16.4 Two Reasons Why People Are Regularly Rude
Have you met people who are regularly rude? It’s not that they’ve had a hard day— being with them makes every day a hard day. [...]
4.39 When loyalty becomes slavery
Loyalty is noble—until it starts choking our conscience. There’s a moment when standing by someone stops showing strength and starts showing weakness. In the Mahabharata, [...]
3.30 Am I seeking justice or revenge? How do I know?
When someone hurts you and you start planning your response—pause. Ask yourself: Am I seeking justice or revenge? And does it really matter? Yes, it [...]
What detachment means and what it doesn’t mean
Detachment: Be cool-headed, not cold-hearted As we strive for spiritual growth, detachment is often emphasized as a vital virtue. However, detachment is frequently misunderstood. It’s [...]
Let my joy be in inner connection, not outer gratification (2.57)
Let my joy be in inner connection not outer gratification Bhagavad Gita 2.57 yaḥ sarvatrānabhisnehas tat tat prāpya śubhāśubham nābhinandati na dveṣṭi tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā [...]
The dual defenses against self-destructive impulses
Whenever we struggle with conditionings that impel us toward actions we know we shouldn't do, two defense mechanisms can protect us: conscience and intelligence. Conscience [...]
How to ensure that the right answer has the right effect
How to ensure that the right answer has the right effect Just because we know the right answers doesn't mean we know the right time [...]
Navigating the inner marketplace
Introspection is meant to tune out the louder voices inside us so that we can tune in to the wiser voices inside us. Suppose we [...]
How ability maturity and spirituality can work together in our life
How ability maturity and spirituality can work together in our life - Maturity provides us the ability to use our ability properly; it underlies the [...]
Who is at fault = who is responsible?
Who is at fault = who is responsible? - Suppose while we are working from home, we see from a window our neighbor’s son playing [...]
How to manage complexity?
How to manage complexity? - Do you sometimes feel that your life is becoming too complex? Too many things to do? Too many things others [...]
How to get the best of both positive thinking and negative thinking
How to get the best of both positive thinking and negative thinking - Positive thinking works best when it keeps us focused on opportunities amid [...]
Go beyond both negative thinking and positive thinking
Go beyond both negative thinking and positive thinking - Life is filled with binaries of ups and downs. In the world outside, we encounter binaries [...]
Three kinds of negative thinking — and why they all aren’t undesirable
Three kinds of negative thinking — and why they all aren’t undesirable - Nowadays, negative thinking is often criticized. However, what that term means is [...]
You are not a negative thinker even if your mind is
You are not a negative thinker even if your mind is - “You are such a negative thinker.” We may receive this discouraging feedback if [...]
Are we holding others to an unrealistically high standard?
Are we holding others to an unrealistically high standard? Suppose someone we know does something so shocking that we feel, “I don’t want anything to [...]
How to improve our relationships
A major challenge in relationships is dealing with differences of opinion: “When do we stick to our stand? When do we listen to others?” To [...]
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 [...]
How can we reach others with our words?
When we speak with others, how can we make our speech persuasive? By appealing to both their head and their heart. Such effective communication is [...]
What the faults we see in others tell us about ourselves
What the faults we see in others tell us about ourselves Our mind often sees outside what is present inside it. If greed or lust [...]
How can we be humble without letting ourselves be trampled by others?
Humility is one of the most treasured virtues in spiritual life, but it is often seen as weakness in material life. If we are humble, [...]