticulously avoid throwing about a matchstick, lest it triggers a house-destroying fire. Actually, [...]
Careless contemplation turns tempting thoughts into time bombs
When a time bomb is placed somewhere, it may not even be noticed by anyone; it might seem just like any other innocuous object lying [...]