Might we be fanatics?
We may think of fanatics to be scary-looking monstrous people who self-righteously destroy anyone who opposes them. While that is indeed fanaticism in activity there [...]
What differentiates spiritualists from fanatics? — 2
The differences between them arise from differing priorities. Fanatics value certainty above all things, whereas spiritualists value curiosity above all things. Let’s see how these [...]
What differentiates spiritualists from fanatics? — 1
Let’s explore what differentiates the two so that we can detect and reject any fanatical tendencies that may be lurking in our heart. Approach to [...]
Why we need to forgive ourselves
Suppose we have mistreated others grievously in the past. We may resolve to never forgive ourselves as a way to make up for those actions. [...]
Be childlike, not childish
Children have a charm to them. They have an innocence and freshness to them that lightens and brightens the world around them. They bring out [...]
Love first the creator to love best the creatures
Sometimes people think, “Will loving God make us neglect others? Will focusing on the one who is beyond this world make us uncaring towards those [...]
Be not sentimental or judgmental – be transcendental
Sentimentality and judgmentality are two obstacles on the spiritual path. When we are sentimental, we become puppets of our feelings. While practicing bhakti, if we [...]
Seek not scapegoats; seek not to become martyrs – seek to stay as servants
When we fail at something important, we often feel mortified that others will think of us as incompetent, bungling good-for-nothings. To counter this negative perception, [...]
Cherish compassion not just as a position or an emotion, but as a foundation
Position: Some people contribute to welfare causes because it makes them look good in the eyes of the world. For example, MNCs that exploit natural [...]
Devotional culture sets us free from our emotional cocoons
Loneliness is a widespread problem nowadays. Not loneliness in a physical sense; many people live in crowded matchbox-like apartments in skyscraper building. But loneliness in [...]
Let’s love Krishna too much to be fanatical
Fanatic. That’s among the worst labels a person can get in today’s multi-cultural world. To avoid such labels, some people feel, “Better let me not [...]
Love that is too big to allow room for hatred in the heart
When people reject, cheat or humiliate us, we may feel justified to hate them. No matter how justified our feeling, it doesn’t change the reality [...]
Be grateful for everything we can live without
We often approach Krishna for getting some things and feel grateful on getting them. This utilitarian and businesslike relationship with Krishna can’t truly satisfy us. [...]
Are we praying for others or preying on others?
Our feelings about others are pointers not just to who they are but also to who we are. When we feel irritated by others’ faults, [...]
Loving as much as our heart longs
The Bhagavad-gita (12.13) indicates that a devotee who loves Krishna expands his love to the fullest potential by loving all living beings – as does [...]