Tag: mindfulness
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Don’t lose your qualities
Can you think of a time when someone’s behaviour disappointed you? Perhaps you expected them to be considerate, grateful or supportive. When they weren’t, you felt hurt or angry. Much of the pain in relationships comes from the expectations we carry. We assume others will think, behave or respond the way we would. When they…
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Looking the Other Way
What do we do when someone we love repeatedly behaves in ways that harm others? It may be a lack of accountability, a lack of empathy, harshness towards family members, gossip, or a biased view of someone. At first, we gently point it out. We hope they will reflect and change. But when the behaviour…
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The Scorpion and the Sage
We all meet people whose behaviour hurts us. They may lie, gossip, manipulate, or speak harshly. We may try to reason with them, confront them, or simply keep our distance. But sometimes their behaviour begins to affect us. Their anger becomes our anger. Their bitterness becomes our bitterness. Without realizing it, we begin to change…
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The boatman and the scholar
Knowledge is often full of competing voices. For a seeker of wisdom, navigating this maze can be difficult. Who should we listen to? Why do we remain dissatisfied after reading and listening so much? How much learning is enough? The following story invites us to reflect on what wisdom is. The Scholar on the Boat…
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When Others Hurt Us: The Three Lenses
What do we do when others hurt us? We might react with anger, defensiveness, or resentment. While a single incident may pass, repeated experiences of hurt often leave a deeper impact. Over time, they shape not only our relationship with the person who hurt us, but also the way we relate to others. The stories…
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The King Who Forgot and the King Who Remembered
What makes us happy? And what helps happiness last? We spend much of our lives seeking things, experiences, and relationships that bring us joy. But what determines whether happiness fades quickly or stays with us? The following stories of a king who forgot and a king who remembered offer a clue. Story 1: The King…
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From Having to Being
What is something you feel concerned or preoccupied about these days?A work goal, finances, health, relationships? How do you imagine you will feel once you achieve it?And then what will you do? As we sit with these questions, here is an account of a conversation with one of the most powerful kings in history —…
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The Complaint that Changed Everything
Inconveniences and setbacks are a part of everyday life.Can you recall a few things you complained about in the last 24 hours? It could be a coworker who didn’t deliver as expected,a family member who didn’t cooperate,or even your health or the environment. The following story about a complaint made by Bhagat Trilochan’s wife carries…
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Beyond our efforts – The Half-baked bricks
Here is a story about a brick maker who went through a similar cycle. The story ends with an insight that offers hope in difficult circumstances. The brick maker Bhai Buddhu was a brick maker living in what was then Lahore, in undivided India. He had been struggling for some time. A devout Sikh of…