The Cult of Comparison in the West People in the West often cry and whine about some perceived privilege others have. But not in India and many countries throughout Asia. This cult of comparison has infected the hearts of many in the West, which is a special type of sickness stemming from a trained tendency towards competition and comparison. What an immature society and culture we have created in the West, so sick with jealousy and envy. But, astonishingly, there is always an insane justification for such a ment

A Short Essay on My Return to India    Arriving back on sacred land in India has been a breath of fresh air. It is wonderful to be absorbed in a traditional culture not bound by silly divisive ideologies that confuse innocent minds with an insane political correctness that consequently divides society, contributing to no peace and harmony in the world. Being back has truly shown me how confused the West actually is. India, on the other hand, which is one of the most unwoke places in the world, along with all of South Asia, Africa, and the M

Honoring the Life of Thomas Cleary   The news of Thomas Cleary’s passing was unexpected and saddened me deeply. Not because I knew the man personally, but because the world lost someone special, someone genuine in an age of inauthenticity. He was surely one of the greatest men you’ve never heard of. You’ve probably enjoyed reading The Art of War by Sun Tzu, or wanted to read more about the authentic knowledge of Buddhism and Taoism, and thankfully there’s abundance of knowledge on those traditions available. But the likelihood that you read

My Top 5 Books of 2020   2020 was an amazing year for books. There were so many great new releases and my new book Emotional Intuition for Peak Performance was published as well. But for myself personally, I reverted back to the classics and read some new translations of texts that I am very familiar with. Usually there will be an odd book in my top five that has nothing to do with Eastern spirituality and philosophy, but this year my top five is strictly books on Eastern spirituality and philosophy. My list of 2020 are books that will give

My Top 5 Books of 2019    So it's that time of the year people, my top five books of the year. In 2019 I reverted back to some of the classics in Eastern philosophy and many other books I had put on the back-burner for a few years. Nevertheless, I finally got around to reading some important books this year that I probably should have many years ago. But the wait was worth it. A few of the books I read this year are high on my list as the best books I've ever read. Below are my top five books for 2019. I feel that you will benefit a lot fro

My Top 5 Books of 2018   There were so many superb books in 2018 but enough time to get through all of them. And I'm not one to waste time, so that means there were a truckload of great books. Many in-depth books on consciousness studies surfaced in 2018, along with some breakthrough books on spirituality, philosophy, psychology, and optimal performance (including my own book Effortless Living).   Last year I mentioned to you how I aspire to read at least 10 books a year and explained that you should also try and hit the target of 5-10 book

Best Books for Studying Yoga   I find it disappointing that when most people hear the word "yoga" they think of an exercise routine that is focused on stretching the body, making one more flexible. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that's not yoga. That idea of yoga results from the cultural appropriation it went through when it went to the West, especially in places such as America. That version of yoga is a poor replica of the traditional hatha yoga which is only one branch of yoga. Actually, there

Learn to Say NO and Get to Work   I received an email from a budding writer. She asked, "How can I get so much done in so little time?" My answer was simple: Learn to say NO and get to work. Both are the two simple principles for creating meaningful content. Procrastination kills all artistic endeavors. The only way to slay that dragon is to get to work and guard your time because its the most precious resource we have. I'm anxious when I procrastinate, so I just get to work and see what comes to me naturally.

Books for Studying Taoism   Taoism is a path often confused with being a conventional religion and primarily a form of spiritual cultivation concerned with martial arts and other Taoist arts. This is not completely untrue but its not the entire picture. All forms of Taoist spiritual cultivation and the religion are all based on its original philosophy going back 2,500 years to Lao-tzu and the Tao Te Ching. The problem with many modern spiritual movements is they have lost touch with the original philosophy of

Books for Studying Vedanta   I'm often asked what someone should do if they want to study Vedanta. My response to this question is like any other question, its not that black and white. People argue all day whether one should have a teacher, read the classics, or stop reading altogether. Again, there is no one method that fits all. But what I will say is if you want to dive deep into Vedanta then its important to study the classics since those classics are the foundation the tradition is built on. If you haven

My Top 5 Books of 2017   2017 was a rich year for books on spirituality, philosophy, psychology, and optimal performance. Too many to get through. But if you use your time wisely then there is more than enough time to at least consume and digest five books a year. I use to set lofty goals of always reading ten books a year, but as a writer that is not possible with my commitment to my work. But its still a target I aspire to reach every year because, even if you hit the 5-10 mark each year, it means you haven'