What type of king are you?
To celebrate Swami Chinmayananda's 102nd birthday, Swamini Supriyananda vivaciously retells one of his timeless stories: a powerful annecdote reminding us to think about how we have chosen to live our lives.

Our lives are uncertain as we don’t know what will come next. Everyday the news is filled with natural disasters, political unrest and economic crisis. We see our loved ones suffer through health issues or relationships. Bhaja Govindam keeps reminding us that we don’t know what tomorrow holds. The past is gone - so be present in the moment.

Swamini Supriyananda invites us to reflect on some thought provoking questions and leaves us pondering on whether we are preparing ourselves for that which is certain? 

We all get so easily distracted by things that we even know we don't want. When there's something we really want, we talk ourselves into it, and if there's something we don't want, we talk ourselves out of it.

In the text, Bhaja Govindam, Adi Shankaracharya recognizes that we often have that internal converstaion, but shifts us into a deeper practice of repeated action, so we do things that are conducive for us. Not just saying it once, but over and over again. Swamini Supriyananda explains that changing our default mindset requires effort - it's not as easy as a changing our phone settings. She expounds on a very easy tool which then lets us start seeing things for what they are.

Thinking about sex takes up so much energy. With a limited amount of time and resources, we end up allowing it to consume our thoughts and giving it more importance than it deserves.

It's definitely necessary for so many reasons, but Swamini Supriyananda helps us understand its place so we live a more balanced life.

Greed is something we all fear accepting. With money, we always want more and nothing ever seems enough.

Ambition and greed have a fine line differentiating them. Swamini Supriyananda elaborates that Bhaja Govindam is not telling us to not strive for wealth. We just need to be within our means.

With another memorable story, she powerfully explains how money cannot be the end goal, as it is a means to an end. We tend to hold on so tight, forget who's in control and forget what we are really looking for.

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So many of our life goals are defined by wealth. Wealth is necessary to keep us within our needs, but often the desire for wealth means we quickly want to upgrade our standard of living. The desire for wealth very quickly turns into greed. Nothing is then enough.

Swamini Supriyananda uplifts us, reminding us to truly value the smallest things we have. Running after something we don't have, is indeed foolish, whilst we can just choose to enjoy what we already do have.

We spend so much of our life preparing, acquiring and accomplishing. We spend so much time learning the sciences of life, the economic markets of different countries, the improvements in technology; yet are any of these going to help us at the most crucial times of our life?

Whilst analysis of markets, improvement in medicine and technology make our life more efficient and thus improve the 'standard of living'. What will help us improve our 'standard of life'? What will help us deal with our past regrets or our biggest worries of the future?

Swamini Supriyananda helps us understand how spiritual knowledge enables us to tackle issues wisely on a daily basis and also at the time of death.

Wouldn't it be so beautiful if we see God in everything? Easier said than done. If we like something, we can see God in them. If we have to see God in things we don't like, or hate ; our minds translate dislike into un-divine. If we can change our minds or forgive those people who we hate, then in that person we can see hints of goodness.

As we reduce our impurities, we will see that Self in all people. Swamini Supriyananda expounds on how this feeling of one-ness can only bring about love and nothing else.

Unknowingly we have actually made the goal of our life sorrow. Our desires normally stem from objects that will not give us eternal happiness. We know it can't be eternal because if it has a beginning, and so it has to have an end. That end is the birth of sorrow.

Swamini Supriyananda explains this thoroughly, through a beautiful humorous story. To connect with joy, we have to disconnect with sorrow, and disconnect with our attachment.

Moderation is key - we hear this everywhere. Little do many people know that an imbalance in any aspect of our life is the real reason for why we are in pain. Anything too much or too little can be harmful for us at both an emotional and physical level. Swamini Supiryananda logically unravels this secret of moderation and leads us to understand how balance is joy.