An aim that guides an action is an intention. To do something intentionally is to act on purpose. To act on purpose means that you act consciously. To pay attention is to act consciously, to act deliberately—to aim towards a goal. It is said that those …
Many of us struggle with time. We try to fit everything in, and we worry that we may have missed windows of perfect timing—if I had just been ready, the timing would have worked out; if I had just had more time, I could have done it better; there’s not …
Sometimes we all fall into negativity and despair, particularly when the news is filled with tragedies like school shootings and senseless wars, harsh political rhetoric and greedy behavior by banks, and the atrocities we humans are committing against …
What you desire most for yourself, why not provide it for others first? Life offers us infinite opportunities to see ourselves in others. When we look into the eyes of another, see our reflection and ask of that other to “love me,” we have ventured int …
I think when you look at the Yoga Sutra deeply enough you discover that Patanjali’s yoga is bhakti yoga. Patanjali suggests that the most direct way to attain God-realization is to surrender your self, body, breath, heart, mind and soul to God. Sutra 2 …
Gopal, or Gopala, is a name for the child Krishna. Gopala means “cowherd”—go means “cow,” and pala means “protector.” To Hindus, the cow is seen as a symbol of the Earth: it gives and gives, selflessly, and asks very little in return; the cow lives gen …
There are many potential obstacles on the path to enlightenment, but there is one that is particularly challenging to deal with and that underlies many, if not most, of the other obstacles: negative emotions. Negative emotions come in many forms, but a …
It’s gonna be alright It’s gonna be alright Darling, its gonna be alright But who is it?—that you are talking to? that’s it—it’s that! And you can’t name that any better than that Any better than it, cause that’s it—Tat Twam Asi You are that, and that’ …
When our hearts are full of joy and compassion there is no room for anger, fear, blame, resentment, victim-hood or any of the other negative emotions that afflict us. None of us want to be angry. None of us think that jealousy or resentment toward othe …
Grandma the cat was twenty years old when she died on the morning of the winter solstice. We made an altar in the house and placed her body on it surrounded by flowers, candles and incense. Along with the other cats, we spent a day in front of her body …
Much of what we think of as “me” are actually organisms that we normally would consider “not me.” The human body contains billions of microorganisms. Non-human cells in the human gut are estimated to outnumber human cells by ten-to-one in healthy adult …
I am in a small town in South India. The air is stifling. It is the afternoon and I’m sitting on a rusty metal bench in a tiny, dirt-floor room with 4 other people all waiting to see the doctor. I have come with a friend of mine to offer support. She …