Watch the watchdog of conscience that watches for us and watches us
During our spiritual journey, we face dangers from worldly temptations. When we encounter things that seem delightful but are actually painful, our conscience acts like [...]
The defect of distraction distorts the defender into a defector
The life of a spiritual seeker is the life of a warrior – a warrior defending the territory of the consciousness against the forces of [...]
Material bondage is a restriction not in location, but in conception
The word ‘bondage’ often evokes an image of someone bound to a particular location, say, a hostage tied to a chair. Our bondage in material [...]
The bird may be encaged, but its desires stay engaged in the field
A bird may be physically restrained by a cage, but it can’t be mentally restrained from dreaming and craving about the grains it could have [...]
Devotees left with nothing are right with Krishna
Some people believe that material prosperity is a sign of God’s pleasure and material adversity, a sign of his displeasure. Such beliefs are typical of [...]
Complete charity makes the receiver feel valued , not pitied
The Bhagavad-gita helps us to go beyond appearance to substance in terms of not just identity (beyond the body to the soul), but also mentality [...]
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 [...]
To acquire equal vision externally, cultivate spiritual satisfaction internally – by remembering Krishna devotionally
The Bhagavad-gita repeatedly urges us to see pleasant and unpleasant situations equally. How is this possible? To understand, let’s analyze a Gita verse (06.08) that [...]
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 [...]
Surrender means to do what we can, with what we have – now
Many people think of surrender as passive acceptance. However, surrender involves not just acceptance but also action. The Bhagavad-gita’s conclusion demonstrates this active dimension of [...]
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 [...]
Be reflective, not reflexive
Our physical reflexes often protect us from danger – if we unconsciously place our hand on something hot, it recoils from that object even before [...]
Be conscious that what you are conscious of is Krishna
The Bhagavad-gita (07.06) explains philosophically how everything in existence is a manifestation of the energies of Krishna. As his energies are non-different from him, everything [...]
Let intelligence guard the path from impulse to intent
Impulse is an urge that comes to us, sometimes without our conscious bidding. Intent is a decision that comes out of us, with at least some level of conscious [...]
Be present in the present to receive Krishna’s present of purity
Purity is a cherished aspiration of serious spiritualists. When we become pure, we can relish Krishna’s beauty, please him with our service and enter his [...]
Spiritual growth depends on disposition, not position
Our normal material tendency is to go by externals. We form impressions about people based on how they look, where they stay, what they drive [...]
Let’s guard our consciousness the way we guard our homes
We guard our homes against trespassers, often warding them off with the notice, “Trespassers will be prosecuted.” Gita wisdom urges us to guard our consciousness [...]
“Now and then” or “from now on”?
We all have had hobbies. Things that we do ‘now and then’ after we have dealt with the more serious, pressing and unavoidable aspects of [...]
Love that is too big to allow room for hatred in the heart
When people reject, cheat or humiliate us, we may feel justified to hate them. No matter how justified our feeling, it doesn’t change the reality [...]
Stability and maturity that takes us beyond adversity
Life can bring adversity upon us at any moment. To protect ourselves, we often take insurances like life insurance, health insurance, car insurance. Such insurances [...]
A talk that no one walks
Fanatical materialists claim that matter is all that exists and that consciousness doesn’t exist as an independent causal agent. Whatever consciousness seems to exist, they [...]