Help me see the summit of spirituality is not peace, but love
Bhagavad Gita 18.54 brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām One established in spirit, serene and free, Neither grieves nor [...]
Let me find the balance between the ideal and the practical through the devotional
Bhagavad Gita 18.48 sahajaṁ karma kaunteya sa-doṣam api na tyajet sarvārambhā hi doṣeṇa dhūmenāgnir ivāvṛtāḥ Abandon not the work born of one’s nature, Even if [...]
Gita 07.20 – Explanation
Gita 07.20 – Don’t let desire steal your knowledge Audio Link: https://www.thespiritualscientist.com/gita-07-20-dont-let-desire-steal-your-knowledge/ kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ prapadyante ’nya-devatāḥ taṁ taṁ niyamam āsthāya prakṛtyā niyatāḥ svayā [...]
Gita 06.32 – Explanation
Gita 06.32 – The topmost yogi sees everyone with benevolence, not indifference Audio Link: https://www.thespiritualscientist.com/gita-06-32-the-topmost-yogi-sees-everyone-with-benevolence-not-indifference/ ātmaupamyena sarvatra samaṁ paśyati yo ’rjuna sukhaṁ vā yadi vā [...]
Gita 05.20 – Explanation
Gita 05.20 – Equanimity is meant to make us not emotionless, but purposeful Link: https://www.thespiritualscientist.com/gita-05-20-equanimity-is-meant-to-make-us-not-emotionless-but-purposeful/ na prahṛṣyet priyaṁ prāpya nodvijet prāpya cāpriyam sthira-buddhir asammūḍho brahma-vid [...]
The difference between opinion and taste
What the uninformed downplay as opinions, the informed celebrate as taste. We live in a world full of relativity—relativity in opinions, preferences, and perceptions. For [...]
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 me see standards as guideposts for my growth (3.41)
Bhagavad Gita 3.41 tasmāt tvam indriyāṇy ādau niyamya bharatarṣabha pāpmānaṁ prajahi hy enaṁ jñāna-vijñāna-nāśanam "Therefore, right in the beginning, It is the senses that [...]
Our waiting is God’s vetting
To be patient in our faith, know that our waiting is God's vetting. Most of us hate to wait. We live in a culture that [...]
Are we treating God like a problem-solving machine?
God is not a winning machine where we input rituals of worship and get the results of success. He is a loving person who responds [...]
The importance of complexifying things
The importance of complexifying things When we want to understand things, we often want them to be explained simply. Indeed, effective education centers on [...]
Have we earned the right to criticize?
When we see someone doing something that seems wrong to us, we often feel the urge to criticize and correct them. We may feel we [...]
Are we rude to the crude?
Suppose we come from an urbane background and behave in ways that our culture considers well-mannered. Suppose we meet someone from a rustic background with [...]
Forgiveness shouldn’t enable atrocity; it should end animosity
To know when to forgive, we need to recognize two different needs: ending atrocity and ending animosity. Ending atrocity: If someone is treating us hurtfully, [...]
Sincerity can show the path to ability; it can’t substitute for ability
Suppose a loved one is terribly sick and needs surgery. We sincerely want to help them, but if we don’t know the ABC of surgery, [...]
If we gauge how good we are solely by how good we feel about ourselves, we rob ourselves of our goodness
We all want to feel good about ourselves. And wanting to feel good is in itself not a bad thing. It becomes bad when it [...]
When a long-awaited good thing happens be grateful that it happened not resentful that it happened so late
When a long-awaited good thing happens be grateful that it happened not resentful that it happened so late Suppose someone who had a longstanding disagreement [...]
Even if we are feeling miserable, that doesn’t give us the right to make others miserable Gita 17.16
Even if we are feeling miserable that doesn't give us the right to make others miserable Gita 17.16 When something goes wrong in our lives, [...]
Wrong philosophy may not obstruct people spiritually as much as our calling their philosophy wrong
Wrong philosophy may not obstruct people spiritually as much as our calling their philosophy wrong Suppose we encounter people who follow some philosophy in which [...]
To bear the weight of freedom we need big shoulders
To bear the weight of freedom we need big shoulders Suppose someone has to carry a huge weight. If they don’t have shoulders big enough, [...]
Liberty from responsibility is not liberty – it is slavery to irresponsibility
Liberty from responsibility is not liberty – it is slavery to irresponsibility We all long for liberty. In today’s uncommitted age, we may conceive of [...]