Avoiding some risks keeps us alive, taking some risks brings us alive
The world is filled with dangers that can overrun us if we aren’t careful. Avoiding unnecessary risks keeps us alive. Still, we want to not [...]
If we wait till we feel inspired, we will definitely wait indefinitely
Suppose we want to develop a good habit centered on doing something creative or constructive such as meditate, study wisdom-texts, journal or write. Even when [...]
Regret for wrongdoing reforms, regret for only the consequence of wrongdoing deforms
Suppose a teenager drives beyond the speed limit just for the thrill of it and gets caught. On being penalized, they may feel regret. But [...]
Raised fists or linked arms don’t transform as effectively as folded hands
Suppose we see something terribly wrong in the world around us. It may impel us to raise our fists in shocked protest. Or it may [...]
Philosophical education teaches us how to think, ideological indoctrination tells us what to think
We all speak, but that doesn’t mean we know how to speak effectively. Similarly, we all think, but that doesn’t mean we know how to [...]
Power needs to be kept out of the hands of those who worship power
To do anything at all, we need power, be it physical, electrical, political or whatever else. On seeing how much can be done with power, [...]
Our individuality is defined not by what we wear, but by what we hold dear
We live in an age that urges us to ‘be yourself’. And such a call to affirm our individuality can be good, provided it is [...]
The more outer power we get, the more inner power we need
Today technology has increased enormously the outer power accessible to us humans. By a few clicks, we can change the temperature around us, talk with [...]
Even if others don’t take us seriously, still we can take ourselves seriously
Suppose we have an important suggestion that can improve a project we are a part of. But our inputs aren’t allowed or asked or acknowledged [...]
Individuality breeds creativity and spirituality, individualism breeds self-obsession and self-destruction
We live in an individualistic culture. To understand its positives and negatives, let’s differentiate between two terms: individualism and individuality. Individualism refers to the mindset [...]
The world doesn’t need people with answers as much as it needs people who are the answers
Stress. Joblessness. Loneliness. Sectarianism. Climate change. Many such grave problems afflict the world. Thoughtful people everywhere are looking for answers. Some people believe they have [...]
Overlords are meant not to lord it over others, but to lead others over to the Lord
Whenever we get any leadership position, we gain the power to control others. And our ego may impel us to misuse that power to dominate [...]
If we gauge how good we are solely by how good we feel about ourselves, we rob ourselves of our goodness
We all want to feel good about ourselves. And wanting to feel good is in itself not a bad thing. It becomes bad when it [...]
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 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 [...]
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 [...]