3.37 Self-discipline: the war within you, not the war with you
Discipline often feels like a fight with ourselves, like we are being robbed of pleasures that seem rightfully ours. But the Bhagavad Gita (3.37) flips [...]
Overcoming distractions by aligning with our spiritual essence
Overcoming distractions by aligning with our spiritual essence Life is inevitably characterized by distractions. The very word "distraction" implies that there is a purpose from [...]
How distraction cheats us
The problem with distraction is that it leads to a frustrating non-presence in the present. The present moment is an opportunity for us to both [...]
How the mind is like a computer
The mind is often very mysterious to understand. One way to understand it is by comparing it to a computer. Just as a computer operates [...]
The most productive work
The most productive hard work is heart work. People who are successful often extol the glories of hard work. And yes, hard work is needed [...]
Slowing down to go faster
Slow down to let go of the things that slow us down. Sometimes when we are feeling that we are going to slow, at that [...]
Intelligent mind management
Intelligence means to focus on not just the thoughts that are maximized by the mind but also the thoughts that are minimized by the mind. [...]
Can’t hold the mind still?
Even if we can't hold our mind still, we can still hold ourselves still. Suppose a mother is trying to get her child to sit [...]
Casual attitude
There isn't much value in thinking about how not to do something; that will only create fear. If I am driving, thinking about how not [...]
Misdirected Attention – Why? What to do?
Why does our attention sometimes get misdirected toward things that are unimportant while straying away from the things that are important? Sometimes a traffic accident [...]
Effective education: what to NOT focus on
Education requires a dynamic awareness of the level of those being educated. Suppose a math teacher with a triple PhD in calculus is teaching children [...]
Why self-discipline is essential nowadays …
Our society offers us many avenues for self-destruction. Multiple technological developments have made the exercise of individual freedom much easier. Unfortunately, they have also made [...]
Three steps to mindfulness
We may want to become mindful, but may not know clearly how to do so. Here are three tangible steps that we all can adopt [...]
Why gratitude is especially difficult in today’s world
Why gratitude is especially difficult in today's world - Even when we have enough of the things we need, we don’t always feel grateful for [...]
How the mind is a robber who pretends to be a well-wisher
How the mind is a robber who pretends to be a well-wisher - Suppose a robber comes to our house pretending to be our well-wisher [...]
Why all forms of concentration are not equal …
We all know that we can perform better if we could concentrate better. But is concentrating on anything equally helpful? Some people get rapt while [...]
Focus not on avoiding entanglement – focus on seeking engagement
When a person is traveling on a boat, they need to be aware of the dangers, but they needn’t become paranoid – otherwise, they will [...]
Muster determination to master distraction
Distraction is one of the biggest problems on the path of devotion. When we strive to fix the mind on Krishna internally, then we feel [...]
Devotion expands meditation to include emotion and action
Many people think that meditation is primarily a way to still the agitated mind. So, they think that any object such as a candle or [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]