Does surrender take away our free will
Some people are afraid of surrendering to God because they fear that they will lose their free will. However, surrendering to God is not about [...]
The capacity to choose is itself not freedom – the maturity to choose wisely is
Today’s ethos exalts freedom as the supreme virtue. Anything that infringes on freedom is labeled dictatorial and unacceptable. But consider addicts. They do have the [...]
Our impressions go with us, but they don’t have to grow with us
Suppose we change from an old computer to a new computer. Once we log in using our id, our browsing information – such as bookmarks, [...]
To stop defeating yourself, stop deceiving yourself
Suppose a sick person denies their sickness not just to others but also to themselves. By their denial, they deprive themselves of the good health [...]
We don’t have any choice except to believe in our power of choice
“Do we have the power to choose our actions or are they determined by factors beyond us?” This question confronts thinking humans, whatever their beliefs. [...]
Better to speak less and say more than to speak a lot and say little
We all know ramblers who love to hear their own voice, even though they don’t have much to say. Knowing their penchant for rambling, we [...]
Don’t challenge the wisdom of God – let the wisdom of God challenge you
To challenge the wisdom of God means to approach his words with a cold, critical attitude, with the intention of disproving, defying and denigrating it. [...]
Don’t get back at God – get God back
When people hurt us, we often want to get back at them, hurt them the way they have hurt us. When things go wrong in [...]
Choose the collective that is corrective, not disruptive
We are social beings. Not only do we long to belong to some social group, but also the mindsets and passions of the social group [...]
In life’s multiple-choice exam, select an alternative based on what it says, not where it stays
In a multiple-choice exam, the position of an alternative doesn’t determine its correctness. Just because an alternative is positioned first doesn’t make it correct. The [...]
Our values are our real valuables
Our happiness depends not on our valuables, but on our values. Why? Because our values shapehow we use our valuables, which actually determines our happiness. [...]
Are we sending our intelligence on a vacation?
Imagine a person who has a priceless treasure carefully protected by a competent guard. Suppose a thief persuades the owner to send the guard on [...]
Why life seems so complex…
Suppose each time we want to type an email the computer asks us to choose the font, the font size, the alignment, the indentation, the [...]
Materialism centers on gaining; spirituality centers on regaining
All of us have the drive to achieve, which we can direct either materially or spiritually. To aid us in choosing correctly, the Bhagavad-gita contrasts [...]
The Gita is Categorical and Rhetorical
Many people say, “The Bhagavad-gita is all things to all people; it recommends different paths for different people.” Does it? Reading the Gita shows that [...]
With Krishna, we flourish; without Krishna, we perish
Life presents us with so many alternatives, all with their own complex and unpredictable implications, that the task of choosing among them can become overwhelming. [...]