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 [...]
Receptive + Submissive = Pathway to wisdom
To grow in knowledge, we need to be not just receptive, but also submissive. When we learn from someone who is an expert, at that [...]
Curiosity & humility: an empowering combination
Curiosity is often recommended and even celebrated as a great virtue for those who wish to keep learning and growing in their lives. Curiosity ensures [...]
The capacity to appreciate our blessings
The capacity to appreciate our blessings is the greatest blessing. We are all surrounded by blessings in our lives, be they small or big. Yet [...]
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 [...]
Courage to fight our inner demons
It takes courage to fight against our inner demons. It's much easier to pretend that they don't exist and to pretend that we are good [...]
When we feel powerless …
The world may make our power less, but it is our mind that makes us feel powerless. Sometimes, the world may put us in situations [...]
Self-importance or importance of the self?
Self-important people are obsessed with the idea of their own greatness in everything that they do. Their sole concern is that everybody knows and remembers [...]
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. [...]
How to balance destiny and responsibility
When we face a difficult situation, to what extent do we accept that situation as destiny and to what extent do we take responsibility for [...]
How to balance destiny and responsibility
When we face a difficult situation, to what extent do we accept that situation as destiny and to what extent do we take responsibility for [...]
The difference between cleverness and wisdom
When we interact with others, we often like to be perceived as lively and witty. Accordingly, we may aspire to come up with clever comments [...]
Taking responsibility for the effects of our speech
When a doctor gives a medicine to a patient, the doctor's intent may be good: to help the patient heal. Though the doctor may carefully [...]
Sensitivity in communicating superiority
Whenever we share a spiritual message with others, we may naturally feel inspired to emphasize the things that inspire us the most. Such an emphasis [...]
Why measurement matters for improvement
When we seek to improve ourselves by developing virtues such as self-control, politeness, or kindness, we often make resolutions that don't sufficiently translate into transformative [...]
Worrying about imaginary problems can be a real problem
Uncertainty is an undeniable fact of existence — life often requires us to tackle complex situations, in which many factors are beyond our control. Faced [...]
Why all motivators don’t have to be models
When we want to change ourselves for the better, we can have two powerful aids: motivators and models. Let's understand their significant and distinct roles. [...]
Why we are NOT defined by our desires
One of the Bhagavad Gita’s most life-transforming insights is its clear, categorical, and consistent emphasis on differentiating between us and our mind. While some of [...]
Fearless = Shameless?
When shame is used to deter people from destructive activities, it can be considered constructive and even desirable. For instance, a few decades ago, smoking [...]
Authentic = Shameless?
When we strive to be authentic by aligning with our true nature, we may face the world’s disapproval or even censure. People around us may [...]
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 [...]