The discipline of mind that leads to happiness
To know what things are of value is good, to have the things of value is better and to value the things of value that [...]
The greatest obstacle to happiness
Attachment to happiness is often the greatest obstacle to happiness. To be happy, be ready to be unhappy. We all long for happiness, but often [...]
Standard of longing not standard of living
Happiness comes not by improving our standard of living but by improving our standard of longing. The whole world is centered on economic development, and [...]
The life of pleasure or the pleasure of life
Only when we stop chasing the life of pleasure can we find the pleasure of life. The life of pleasure means that we think life [...]
The cure for dissatisfaction
Whenever we feel dissatisfied, we often attribute it to some external cause: 'I don't have this house. I don't have this car. I don't have [...]
How gratitude brings happiness
Happiness comes not by increasing what we have but by increasing our appreciation for what we have. The world often teaches us that to be [...]
What provides happiness – & what doesn’t
Happiness comes not by gaining something enjoyable, but by pursuing something valuable. The world teaches us that when we get desirable objects, especially objects that [...]
Two kinds of contentment — and how they are opposite
The sentiment of contentment is sometimes seen negatively. Some people think of it as the symptom of laziness and the cause of stagnation — they [...]
Is the Gita’s declaration about the world’s distressful nature pessimistic?
Is the Gita’s declaration about the world’s distressful nature pessimistic? - When we hear the Bhagavad-gita statement (08.15) that the world is a place of [...]
Possessing wealth is not the problem; being possessed by wealth is
Some people think that to be spiritual is to be anti-material, that they need to give up everything material for attaining the spiritual. However, the [...]
Bhakti is the treatment that transforms into a treat
When we are sick, we accept the prescribed treatment as an austerity necessary for our recovery. And we often dream about the various treats we [...]
Freedom to do what we like is not necessarily freedom – freedom to do what we should is
Consider alcoholics who want to break free from their addiction. They often place themselves voluntarily in rehabilitation clinics whose monitored environment takes away their freedom [...]
The mind seduces us into doing wrong – and then scolds us for doing wrong
Suppose we have a tyrannical boss who tells us first to do something that doesn’t make sense and then castigates us for having acted senselessly. [...]
To beat problems, first beat the problematic mind down to size
When an army is fighting a war, it depends on its intelligence – its information sources – to know the strength of the enemy. But [...]
Our conviction that happiness is our right is right
We all long for happiness and are deeply convinced that we have a right to be happy. But this conviction runs contrary to our lived [...]
Resentment of reality can hurt more than reality
Suppose we plan to go for a picnic, but suddenly get fever and have to abandon our plan. And we lie on a bed resenting [...]
Focus not on God’s rules – focus on his purpose
Suppose a patient with an upset stomach is told by a doctor to restrict diet. If the patient focuses on all the foods that are [...]
Suffering defines the human condition, but the human condition doesn’t define us
Suffering is an undeniable reality of the human condition, as the daily news of death and disease and destruction demonstrate. And these are just the [...]
Healing requires not just the expelling of germs, but primarily the boosting of immunity
When germs infect us and we start feeling sick, we take treatment for driving out the germs. However, healing requires not just the driving out [...]
See nature not as the inflictor of misery, but as the instructor of incompatibility
Traditionally, nature has been considered a mother who provides for life’s necessities. But some people characterize it negatively as a stepmother or even a witch [...]
See the “Yes” in the “No” to a “No”
Suppose a person driving on a road comes to a sign, “Road closed – take alternative route” with a pointer to that route. Those who [...]