From applause to absorption
We live in a culture that makes us crave for external validation, all the more so with the advent of social media. Therein, every post [...]
Compassionate action = compassionate disposition?
Suppose a doctor is treating a patient competently, but with the sole motive of earning money. Though the activity is compassionate, the mood isn’t compassionate. [...]
How can we differentiate between lust and love?
Lust manifests grossly as the craving for sexual gratification. It also manifests in a subtler form as the craving to control others so that they [...]
Recognizing our most dangerous enemy and our essential protector
If we have an enemy who wants to destroy us, then we will be alert to the danger and try to protect ourselves. However, if [...]
How does humility differ from low self-esteem?
Humility differs from low self-esteem because the two lead us to value different, even opposite, things. When we suffer from low self-esteem, we start thinking [...]
Treasure the treasure of time
Treasure the treasure of time Suppose we get a huge inheritance, but with a peculiar stipulation: an inescapable expiry date. If we squander it, it [...]
Why can’t some people see the obvious?
Why can’t some people see the obvious? When we try to explain something to someone and they just don’t get it, we may wonder, “What’s [...]
Disliking ourselves is not humility
Every culture glamorizes certain models of beauty, wealth, ability. Many people compare themselves negatively with those models, deem themselves inferior and inadequate, and even start [...]
When skepticism is healthy — and when it becomes unhealthy
In today's world, skepticism is often considered an intellectual virtue; skeptical people proudly say, “I'm not gullible. I don't believe the religious mumbo-jumbo that so [...]
How appreciating other spiritual paths can distract us — and inspire us
We live today in a multicultural world where people from many different faith-traditions interact at the workplace as well as in cyberspace. In order to [...]
Beyond feel-good spirituality — and beyond feel-bad spirituality
Many people nowadays present spirituality as a tool for helping us feel good about ourselves. Such a presentation serves a vital human need because today’s [...]
The importance of complexifying things
The importance of complexifying things When we want to understand things, we often want them to be explained simply. Indeed, effective education centers on [...]
Why do good people do bad things
When people do bad things, especially if they are normally good people, then their bad actions can shock us. If we had trusted them and [...]
Have we earned the right to criticize?
When we see someone doing something that seems wrong to us, we often feel the urge to criticize and correct them. We may feel we [...]
When pride masks itself as humility
Suppose we get an opportunity to serve Krishna, say, by speaking about him. We may think, “I am too fallen and impure. I'm not qualified [...]
Is progress just replacing the problems of poverty with the problems of prosperity?
Today’s world usually equates progress with economic development and prides itself on the number of people raised above the poverty line. Undoubtedly, efforts to help [...]
How inner bridges and inner barricades can empower us
Our mind is sometimes a source of creative ideas and sometimes a source of destructive desires. Pertinently, the Bhagavad-gita (06.05) urges us to elevate ourselves [...]
Are we rude to the crude?
Suppose we come from an urbane background and behave in ways that our culture considers well-mannered. Suppose we meet someone from a rustic background with [...]
How spiritual experiences affect our spiritual journey
When we embark on a spiritual journey, we may read in wisdom-texts about saints who have spiritual experiences, wherein they feel some sublime joy or [...]
Three ways to see our abilities spiritually
We all have certain abilities. Though we often think that those abilities belong to us, they sometimes inexplicably desert us, as when talented sports players [...]
How to persevere amid uncertainty?
Suppose we are driving. We gain confidence by seeing the path ahead clearly and knowing how it takes us to our destination. However, if the [...]