Author: Chaitanya Charan

We don’t know our strengths and the social mirror distorts our self-conception further – where then can we begin knowing ourselves?

When different people with different mental frames discuss a problem why is a particular person’s solution accepted?

Apart from positive-negative thinking does past karma comprise barriers in our destiny?

Learn to fail or fail to learn

Deflecting attention doesn’t decrease addiction – develop connection

While putting Krishna first when devotees neglect others how can good devotee-relationships develop?

If someone has helped us in our pre-devotional life but is now unfavorable to our bhakti how should we interact with them?

How can we strengthen our relationship with Krishna?

Is it ok to have material desires?

When we have more things in control we feel less dependent on Krishna – what to do?

If prolonged problems leave us disheartened how can we regain our morale – Hindi?

When problems stay on for a long time how can we avoid losing faith – Hindi?

How can we stay devotionally enthusiastic amidst financial difficulties – Hindi?

Acceptance is the beginning of transcendence – where all does this apply – Hindi?

How to surrender amidst different and difficult situations – Hindi

Happiness will come by destiny without our endeavoring – how do we understand this practically?

When Krishna tells Arjuna that your nature will make you fight then where is free will?

If a child is born retarded and dies without doing anything what is the point of such a life?

How can we be devotionally conscious when working with materialistic people in a hospital?

The tragic irony of the miserly

When we deal with dissatisfaction how can we know whether we are acting by Krishna’s guidance or our mind’s conditioning?

If a service is incompatible with our nature what should we do?

How do we differentiate between needs and wants?

How can we practice austerity of the mind?

Appreciating India after traveling in America – Hindi

When we don’t get an intimation of our death as did Parikshit how should we practice bhakti?

How can we know what karma we have done in the past?

How can we conquer all our fears?

Does the default setting come from the mind or the brain?

Why should we go to a temple when we can serve poor people or open hospitals?

When we can have a temple in our home why do we need to go to a temple?

How do we help people who know about karma but think it won’t apply to me?

When we are provoked we get angry despite our resolutions not to do so – what to do?

See the positive not the negative as the primary active force in the cosmos

Spiritualizing our relationships 2 – To improve relationships decrease expectation and increase contribution

Our intelligence is our security system – don’t let temptation disable it Gita 02.63

Why crave for hours and years for pleasures that last for moments Gita 05.22

To say that philosophy is dead is to be dead to philosophy Gita 18.22

Whom are we giving our mind – Hindi

Can we say that the brain processes various energies and one kind of energy processing leads to consciousness?

Is an unfavourable family situation Krishna’s arrangement – should we accept or reject that situation – Hindi?

If feelings of satisfaction deter us from doing difficult duties what should we do – Hindi?

If we give up all emotions then what will motivate us to work – Hindi?

Is thinking negatively the default setting of the mind – Hindi?

If we feel fear about losing our loved ones how can we overcome that fear?

Is it natural to have expectations – does spiritual life change that?

In ancient India there were many different belief systems as there are now – why is this?

If someone helps us but makes us feel bad about having taken their help should we keep a distance from them?

Is there a fine line between when matter takes us towards Krishna and when it takes us away from Krishna?

If we practice bhakti simply to look good in others’ eyes how can we advance?

How can we remember that we are devotees when we are with materialistic people?

If we surrender to Krishna because of fear that we will face problems otherwise is that surrender genuine?

After practicing spirituality we feel less materially insecure – does that mean we are spiritually advanced or are irresponsible?

If we cursed someone who disappointed us in a relationship are our present problems a karmic reaction for cursing that person?

To evaluate devotion by its material benefits is like evaluating dancing by the distance covered Gita 02.44

If we can’t decide whether a particular desire is good or bad what should we do?

When dharma has gone down so much now why is Krishna not appearing?

Isn’t Prabhupada’s Gita just one among the many interpretations of the Gita?

How can we connect our IT job with Krishna?

How is the intelligence connected with the heart?

If my job requires me to do medical testing on animals how can that be reconciled with bhakti?

Aren’t parents who want their children to succeed in competitions encouraging materialistic over-endeavor?

Should we as parents encourage our children to participate in competitions for discovering and developing talents?

God refuses to be a co-dependent in our addiction

When some people remember their past lives where are those memories stored?

Can the soul remember its eternal position?

Does reincarnation explain why some people feel they are in a body of the wrong gender?

How can we redirect our attraction from Krishna’s sparks to Krishna the whole?

How can we apply the principle of becoming angry when a devotee is blasphemed?

What are the ways in which the Nectar of Instruction text 1 can be misapplied?

What should be the basis of our self-worth?

Is controlling our thoughts a skill that can be developed?

If after praying we take a decision and it turns out to be wrong has Krishna misled us?

What exactly does Krishna sanction – how?

How does free will interact with the modes?

When Krishna knows everything including what we need what is the need to pray to him?

When we pray to Krishna to give us the strength to serve him how can we recognize his reciprocation?

Pandavas tolerated initially and retaliated eventually – how can we decide when to tolerate and when to retaliate?

What is the role of science in Krishna consciousness?

Mental weight can’t be wished away but it can be worked away Gita 06.35

Be not judgmental but be not judgmentophobic either

Spiritualizing our relationships 1 – The more despiritualized we are the more desensitized we become

Don’t let perfectionism come in the way of progress towards perfection Gita 02.14

How to understand that we can’t understand Krishna – then why do we study scripture?

What is the monistic conception of pure consciousness in terms of subject object and stream of consciousness?

When Vaishnavas don’t take meat why do Shaivites take meat?

How can people who care for pets and aspire to be vets still eat meat?

If someone justifies an illicit relationship by saying that their spouse is unloving how do we respond?

If our loved one is addicted to tobacco and still wears kanthi mala how can we help them?

How is scripture a window to God?

Demystifying Reincarnation 11 – Consciousness – Intuitions that point beyond the brain

When Airavata existed earlier how did he appear during the churning of the milk ocean?

Why is remembrance of Krishna so important in bhakti ?

How can we better appreciate the relevance of spiritual classes as well as academic studies?

During possession what is the relation between the subtle bodies of the possessing ghost and the possessed person?

When the possessed soul and the possessor soul are equal how can one soul dominate another ?

Do the laws of material nature work on ghosts ?

Is our life duration determined by past karma?

When the soul is different from the body why does injury to the brain cause the soul to leave the body but not injury to the foot?

Some people can see ghosts some can’t – why?