As the year draws to a close and we get ready for the next, it is time to look back and to look forward. Why do we need to do this? What happens if we don’t?

Having addressed a few questions about the world and about the self, we must now turn our attention to God, who is probably the most significant among the triad of religious inquiry. What kind of questions come to mind when we begin to think about God? Here are a few.

We don’t know many things in life, but we at least know ourselves—or so we think. But do we really know who we are? When we begin to reflect on our identity, many questions arise.

Spiritual life is a life filled with questions—questions about the world, questions about God, and questions about ourselves. When we begin to discover answers to our questions, we feel that we are making progress. So what kind of questions are possible regarding the world?

If we look around and if we look within, we’ll notice the flow. What role does the flow play in our lives? How does it affect us? Where and when does the flow end? Do we even want it to end?

Death is inevitable. Do we have any choice in the matter? Yes, we do. Not necessarily about when to die, but how to die. The external circumstances of death are beyond our control. But the internal preparation for death is entirely within our control. Only if we know how to die well, we’ll know how to live well.

We hear sounds and voices throughout the day. They come from outside as well as from inside. If we cannot control them, the ability to hear can get overwhelmed and leave us exhausted. What chance do we have, then, to hear the mantra clearly, as we are expected to do in the practice of Japa? How can I make Japa an activity that I will look forward to everyday?

What is my true nature? Why does the real me remain hidden? How am I connected with everyone and everything? Śrī Śaṅkarācārya’s Vivekacūḍāmaṇi addresses these questions, and shows the relationship between me and everything else. All I need to do is to look deeply—and keep looking deeply until I see the truth in its fully glory.

What is the role of joy and sorrow in life? Is it possible to eliminate sorrow altogether and be eternally immersed in joy? In plain, simple words, the question is: how can I be truly happy all the time?

What is the role of relationships in our lives? Why are some relationships happy and fulfilling, and some others not? How to build a successful relationship that ensures mutual happiness and growth? Have relationships anything to do with spiritual life?

You visit an ancient temple. No one is around. Or so you think. Until you hear the stones come to life and start speaking. What was going on? What were the stones saying? What kind of a conference is this? What do you learn from the experience?

Losing our way while traveling in an unfamiliar setting happens rarely these days because of GPS-enabled smartphones. But it is still possible to lose our way in life, even if we no longer do on road.

Hospitality is not just about food. Even a kind word or a smile or a friendly nod goes a long way. If God is in everyone and in everything, what excuse do I have to be nasty to others? If I want to change my life for the better, all I need to remember is that, no matter in which direction I look, I am seeing God and no one else.

"Strength is life, weakness is death," said Swami Vivekananda. What kind of strength was he referring to? What does the Gita say about strength? What role does strength play in spiritual life?

How and why did the unusual practice of jhāṅki darśan start at the famous Banke-Bihari temple in Vrindaban in northern India? What lesson does it have for you and me?

Are the four puruṣārthas—moral living (dharma), wealth (artha), pleasure (kāma), and freedom (mokṣa)—”goals” that are mandated in the Hindu tradition? Or is each of them only a possible means to happiness?

Are religion and spirituality different? Why do some say that they are spiritual but not religious? Is a religion a “religion” if there is no place in it for spirituality? How can we know anything about “spirit” and spirituality if not from religious texts and practices?

“A man once fed a peacock with a pill of opium at four o’clock in the afternoon. The next day, exactly at that time, the peacock came back. It had felt the intoxication of the drug and returned just in time to have another dose.” What lesson does this story have for you and me?

Dialogue occurs not only through personal conversations and encounters but also via letters and emails, essays and books. It happens both in real time and also spread over days, years, even centuries. It’s the exchange of ideas that is central to a dialogue, not when or how that exchange takes place.

When does service become sacred? How does serving others become a spiritual practice? Who is the one who serves and to whom is service offered? If ultimately everything is really one, what purpose is served by service?

Shakespeare was onto something when he wrote: “All the world’s a stage, / And all the men and women merely players.” Sri Ramakrishna was onto something as well when he said: “This universe is Divine Mother’s play.”

What makes a truth "grand"? Is it possible to compare one truth with another? Which is the grandest of all truths? is it true that it can free me from anger and fear, attachment and delusion?

What does “love” really mean? There is a lot to learn about it from the life and teachings of Sarada Devi.

Holy Mother’s life and teachings fill our hearts with hope. That is Mother’s greatest gift to us as we enter the New Year 2021.