Speaking our mind or speaking with our mind?
Before we speak our mind, we need to speak with our mind; otherwise, it is our mind that will speak—instead of us, and not for [...]
How not to approach religious differences?
When two people have difference of opinion over some issue of faith, be they of the same religious tradition or of different religious traditions – [...]
Being aware that we are making assumptions
Making assumptions is not a problem, not being aware that we are making assumptions is a problem. Whenever we make assumptions about people thinking that, [...]
Does urgency steal our manners?
Just because we do not have a minute to lose does not mean that we have to lose our manners; we can be both polite [...]
Verbal restraint and verbal candour
If we sweep too many things under the rug, then what we end up with is not a rug but a lumpy path that only [...]
Playing it safe with silence
Speaking what everyone is thinking but no one is speaking doesn't always make us fearless. It can make us headless and mannerless. When something inappropriate [...]
A warning about giving others a warning
Some people see warnings as a sign to stop what they are doing and others see the same warnings as signs that they should keep [...]
How to identify insecure people
When a candid evaluation of others is seen simply as a series of compliments and insults, then that person is seen as unreliable and not [...]
Proving point or improving viewpoint
Proving our point is counterproductive if we are not improving our viewpoint. Sometimes when we know that someone else is wrong and we go about [...]
Why people think we are disrespectful
Just because something is obvious to us doesn't mean that it has to be obvious to everyone else. To use the word 'obviously' can come [...]
See beyond harsh language
Just because we don't endorse someone's language doesn't mean that we can't empathize with their feelings. Sometimes some people express their concerns in language that [...]
Why relationships are so difficult
Difficulties in relationships are caused not so much by INCOMPATIBILITY as by INFLEXIBILITY. Sometimes when two people cannot get along with each other, a common [...]
How to develop deep friendships
To help someone in their moment of need is to be a friend and to make a friend for life. Sometimes we wonder: How can [...]
Why words hurt
What some people consider friendly banter, others consider to be beastly torture. In this world, different people perceive things differently. And sometimes someone who might [...]
Why people see the same thing differently
What some people consider as clarity of vision, others consider as lack of vision. The Bhagavad Gita talks about how our vision of the world [...]
Same metaphor opposite interpretations
Ocean metaphors for liberation are used by both impersonalists and personalists, but in significantly different ways. Impersonalists hold that our consciousness is like a drop, [...]
Taking responsibility for the effects of our speech
When a doctor gives a medicine to a patient, the doctor's intent may be good: to help the patient heal. Though the doctor may carefully [...]
Why sensitivity in speech is especially needed in the internet age
The Bhagavad-gita (17.15) urges us to speak the truth sensitively — that is, in a manner which is non-agitating at the very least and pleasing [...]
Sensitivity in communicating superiority
Whenever we share a spiritual message with others, we may naturally feel inspired to emphasize the things that inspire us the most. Such an emphasis [...]
The transformative power of deep listening
When we are conversing with someone about a subject close to their heart, we can connect better with them through deep listening. Such listening enables [...]
Is this relationship healthy or unhealthy?
When we are trying to develop a closer relationship with someone, we may naturally ask ourselves: Is this relationship healthy or unhealthy? To answer, we [...]