Are we in charge of our inner world?
The Bhagavad Gita (6.6) warns us that our mind can be our enemy if we are not in control of it. In politics, there are [...]
Nothing to be worried about worried about everything
Some people think that if they had nothing in their lives that would cause them worry, anxiety, or fear, their lives would be peaceful. [...]
Worrying vs Meditating
Whenever we worry in life, it's because things are either going out of our control or threatening to do so, which brings a shocking and [...]
Two ways to look at emotions
Emotions are helpful when we see them as information, but they are harmful when we see them as instruction. Whenever we feel an emotion, say [...]
Peace in the presence of disturbance
Whenever we are disturbed and we are seeking peace, how do we go about doing that? Often, we seek to drive the disturbance away. If [...]
When our mind doesn’t cooperate what can we do?
Suppose we are working on an important project, and we have a clear vision of how that project will be executed most efficiently and effectively. [...]
Suppressing emotions vs repressing emotions
When we are trying to discipline and elevate ourselves, we may resort to two unhealthy approaches toward emotions: suppress them or repress them. Although these [...]
Gratitude demanded is gratitude diminished
Many virtues, like gratitude, are difficult to cultivate and easy to lose. One counterintuitive way we may lose gratitude is by our overzealousness in insisting [...]
Gratefully ambitious
While most people acknowledge the importance and even the necessity of gratitude for a happy life, some people fear that if they are grateful for [...]
How to deal with our emotions
We all are prone to be swept away by our emotions, thereby acting self-destructively. How can we protect ourselves from this danger? Some people try [...]
How to better manage our emotions
Our emotions are an essential part of who we are; without them, we would be reduced to a flavorless, robotic existence. Though they add value [...]
Why absence of anger may not be good … (Anger management series 1)
Why absence of anger may not be good - Anger can short-circuit our intelligence and impel us to do regrettable things. Pointing to the dangerousness [...]
How doubt can’t live without faith (Dealing with doubt 7)
How doubt can’t live without faith- Parasites can’t exist without the host organisms they prey on. Doubt is such a parasite that can’t live without [...]
How to deal with unending desire? – Desire management series 12
How to deal with unending desire?- A major problem with desire is its endlessness. When indulged, desire doesn’t end — it subsides temporarily only to [...]
Four stages in managing desires — Desire Management series 9
Four stages in managing desires — Desire Management series 9 - To understand how desire management can progress in our inner world, let’s compare it [...]
Educated about desires or educated for desires? — Desire management series 7
Educated about desires or educated for desires? — Desire management series 7 - Suppose we come to know that a pulmonologist died due to chain [...]
What’s wrong with desirelessness? — Desire management series 6
What’s wrong with desirelessness? — Desire management series 6 - Desires often make us do things we regret. On understanding how desires sabotage us, we [...]
How desire is both the lock and the key — Desire Management series 5
How desire is both the lock and the key — Desire Management series 5 - Suppose we are locked in a prison. Suppose further that [...]
How desire takes control of our life — Desire management series 1
How desire takes control of our life — Desire management series 1 - Suppose we get into a car and start it to go somewhere. [...]
We may have scars but we don’t have to be scarred
We may have scars but we don’t have to be scarred - To have scars means to have some physical marks. To be scarred means [...]
To not feel bad on doing bad is bestially bad
To not feel bad on doing bad is bestially bad- Suppose we accidentally step on someone’s foot. We would naturally apologize, ask if they are [...]