Our humble service attitude in our life is what determines what effect chanting will have on our consciousness. Otherwise we can be chanting for millions and millions of births before we actually achieve the goal.

We should honor Mother Earth with gratitude; otherwise our spirituality may become hypocritical.

Pridelessness is negative good; humility is positive good.

Japa, Bhajana and Kirtana are superficial to the extent that we are not humble.

In 1958, my father invested everything he had in a business venture and became the largest automobile dealership in Chicago for Ford's new Edsel line. But Edsel sales plummeted and my father fell into bankruptcy. I watched him struggle; working long hours to protect us from poverty.

We can't really digest food unless there's hunger. So we can't really assimilate spiritual wisdom unless we feel the need for it.

Some husbands think, "This is my wife," or a parent thinks "This is my child." From a spiritual perspective, this is a misconception. The higher truth is: "This wife is God's beloved daughter, entrusted in my care. And the way I serve God is by giving her respect, protection, appreciation and empowerment. This is what God wants me to give his child."