“Why don’t you enjoy the things God has provided?”
Some people oppose the principle of forbidding anything: “If God didn’t want us to take intoxicants, why did he create intoxicating substances in nature? And [...]
What the faults we see in others tell us about ourselves
What the faults we see in others tell us about ourselves Our mind often sees outside what is present inside it. If greed or lust [...]
Why do small desires exert a big pull on us?
We all sometimes get caught in small desires that delude and distract us. These desires are small in the sense that they are about trivial [...]
How the mind and intelligence work — and how to make them work for us
Our mind often comes up with impulses such as to eat something or to watch something online. If we start giving into such impulses, we [...]
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 [...]