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The Jewel of Clarity: Calming the Modulations of the Mind
Today is Ganesh Chaturthi, a day when we honor the remover of obstacles, the one who clears the path to truth – Lord Ganesha. In South Indian tradition, one of the stories remembered in prayer is the tale of a nobleman man – Satrajit, Lord Krishna, and the lost Syamanthaka jewel. As I reflected on…
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The Only Way Out of Conflict is Inward
Why changing yourself is the key to lasting peace and harmony Some conflicts feel impossible to resolve. Both sides cling to their expectations, unwilling to bend. Needs feel urgent, flaws become painful reminders, and space for acceptance disappears. When the same patterns repeat without change, trust slowly fades. And with trust gone, hope disappears too.…
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The Thorn and the Rose: Embracing Life’s Sacred Design
“Don’t leave the rose because of the thorns. Even the thorns have a purpose… without them, the rose cannot exist.” – Sri Sri Ravi Shankar In nature, thorns protect the rose. They are not there to harm but to guard… a steadfast defense against those who may try to pluck the flower out of admiration…
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Flying Between Earth and Sky
As I sit by the airplane window, my heart overflows with wonder at the landscape below. The cities appear like miniature blueprints of human ambition and creativity. Roads branch like veins. Buildings cluster like stardust. From this height – life that is usually so fast and vast, feels small and silent. No noise, no rush,…
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Hell and Heaven
Today in satsang, Guruji Sri Sri Ravi Shankar told a story that instantly reminded me of a powerful verse from Paradise Lost by John Milton – a poem we had in our English curriculum in college: “The mind is its own place, and in itself. Can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven.…
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Dispassion
Sri Adi Shankaracharya says “Kasya sukham na karoti Viraga?” He says, there is no joy that dispassion cannot bring you. Anyone walking the spiritual path yearns to cultivate vairagya –the quiet strength of dispassion. Through knowledge, mindfulness, meditation, and other practices, we attempt to nurture this subtle inner state. Yet often, we may feel our…
Synthesis 