The first of the Four Practices (sādhana-catuṣṭaya) is discernment (viveka). What does it really mean? What does it do? How do I practice it? How does it help my spiritual life?

At its heart, adhikāri-vāda simply means that the spiritual benefit we derive is directly related to the capacity we have. We  all have the ability to increase our capacity. What should we do to increase our spiritual fitness?

When the Principle of Competence fell into the hands of incompetent people, it took the form of “the condition for eligibility.” Who had access to knowledge and who did not have access—this became a highly contested issue. What was the corrective that Swami Vivekananda offered in the matter?

What do we mean when we say that something is real? Can one thing be “more real” than another thing? Can some things be real only for a time—and can we distinguish them from things that are real all the time? It is helpful to pause and question our notions of reality.

In the earlier post, we saw what part of me survives death and what doesn’t. That raises an obvious question—what happens afterwards? Where do I go? What do the books say—and does it make sense?

Is the world that we see a “material” entity made up of atoms and molecules—or is there something more to it? Is the world alive in some way or form? Is it conceivable that the world of the living and the nonliving could itself be a living entity—perhaps a Cosmic Person (virāṭ)?

People are often identified as Christians, Muslims, Hindus, etc. Is it possible to accurately describe my personal spiritual life by such labels? What does it mean when I am said to belong to a faith, tradition or religion? How is my religious identity defined?

In Vivekacūḍāmaṇi, Śaṅkarācārya’s masterly manual of Vedanta, we read of the three rare blessings which are received only through God’s grace. What are those blessings? What do we do with them?

Swamiji Vivekananda asks: “What is this universe? From what does it arise? Into what does it go?” And this is his answer: “In freedom it arises, in freedom it rests, and into freedom it melts away.” Swamiji’s words on the trinity of bondage and the trinity of freedom are useful springboards for our own personal reflections on the subject.

“Desire, ignorance and inequality,” Vivekananda said, “is the trinity of bondage.” What does this mean? How did it all start? How will it end?

Physical maturity comes with age. Psychological maturity may also come with age, at least in the case of most people. But spiritual maturity is an entirely different beast. What are the factors essential to acquire spiritual maturity?

What are the benefits of studying the lives of saints? How will this make me a better person?

The terms “worldly” and “worldliness” come up again and again in religious literature. What is worldliness and what is spirituality? Who is worldly and who is spiritual? A serious rethinking of these terms may be just what we need today.

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.

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.

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?

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?

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.

Our senses are designed to receive sights, smells, sounds, tastes, and touch from the outside. All we need to do is open our eyes and the world of color and form fills our being. Similar is the case with the other senses. The process is effortless and it feels natural. What is not natural is to turn our attention to the inside. Looking inside requires enormous effort and doesn’t feel natural at all.

Which mother can keep away for long when her child begins to cry? We cry for so many things. Why not learn to cry for the Divine Mother? Let every one of us be a child whose cry cannot be silenced by any worldly toy, for it is only to such a child that the Mother comes.

The more we do our duty because we want to do it—not because somebody is compelling us to do it—the more freedom we experience. A slave’s work gives no joy. The work we do must be out of freedom. The slave is bound. It is the master’s work that the slave does. The work must become ours, not someone else’s.

The older I grow, the more I am drawn to peace, even more than to happiness. When I am at peace with myself, I see clearly what makes me happy and what doesn’t—and this teaches me what I should do and what I shouldn’t do. When I am at peace with the world around me, I see clearly why there is suffering—and this teaches me what I can do to minimize the suffering.

When we speak about interfaith harmony, it is good to remember that the different faiths are always in harmony—it’s the people practicing those faiths that sometimes fail. Religions don’t fight with each other, but people do. The fights and quarrels, the violence and the wars—all of these happen due to lack of understanding as well as lack of practice.

No one is going to hold it against us if we are disappointed with the world. Life was messy even before the pandemic, but now it’s gotten messier still. While we try to figure out the best way to deal with our disappointments, it is helpful to remember that disappointments have the potential to kickstart a serious pursuit of spiritual life.

If someone tells me, “You are stupid,” I hear the sound, I understand what those words mean, and I hear this person tell me, “You are stupid.” That’s the ordinary type of hearing. But then, almost immediately, I also hear this inside me: “How dare you?” Or “Me, stupid? You moron, you are stupid.” Or, “Why do people think I am stupid? I am not stupid.” …

We must know exactly the why of everything we think, the why of everything we say, and the why of everything we do. A why-question is a beeper to awaken us every time we fall asleep and begin drifting.

What is a community really? How important should it be to me? Why have I become so dependent on it? What does my community do for me and what am I expected do for my community? Is a community even necessary?