Spiritual Resilience
How to become resilient and, despite the ups and downs, not give up on our spiritual journey, our search for the self?
Searching for Solace
A beautiful poem in glorification of Bhakti Charu Swami.
Life out of Balance
The current Covid-19 has brought collective pain, fear, and unexpected difficulties. We have to ask – what is out of balance?
The You You Don’t Like - People As Products Of History And The Yogic Remedy
The capitalist definition of God’s will for humanity was to pursue piety within productivity. After all, had recent discoveries not proven that God’s plan was for the pious to become wealthy?
Color - A Poem
"I look in the mirror / And I see this body / With this color / That I am supposed / To give up identifying with / But somehow, / I can’t seem to see / Beyond the brown."
If The Pandemic Was A College What Could It Possibly Teach Us?
How about some humility? How about admitting that we are not the supreme controllers, at least as of now? How about admitting that we don’t yet fully understand the mysteries of the universe.
The Bhagavad Gita and the Path to Justice
In the news, some of the talking heads are saying it’s “a few bad apples” and others warn of a more systemic problem. Is it individuals on the police force or the institution itself? Will new laws, like no “chokeholds” etc, mean anything at all?
What the Gita Says About Anger
Should we join the protests? Should we speak out against a government that oppresses black men and women and attacks those wishing to publicly object to such racism? As devotees, should we protest at all? Is meddling in politics the business of Vaishnavas? Yet if we decline, are we not part of the apathy that perpetuates such injustice?
Poem: NOW WHAT (After George Floyd's Death)
"Anger has been flaring, / Voices have been blaring, / To identify who's black, who's white, / And who happens to be right?"
Renounce or Redirect? A Lesson from the Pandemic
An important lesson for us spirit souls: neither materially binding activities nor an artificial cessation of activity is what will bring ultimate joy to the soul.
A Pandemic of COVID, A Pandemic of Hatred
Can we together try to inspire each other to live in a better way, a different way? Can we try to create a change born out of the pain of this suffering?
The Inner Child
Over the years, abilities were developed, achievements came and accolades were received, but with it has surfaced a mentality that is calculative, complicated and corrupted. How can I turn back the clock?
Choose Your Master Carefully
We the living entities always have two options. One option is to take shelter of Krishna. And the other option is to take shelter of Krishna’s illusory energy i.e. maya. If we are not with Krishna, then by default we are with maya.
Uncertainty And Surrender
If we try to control the material energy in an attempt to enjoy material happiness and avoid material distress, one thing is certain: we will be defeated.
How To Hold Others Accountable Without Becoming Judgmental
Though we need to make judgments when holding people accountable, we needn’t become judgmental.
Don't Hike Alone
"Who is going to come looking for you when you get into a tough spot? Who has permission to ask you questions about your moral boundaries? Who in your life has permission to tell you that it’s time to take a break before you crash?"
Poem: Chant, Chant Chant!
"Standing in queue / Desperately buying toilet paper to wipe away their anxiety / The fear of the uncertain and the unknown / Sticks to them with industrial strength glue"
Watch Where You Put Your Roots
According to the New York Times, “National lockdowns and social distancing measures are drying up work and incomes and are likely to disrupt agricultural production and supply routes—leaving millions to worry how they will get enough to eat.”
Restricted Freedom
We’ve seemingly lost our freedom. But when ‘freedom’ means that everything is so available that we become complacent, what’s the benefit? If ‘restriction’ generates an appreciation and gratitude of what we’ve taken for granted all these years, where’s the loss?
Poem: Look Within, O Mind!
"Your merry rides have been thwarted, / Your house has been fenced, / Amazing you are, O mind, / You still don’t wish to be cleansed..."
Little Acts of Kindness
Altruism is defined as having a disinterested and selfless concern for the wellbeing of others. The Bhagavad Gita 16.1-3 describes the same, daya bhutesv aloluptvam or being without greed and having mercy towards others. Putting this concern into action not only aids those in difficulty but also eases your own.
Love Note on Mother Nature
" At my best of times, at my worst of times / I have always turned to and received the comfort and reassurance / of Mother Nature."
Leaning In, or Leaning Out?
“Let us not squander this hour of our pain” (Rilke)