Pursue excellence, and be contented

One of the signs in a seeker, pursuing the objective of 'victory over oneself', is contentment (santushta).

The great Tamil saint Avvaiyar observes that the mind which says to it.. Read full story

Justifying the means is tricky

Shakti Chattopadhyay, a highly acclaimed modern Bengali poet, was as insanely eccentric as he was talented.

He died in 1995, but not before leaving behind a lasting legacy of an.. Read full story

Goof off, be blue

A wandering mind is an unhappy mind, according to a global study of happiness conducted with iPhones.

The key to happiness therefore lies in mind-control, which is easier said th.. Read full story

Use failure for success

In Ghajini, Aamir Khan morphed himself to look like Mike Tyson.

Earlier, Robert de Niro achieved the same feat when he played the boxer Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull in 1980.

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For an even wider audience

Along-time ago there were two friends, one who played the harp very skilfully and one who listened equally skilfully.

When the one played or sang about a mountain, the other woul.. Read full story

Signs of victory over oneself

Harmony, fulfilment, inner control, consistency and focus, which attend on the aspirant in his spiritual progress, bring about, finally, that art of right action (karmasu koushalam). This not only lea.. Read full story

Prayer changes nothing but you

The real purpose of prayer is to elevate us from physical to spiritual.
 
It is a silent yearning of the soul for oneness with the lord.
 
However, our daily prayers are .. Read full story

Prayer changes nothing but you

The real purpose of prayer is to elevate us from physical to spiritual.

It is a silent yearning of the soul for oneness with the lord.

However, our daily praye.. Read full story

The 30% solution

Some things shouldn't work, but they do.Homeopathy is a classic example.

One of the things that its originator, Dr Samuel Hahnemann, claimed was that the more a medication was di.. Read full story

Was Kepler a klepto?

Scientists have just exhumed the body of the 16th century Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe.His remains are to be analysed to check if he was poisoned. Brahe's hagiographers say 'good manners' supposedly .. Read full story