Why does happiness often lead to distress?
We all want to be happy. And we often think that if we get enjoyable worldly objects, we will become happy. Yes, those things can [...]
How can we identify evil?
We often operate with certain stereotypical conceptions of things. For example, in most traditions, evil is depicted as an ugly, grotesque being, maybe with horns [...]
Are we seeking control or grace?
Suppose we are trapped in a chamber and are trying to push the locked door open. But suppose simultaneously, someone is trying to liberate us, [...]
Why the Gita is misunderstood — and how it can be understood
Suppose we want to talk with someone who has closed body language. We hesitate in opening up to them because we don't know what will [...]
From outer news to inner news
In today’s digitally-connected world, our devices inform us instantaneously of news from all over the world. Additionally, we are socially expected to be aware of [...]
Let go — the present is silently rich
We often find ourselves under constant pressure to do things: make calls, answer emails, finish chores. How can we relieve ourselves of that pressure? One [...]
Gita 16.22 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 16.22 etair vimuktaḥ kaunteya [...]
Gita 16.18 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 16.18 ahaṅkāraṁ balaṁ darpaṁ [...]
Humility empowers when certainty doesn’t
We live in an uncertain world where perplexities and adversities can befall us at any moment. Naturally, we seek certainty, sometimes by turning to God [...]
Gita 16.17 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 16.17 ātma-sambhāvitāḥ stabdhā dhana-māna-madānvitāḥ [...]
Conflict resolution – Right or Rightly Directed?
When we disagree with someone, we often seek to prove not just that we are right, but also that they are wrong. Actually however, their [...]
Gita 16.10 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 16.10 kāmam āśritya duṣpūraṁ [...]
Gita 16.07 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 16.7 pravṛttiṁ ca nivṛttiṁ [...]
The more we consider others’ need the more we can free ourselves from our greed
Suppose we come to our home and are starving. We see some food in our fridge and devour it all, even though it is more [...]
Appreciating our spiritual identity can anchor us amid the turbulence of contemporary society
Appreciating our spiritual identity can anchor us amid the turbulence of contemporary society In today's world, people grow up bereft of many of the supports [...]
Respond to moral failure not by mental punishment but by spiritual reinstatement
Respond to moral failure not by mental punishment but by spiritual reinstatement Life can be a constant moral struggle. We are prone to hundreds and [...]
Without spiritual direction religious regulation seems like pointless restriction or even painful repression
Without spiritual direction religious regulation seems like pointless restriction or even painful repression Suppose we're walking along a road through mountainous territory toward a beautiful [...]
We can’t foresee every consequence of our actions but we can foresee their probable consequences — and we should
We can’t foresee every consequence of our actions but we can foresee their probable consequences — and we should Suppose we are driving a huge [...]
Transform depressing loneliness into nourishing solitude by seeking spiritual purpose
Transform depressing loneliness into nourishing solitude by seeking spiritual purpose When we are placed in situations that distance us from others, we may naturally feel [...]
Faith is seen through both firmness in intention and flexibility in execution
Faith is seen through both firmness in intention and flexibility in execution During a pandemic, if temples are closed to avoid infection, does that indicate [...]
Gita 5.9 explained
BG 5.8 Bg 5.8-9 naiva kiñcit karomīti yukto manyeta tattva-vit paśyañ śṛṇvan spṛśañ jighrann aśnan gacchan svapañ śvasan pralapan visṛjan gṛhṇann unmiṣan nimiṣann api indriyāṇīndriyārtheṣu [...]