The less we identify with our thoughts, the less we act thoughtlessly
Whenever we do something regrettable, we wonder, “Why did I act so thoughtlessly?” First, we are never literally thoughtless, for we are never without thoughts. [...]
The mind makes the uncomfortable seem unbearable and then makes us do the unconscionable
Suppose someone lives in a place with uncomfortably hot weather. If they accept their situation, they will gradually get used to it. But suppose they [...]
Manifesting our individuality should fill our heart, not empty our pocket
“Be yourself.” This is an oft-repeated mantra nowadays. While the call to be true to oneself is enriching, the path to self-expression, as charted by [...]
Just because it’s not up to you doesn’t mean that you are not up to it
When we are asked to do something challenging, especially something whose results depend on factors beyond our control, we may back off, saying, “It’s not [...]
Destiny may determine the complexion of our face, but we determine the expression on our face
“Is everything destined?” We may ask when factors beyond our control wreck our efforts to succeed in life. Gita wisdom answers that some things are [...]
Contemplation is the foundation of action; without contemplation, what we do is not action but reaction
Some people view contemplation and action as opposites: “If we are contemplative, we can’t be active.” To substantiate their view, they point to the classification [...]
The mind is not afraid to interrupt us, don’t be afraid to interrupt it
Suppose we are working in a team with someone who keeps interrupting us. And what they suggest is mostly distracting at best and disastrous at [...]
Better to endure cravings that seem unbearable than to endure consequences that are unbearable
Suppose someone is trying to recover from alcoholism. They may still be subjected to strong cravings to drink. Suppose they feel that those cravings are [...]
The mind is a persecutor who pretends to be the persecuted
Few things stimulate human sympathy as much as the sight of someone being persecuted. We naturally want to do what we can to stop the [...]
The best way to watch the mind is by having something better to watch
Our mind often acts as an enemy. That’s why we all need to watch our mind, just as a country needs to watch a hostile [...]
If we get into the mind’s discourse, we go down a disastrous course
Suppose someone gave a talk that is captivatingly delivered but is filled with semi-truths and untruths. If we get into that talk, we will end [...]
Whatever we are surfing for, we are ultimately surfing for Krishna
Our mind is constantly surfing for something enjoyable. While surfing referred traditionally to a water sport, it has now come to refer to the act [...]
The essence of discipline is to make our intelligence faster than our mind
Suppose we tend to waste too much time on Facebook. We can try to discipline ourselves, but fail. Why is becoming disciplined so difficult? To [...]
The size of our problems is inversely proportional to the size of our purpose
Suppose a truck is moving rapidly on a road on which a tree has fallen. If the truck is large and has high momentum, it [...]
To understand what is wrong in the world, look first in the mirror, not the newspaper
When we hear about the many things wrong in the world, we may feel distressed and disheartened. To make sense of things, we may read [...]
If we eat waste, it shows in our waist
Whenever we eat a lot, we may enjoy it initially. But we will suffer eventually. Especially if we eat junk food, that comes with heavy [...]
We have snakes inside us, but we are not one of them
Suppose someone we thought we knew suddenly does something terrible and hurtful. We may be aghast, wondering what kind of horrible desires lie hidden below [...]
What we achieve depends on not just how we strive but also on what we believe
Some people think, “If you just work hard, you can achieve anything.” However, many people work hard throughout their lives, but still don’t achieve their [...]
Attachment makes us psychologically rigid, detachment makes us psychologically flexible
A tree that is stiff breaks when battered by strong storms, but a flexible tree survives. What applies to trees also applies to us. We [...]
We can’t change our past, but we can change how we see and explain our past
We often have things in our past that we resent. If terrible things have happened to us, we may feel that we are so damaged [...]
A rigid structure may not work for us, but without a structure, we may not work
We all have various structures that bring order to our daily life. Such structures include rules, customs, routines, schedules and obligations. We may sometimes find [...]