The transformative power of deep listening
When we are conversing with someone about a subject close to their heart, we can connect better with them through deep listening. Such listening enables [...]
Can any question be a bad question?
The questioning spirit is good; it shows our eagerness to learn. Still, that doesn’t mean all questions are automatically good. Why not? Some questions are [...]
Did Arjuna exhibit fight-or-flight response at the start of the Bhagavad-gita?
When we encounter something unfamiliar, we often try to make sense of it by placing it in some familiar conceptual framework. Using such an approach, [...]
How to raise the quality of our questions
Most of our questions arise from our circumstances — and therein, we usually find answers too. But some questions have no answers at the circumstantial [...]
Raising the quality of our questions
If we wish to improve the quality of our life, we need to begin by improving the quality of our questions. We may classify the [...]
Arjuna’s first question in the Gita: What is the right thing to do?
The Bhagavad-gita is God’s song as indicated in its very name. But it is a distinctive kind of song because its poetic verses answer Arjuna’s [...]
Three levels of answers to the Gita’s driving question (Appreciating the Gita’s flow 1)
The Bhagavad-gita (02.07) is spoken by Krishna to answer Arjuna’s question, “What is dharma, the right thing to do?” To help us understand how we [...]
Why dealing only with today’s problems today can be short-sighted
Suppose a town is situated on the banks of a river that floods repeatedly. Whenever floods come, everyone endeavors to rebuild. But then the river [...]
Why study philosophy – 2?
Why we do something determines how we do it and how long we do it. Suppose we study a subject such as philosophy to impress [...]
Why our advice often goes unheeded
Suppose we give a bag full of warm clothes to someone traveling to a cold place. If they somehow believe that their destination isn’t all [...]
To understand one thing, we sometimes need to revise how we understand everything
Suppose we are struggling to solve a mathematical sum, but are getting nowhere. The problem is that we have blundered in the first step itself; [...]
Proving that we are right is not as empowering as probing if we are wrong
We sometimes think that we know a lot. Yet no matter how much we know, still, what we know is always lesser than what we [...]
Intelligence means to know what to do when we don’t know what to do
Whenever we have to make decisions, we usually seek guidance from our intelligence. But life sometimes puts us in perplexing situations wherein our intelligence becomes [...]
Seek first to understand the question to best understand the answer
Seek first to understand the question to best understand the answer Suppose we hear a discussion between a teacher and a student. If that discussion [...]
If we think humbly, we won’t have to act dumbly
Suppose we are driving a car and come to an intersection. If we don’t know which way to turn, we would ask someone reliable for [...]
Humility comes by acknowledging that we don’t have access to Krishna’s plan
Suppose we are driving a car and come to an unexpected intersection. Or suppose we are flying in a plane and suddenly find it turning [...]
Prepare for life’s bumps by slowing down
While driving, if we see a bump ahead, we slow down. However, instead of slowing down, if we accelerate, we may damage our vehicle or [...]
To see the big picture, ask the big questions
When life’s problems start overwhelming us, seeing the big picture can help us put first things first. However, we can’t even seek the big picture [...]
In the spiritual journey, surrender is the starter, sustainer and summit
The Bhagavad-gita recommends surrender in its beginning, middle and end. This consistent stress conveys that in our spiritual journey, surrender is the starter, sustainer and [...]
Faith means the willingness to relinquish control
Faith is a complex concept that pervades our entire life. Faith is difficult for us to have because we wish to stay in control and [...]
Don’t stay crying in the night – start crying for the light
A child lost in a strange dark place may start crying helplessly, but an adult similarly lost will instead of collapsing into tears look for [...]