A wise man once told me: “There are two ways to earn a living: one is to go out and get paid for a job. The other way is to be selfless and serve a cause greater than your own.”

People wonder how you can earn money by serving others. This is where the ancient practice of Karma Yoga, the path of selfless action, comes in.

Karma means action and yoga means union. So, Karma Yoga means union with the Self through selfless (egoless) action.

The Law of Wealth

True story: a married woman served a noble cause for more than 30 years while her husband earned a living. He was a little resentful; sometimes even thought she was a freeloader. After all, his earnings paid for everything! Or so he thought.

Over the years, he received promotion after promotion and pay rise after pay rise. The question of how or why never crossed his mind. Totally unaware of the invisible power of selflessness, he was convinced his promotions and pay increases were solely due to his efforts.

The prosperity that came to them was phenomenal. Not only because of his earnings but because of her selfless work.

That is why I never charge for my Substack. My writing and recordings are an offering.

Now you might be thinking, that’s not true. Just last week there was a post for “paid subscribers” 👇

You’re right. But certain content is meant to stay behind a curtain. People who support The Elder Sage gain access because they’re already on board with this work and have chosen to support it.

The Attitude of Giving

Many creators make products to sell, like books and courses. But for me, it’s always been about a shift in attitude.

We all work hard. The difference is that most of us work for a salary. I haven’t received a salary for over three decades. Of course, this is my choice.

I believe in selfless work. In doing what’s right, serving something greater than oneself, and contributing without constantly asking, “What’s in it for me?”

This attitude has given me everything I could ask for: peace, security, a wonderful life — and a world-class view (see image above).

The Law of Selflessness

We have been conditioned to believe that the way to create a good life is to earn more money. I don’t believe that for a minute.

I believe another economy is at work: the law of selflessness.

When you serve a higher cause, a noble purpose, something beyond your own personal interests, life has a way of giving back.

That's why I keep The Elder Sage free. Yes, you will find some posts behind a “paywall”, but like this post, most of them are free.

I give because I believe in giving — without expecting anything in return.

These essays and videos are my contribution. If you receive them, read them, and they benefit you in some way, then perhaps the right thing is to contribute something in return. Although I will never ask. It is entirely up to you.

One thing I know about the law of wealth: if your attitude is to take, and keep taking, things will be taken from you. Maybe not right away, but if you constantly think, “What’s in it for me? What am I getting out of this?” you’re going to chase happiness for the rest of your life — and it will always remain elusive.

But if you give freely, the world will repay you tenfold. That’s just how it works.

Look at nature, and you’ll see this law of selfless working everywhere: the sun rises every morning and sets every evening, never once withdrawing its light. The earth doesn’t demand payment before it yields vegetation; it keeps giving, season after season. A cow doesn’t calculate what she’ll receive for her milk.

Nature has never once asked, “What’s in it for me?” Yet nature lacks nothing.

Your New Mantra: Give Back

We’ve been taking from the moment we were born. From the oxygen we breathe, to the food we eat, and the water we drink. My teacher used to always ask, “Have you paid your oxygen bill yet?”

No. Of course not. It’s free. But that’s no reason to take it for granted.

If you visit my archive, you’ll notice that not everything is freely available. A small number of pieces sit behind the Substack paywall (Portal to Knowledge). I put them there because of their controversial content — and because they are a gift I choose to give to those who contribute to The Elder Sage.

With Gratitude

Become a Champion

I’ve never been fond of the term “paid subscriber”. Purely because, in the spirit of karma yoga (selfless activity), I prefer deserving — offering my work without charge and receiving what comes back, whatever that may be.

Substack hasn’t yet caught up on this non-trend — it’s all about paid subscriptions. The more paid subscribers you have, the more likely you are to get a little orange tick next to your name, showing you have hundreds of paid subscribers!

I prefer the term champion to paid subscriber, because a champion says, “I believe in this, and I want it to flourish.”

Become a Champion

Become a champion of your own life by giving freely — without keeping score. That’s the law of selflessness. And what you give out returns tenfold. Always.

For 34 years, I’ve tried to live by the same law: writing and teaching without a salary, trusting that what I give comes back in ways money never could.

And so far, it has.

Till next time,
Be Well,
Meredith ∞ The Elder Sage

Meet the Author

In a dream, you can be anywhere, doing anything. One minute you’re in Hong Kong, the next you’re in Buckingham Palace, having tea with the King! In a split second, you’re shopping in New York, then riding waves at Bondi Beach.

You might even dream you’re falling. And while you’re falling, it feels real. Your heart is racing. Then, suddenly, you wake up. The dream dissolves, and you realise it was just a dream. It was all an illusion.

But it was real while you were in it. This is where the ancient wisdom of Vedanta invites us to consider something extraordinary:

What if the waking world is just like a dream?

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In Sanskrit, two beautiful words describe this: Maya, meaning illusion, and Mithya, meaning neither real nor unreal.

The dream is real while we’re dreaming. The waking world is real while we’re awake. But the moment we wake up, we see the dream for what it really is.

Similarly, Vedanta says that there is another state of consciousness we need to realise. The ultimate state of Self-Realisation, God-Consciousness. Then we will see this waking world for what it truly is.

Read more

Today, people spend vast fortunes on trying to optimise everything except what really matters! And what matters is attention, clarity, and discernment. People fixate on these qualities, claiming they are more precious than gold, yet very few realise they are direct functions not of our mind, but of our intellect.

But here lies the absolute tragedy: our modern understanding of the word “intellect” has utterly crippled its true meaning.

In English, we have given the word a dreadful reputation. We hear “intellect” and instantly picture an ivory-tower academic — someone stuffed with bookish knowledge, entirely divorced from what it is to be human.

For twenty-five years as a philosophy teacher, I found introducing the concept of intellect an uphill battle against closed minds. The moment the word left my mouth, semantic bias would slam the shutters shut.

People assumed I was preaching a gospel of academic elitism. They couldn't see past their corrupted definition to understand that I wasn’t talking about passing exams, but about the subtle tool required to navigate the complexities of human life.

By ignoring the intellect, modern society has effectively locked the door to the inner compass we all so desperately need.

The Mind Without Intellect

The mind constantly rambles from one thought to another. It lives in the past and future — and needs something other than itself to keep it in the present. That is the intellect.

The mind and intellect are distinct faculties. The mind is emotional and irrational, while the intellect is discerning and wise. The intellect is like a muscle; it needs strengthening to keep the mind in the present. Its role is to observe, supervise, manage the mind and keep it focused.

Left to itself, the mind behaves like a two-year-old child. A child is emotional, excitable, easily distracted, and prone to tantrums. It cannot manage a household or make responsible decisions.

The intellect acts as a loving parent. It watches and guides a child’s actions, preventing it from getting into trouble and hurting itself.

Similarly, the intellect watches the mind, guides it, and keeps it from running into worry, anxiety, fear, anger, addiction, and despair.

When the intellect does its job well, the mind stays calm, balanced, and happy.

But when the intellect is absent and the mind is left unsupervised, it’s like a child left alone in charge of the home.

No parent would say to a two-year-old, “Darling, mummy and daddy are going away for the weekend. " We’d like you to take care of the house.”

That would never happen. Yet it’s exactly what we do with ourselves. We let our immature, irresponsible mind run the show.

The world is what it is today because we have allowed the irrational mind to govern without the intellect.

The Non-Thinking Mind

Most people assume they are thinking clearly. But much of what we call thinking is simply the mind wandering from one thought to another. The mind cannot think. It reacts. Worries. Imagines and rambles. Left unguided, it simply follows its feelings, preferences, desires, and emotions.

The Thinking Intellect

The intellect is different. It is clear, focused, rational, clever and wise. When the intellect is strong, it guides the mind toward better choices in life. Like a wise ruler governing his or her domain, when the intellect governs our thoughts, emotions settle, the body relaxes, and actions become measured and thoughtful.

So, What’s Next?

Earlier I mentioned that the intellect is like a muscle; it needs strengthening to keep the mind in the present. So now, we need to strengthen our intellect so we can observe, supervise, manage and keep the mind focused — and in the present.

Below is a practical discipline that serves as a gym for the mind and intellect.

Thank you for reading and watching.

Every day, I share reflections (notes) on Substack. They invite you to stop, think, and see life a little differently. Join me in my online sanctuary. Leave a comment on one of my notes to let me know you’re here.

Till next time,
Be Well,
Meredith ∞ The Elder Sage

Meet the Author

We spend an extraordinary amount of time trying to quieten the mind. But perhaps we have been going about it the wrong way. The mind is not meant to be silenced by force. It is meant to be understood and governed. And the faculty that can do this is the intellect, or Buddhi in Sanskrit.

Your mind constantly produces thoughts. It has preferences, emotions, and desires. That’s its nature. In direct contrast, the intellect can step back, discern, reason and question the mind, think — then take action.

Below are fifty short meditations — not simply to read, but to contemplate. The aim is to awaken the intellect and bring peace and order to the mind.

1. The moment you want nothing, you have everything.

2. You have the power to overcome any challenge simply by changing the way you think.

3. The intellect is a key that unlocks the prison of your mind — and opens the door to freedom.

4. Love is a universal feeling of Oneness with all living beings. Far removed from the personal, preferential affection that can so readily turn to hatred over a mere misunderstanding.

5. You shape your outer world according to your inner world of thoughts.

6. When it comes to actions and consequences, a wise person sees the end in the beginning.

7. Nothing and no one has any power over you. You are the only thinker in your mind. You always have a choice: You can create peace or turmoil. When you create peace in your mind, you will find peace in your life.

8. YOU, my love, are worth much more than you give yourself credit for.

9. Everything you’re looking for — peace, security, comfort and contentment — is within you. You don’t need to forage for it anywhere else.

10. Without remembering who we are, we create a false sense of who we are meant to be.

11. You haven’t wasted your life. Every step, misstep, pause or stride has carried you forward in the quiet march of your evolution. Life is not a single journey but a sacred continuation, from birth to birth, from self to Self.

12. Your thoughts, your goals, your visions and your ideals are the quiet promise of who you are becoming. Your greatest achievements today were once just a thought. And yet, through belief and consistent effort, you moved forward.

    The law of life is: as you think, so you become. Therefore, keep striving for the highest. Conquer all doubt, and you will get there.

    If something here has helped you, you may wish to make a small donation to help The Elder Sage continue to offer her work for free.

13. Don’t waste your time on the trivial things of life. Set your sights on the Highest, and pour your whole being into reaching it. Nothing else matters. Everything and everyone else will either align or fall away. But you have a clear path. Let nothing come in your way.

14. Spirituality is measured by the stability of your mind. When your mind remains calm and composed, even in the face of difficulty, you are truly walking the spiritual path.

15. Who you are today is the sum of all your past choices. Who you will be tomorrow will depend on what you choose today. Every thought, emotion, decision and action is a step towards your future self. You are not a victim of circumstance; you are the writer of your destiny. So instead of complaining or blaming others, look inward. Your life is not happening to you, it’s created through you. Moment to moment. Choose wisely.

16. Don’t expect anything from anyone, and you’ll never be disappointed.

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17. Wherever you find yourself in life is precisely where you are meant to be. You create your life by your thoughts, so embrace your circumstances; don’t fight them. Understand that every experience is an opportunity to evolve and become the person you are meant to be.

18. You are not who you believe yourself to be. You are not this limited personality. You are your unlimited and eternal Self.

19. Love is allowing another to be exactly who they are, without expecting them to be any different.

20. Pigeons flock in numbers, but eagles fly alone. Pigeons cling to the crowd, seeking approval and reassurance. They fly low and follow without questioning where they’re going. But the eagle soars high, fearless and free. It does not need applause or validation; it trusts its wings, vision, and the boundless sky.

21. Everyone wants peace, but it cannot be gained by forcing the mind to be quiet. What is needed first is wisdom. Spiritual knowledge from the ancient texts is best studied, contemplated, and absorbed until it reshapes your way of thinking. Only then does the mind become truly quiet. Anything else offers only temporary relief.

22. Everyone has their own nature, just as New York, London, and Sydney have their own climate. But within that climate, the weather shifts. One day may be bright and sunny, another gloomy and stormy. The key is to distinguish between a person’s weather (emotions) and their climate (nature). Weather changes. Climate prevails.

23. You are not your emotions, just as the sky is not the weather. Storms may come, and winds may howl, but the sky remains unaffected. In the same way, you are not anger, sadness, or anxiety. Nor are others. So the next time fear rises in you, or your partner’s anger flares, step back. Be a witness. Watch how the emotion gathers like a cloud, lingers for a while, and then passes.

24. The choice is simple: master your mind, or remain its prisoner for life.

25. You cultivate inner stillness, not by adding rituals but by reducing your desires—not by doing less, but by wanting less.

26. Rare are the ones who speak so that silence feels fuller after their words. Even rarer are those who write, not to impress but to strike. When truth lands, it loosens something deep inside. And that’s when readers lean in, hungry for the next line.

27. A wise man once told me, when I was torn between pursuing a career in fashion design or devoting myself to philosophy: Choose the subtler of the two. His words struck me with uncommon clarity, and I followed them. I chose philosophy. Looking back, it was the greatest decision I ever made because what is subtle endures, shaping not just what you create, but who you become.

28. Disturbances aren’t outside; they’re in your dislikes.

29. Enough is never enough for the mind — one more like, one more follower, one more subscriber. Desire has no finish line. As long as you seek fulfilment outside, you’ll remain restless. Turn inward. Discover the Self within. Then will you know true contentment and peace.

30. To all those striving and pushing, take a moment to PAUSE and ask yourself: Who am I doing this for? If the answer is yourself, then dissatisfaction will follow like a shadow and never leave you. But if you’re doing it for a higher purpose, then you will find a strength that empowers, a lasting contentment, and a PEACE that nothing can disturb.

31. In life, we have a choice where we place our attention: on our small self that gets tangled in the world or our essential Self that remains peaceful, no matter what’s happening around us.

32. Life is a mirror reflecting your thoughts. Change your thoughts and the world changes. Thoughts may be invisible, but they are the most powerful force in the universe. We need to harness this force to bring about positive change.

33. Discernment is our greatest asset. It is the highest form of intellect — our capacity to evaluate and determine what we should pay attention to, and what we should ignore. It distinguishes the essential from the trivial and the real from the unreal. Discernment guides right action, prevents mistakes and leads to wisdom. Without it, the mind may be brilliant, yet foolish. With it, even modest knowledge becomes luminous and liberating.

34. You can repeat another’s words because they are wise, but unless you’ve transformed yourself to be those words, they remain empty. Focus not on writing wisdom, but on becoming it.

35. You cannot treat people like garbage and worship God at the same time.

36. Silence is stillness born of wisdom. It knows that life unfolds in perfect order, and that every action meets its consequence without our interference. There is no need to argue or prove anything. It trusts the law of nature, Karma, to do its work. And, as difficult as it may be to fathom, justice will be served.

37. Life is fleeting. Time slips away. All things change, except the One, ever-present, eternal Self — Divinity. That Self is the Reality. It is who you are. You are not who you believe yourself to be — this body, mind, emotions, and thoughts. Change is an illusion. So today, let’s try to give a little more of our attention to what never changes.

38. Peace is your original state — a state of natural calm and contentment. This is real, not the worries and anxieties that come from the past and future. Be still in the present, and be free.

39. The beauty of aging is that as you get older, you don’t need to prove yourself to anyone. You can simply be who you are. No one’s looking. No one’s judging. Everyone’s too busy living their own life, and you’re free to live yours. You don’t have to convince anyone of your worth or fight for approval. You can just be — peaceful, unbothered, and free.

40. Pour yourself into the work. Don’t be concerned about the outcome. Your actions alone are the promise of what your future will be.

41. Don’t chase a comfortable life that’s free from problems and stress. Instead, become the kind of person who can meet challenges with clarity and composure, and resolve them with effortless ease.

42. The person you’ll be tomorrow is being created by the thoughts you have today.

43. The more you know, the more you realise how much you don’t know. The less you know, the more you think you know. Humility expands the mind; arrogance shrinks it. What we know is but a drop; what we don’t know is an ocean. Stay humble.

44. True character isn’t born in comfort; it’s revealed in chaos. How you react in challenging situations reveals who you really are. Not when you’re getting what you want. But when someone pushes your buttons, or when things aren’t going your way — that’s when your true character shows.

45. Nature gives everything for free. A tree doesn’t charge for shade, the sun doesn’t charge for light, and the ocean doesn’t bill us for a swim. Only humans put a price on their work, believing it is so important. Maybe we need to be more like nature — give our time and ourselves freely without constantly calculating the cost.

46. It doesn’t matter how much inner work you’ve done, how many books you’ve read, or which religion you follow — if the ego remains, it’s like polishing a gold cage and calling it freedom.

47. Empty yourself of ego, and God will fill you up.

48. The greatest human error is believing you are incomplete, that you need things from the world to fill you up. The truth is, you are already full. The emptiness you feel is a mirage. It isn’t real.

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49. Spirituality without discernment is a river without banks — it spreads everywhere, nourishes nothing, and soon becomes a swamp.

50. Who we think we are is such a powerful illusion.

Every day, The Elder Sage shares reflections like these here on Substack. They are not meant to be read and forgotten. They are invitations to stop, think and see life a little differently. Join me in my online sanctuary. I’d love to have you with me.

Till next time,
Be Well,
Meredith ∞ The Elder Sage

Meet the Author

I know this because I experienced it myself.

Many years ago, before discovering Vedanta, I was a fashion designer on Queensland’s Gold Coast. I was in my twenties and from the outside, everything looked fine — but I wasn’t happy.

Then I travelled to Perth, where I was introduced to Vedanta — and I immediately knew this was the next step I needed to take. It was what I was meant to do.

In Sanskrit, there is a beautiful word: Svadharma. Sva means one’s own, and Dharma means nature. Svadharma means one’s own nature. Paradharma means alien nature, something that isn’t your own.

We know when we are doing something that is alien to our nature. We may try to convince ourselves otherwise, but somewhere deep within, we know.

So now what we need to do is find out what is my nature. Who am I meant to be? What was I born to do? So we ask ourselves these questions first thing in the morning,

when the world is quiet, before anybody else has woken up

What was I born to do?
What makes my heart sing?
What makes me feel alive?
What am I naturally drawn towards?
What makes me feel that I am completely in my element?

The answers may not come immediately. Give yourself time.

You are trying to discover something that may have been buried beneath years of conditioning, expectations, responsibilities and other people’s ideas about what you should be doing.

Don’t Make a Sudden Change

Be Practical. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you have to change your entire life tomorrow. Don’t quit your job impulsively. Be intelligent about it.

Suppose you’re working as a bank teller, but love the idea of becoming a writer. Don’t simply walk into the bank tomorrow and resign.

Make writing your goal. Then ask yourself:

What steps do I need to take to become a writer?

Perhaps the first step is starting a Substack. So you start writing. And you keep writing. You learn, improve — and develop your craft. You do it consistently and intelligently while continuing your current employment.

Your current job is a stepping stone toward funding your freedom.

Perhaps after six months to a year, your writing begins to take shape. Eventually, your bank job might become part-time while your writing becomes more of a full-time commitment.

Let the transition happen gradually. Don’t force it.

Life is not meant to be disrupted by impulsive decisions. We need both aspiration and common sense. Give yourself a direction, make a plan, and take one step at a time.

Right Action

There is another essential element here: right action. Knowing your nature, Svadharma, is one thing. Living it is another. Once you have found your direction, you need to learn how to act correctly.

Right action means giving your full attention to the task in front of you, without allowing the mind to constantly slip back into past worries or project into future anxieties.

Don’t obsess over whether you will succeed. You simply do what needs to be done. You work wholeheartedly, intelligently and diligently — and remain unconcerned about the results.

This is the attitude taught in the Bhagavad Gita. Your responsibility is to perform the action. The result is not entirely in your hands.

So if you have discovered that you are meant to write, then write. If you are meant to teach, teach. If you are meant to preach, preach. Do the work because it is your nature to do it — not merely because you hope for recognition, money or success.

The Higher Purpose

But there is something deeper still. Your nature, Svadharma, is not the ultimate purpose of your existence.

If you discover that your nature is to write, then writing is not the final destination. If your nature is art, art is not the final destination. If your nature is teaching, teaching is not the final destination.

The work becomes a vehicle. A means through which you can contribute something beyond your own self-interest. This is where personal fulfilment becomes something greater than simply “doing what makes me happy.”

Use your nature to contribute to the world. Your creativity becomes an offering. Your knowledge becomes an offering. Your work becomes an offering.

And gradually, the emphasis shifts from: “What can I get?” to “What can I give?”

That shift makes all the difference. Because excessive self-concern keeps us trapped in ego. We are constantly thinking about me — my happiness, my success, my recognition, my security, my results.

But when we dedicate our actions to something greater than ourselves, the ego begins to dissolve. We become less self-absorbed and more peaceful, content, and fulfilled.

Living Against Your Nature

If you spend your life doing something alien to your nature, you may accumulate money, possessions and achievements, but inwardly you will still feel incomplete.

I know what that feels like. Remaining in fashion design would probably have been financially easier than leaving it all behind to study Vedanta. Choosing Vedanta was the harder road — and definitely the one less travelled.

For six years, while all my friends were earning good salaries, I had no income.

The Vedanta Academy was a spiritual boot camp: up at 4am, spiritual studies, two lectures a day, group discussions, yoga, a vegan diet and more study. It wasn’t easy. But it was the right thing for me.

An important thing to remember when torn between two things, for example, fashion design and a life dedicated to philosophy:

“Choose the subtler of the two.”

Choose the higher. Choose the nobler. Choose the path that takes you closer to who you really are.

I chose the subtler, and that decision changed my life.

The Bhagavad Gita expresses this principle beautifully: what may seem difficult in the beginning can become nectar in the end, while what appears pleasurable at first can ultimately become poison.

The easier path is not necessarily the right path. Sometimes the path that demands more of us is precisely the path that gives us more.

Discover Your Nature

If you don’t know your purpose, start questioning. Find a quiet place at a quiet time, where you won’t be interrupted — and contemplate. Ask yourself:

1. What did you love to do as a child? If you can’t remember, then ask your family and relatives. They might be able to help.

2. What were you born to do? It could be anything — art, music, cooking, design, teaching, writing, sport, etcetera.

3. What is the one thing that makes you truly happy? Superficial answers won’t cut it. The truth lies deep within you.

4. What makes you feel like you are in your element?

5. What makes you come alive and feel great about yourself?

6. What makes you feel like you couldn’t be doing anything else?

7. Who inspires you? List the qualities that you admire in others. What you respect is what you already have. It’s just a matter of drawing them out of yourself.

8. What activities make you lose track of time?

9. If you were to teach something, what would it be?

10. Imagine yourself at 85; what would you regret not having done in your life?

11. Imagine you have only a few months to live. What would you do?

12. What would you like people to say about you when you’re gone?

Once you discover your nature, Svadharma, make it a goal. Plan. Prepare. Take small, intelligent steps. While you take those steps, perform your current work properly.

Don’t despise the job you have now because it isn’t your ultimate destination. Use it. Do it well. Let it support you as you build towards something more suited to your nature. Then, when you are ready, make the transition.

Step by step, you move towards what you are meant to be doing.

All the best.

Thank you for reading and watching.

Till next time,
Be Well,
Meredith ∞ The Elder Sage

Last week’s post revised and rewritten :

Help The Elder Sage Grow on YouTube

One month ago I started a YouTube channel, and no, I’m not a sensation — surprised? Not as much as me, I’m sure. Jokes aside, I’d love your support on

https://www.youtube.com/@TheElderSage

Meet The Author

Self-confidence is more than just a belief in yourself; it is freedom from excessive concern with yourself — and it comes from having a purpose in life.

By purpose, I don’t mean having a five-year plan; I mean having a higher goal, a noble ideal to strive towards — and dedicating your thoughts, emotions and actions towards achieving it.

The beauty of an ideal is that it gives you a clear direction in life. Without it, you won’t know what to do. You’ll be confused and unsure of yourself. But once you have a higher purpose, you’ll know exactly what actions to take.

There is an extraordinary confidence that comes with knowing what you’re doing and where you are heading.

Learn more in this new video (just uploaded on YouTube).

Self-Consciousness Sabotages Self-Confidence

Most people struggle with confidence because they’re thinking too much about themselves.

How do I look?
What will they think?
Did I say the right thing?
What if I fail?
What if they don’t like me?

This is called self-consciousness.

Self-consciousness refers to this small personal self. Your attention is constantly directed towards this body and this personality, but the irony is that the more you focus on yourself, the less confident you become.

Why? Because the ego is inherently insecure. It is constantly measuring itself against something else. Am I successful enough? Intelligent, interesting or spiritual enough? There’s no end to it.

True confidence comes from having a higher purpose.

If you’re struggling with what your purpose is, then why not simply:

Become the best human you can possibly be.

That is an ideal anyone can aspire towards. And it’s as simple as being true to yourself.

Shakespeare put it beautifully: “To thine own self be true.” And he goes on to say that if you are true to yourself, you cannot be false to anyone else.

When you know what you stand for, you don’t have to pretend or try to impress. You don’t need anyone’s approval. You can simply be yourself — and be free. And paradoxically, that is where genuine self-confidence comes from. Not from thinking more about yourself, but from thinking of yourself less.

So perhaps we have misunderstood self-confidence. What do you think? I’d love to read your thoughts.

Leave a comment

Till next time,
Be Well, 
Meredith ∞ The Elder Sage

Meet The Author

Today, I’m challenging a widely accepted belief: that meditation teaches us concentration. But we've got it all backwards — and we wonder why we’re not peaceful.

We are putting the cart before the horse.

We’re trying to meditate before learning how to concentrate.

Sitting still, closing our eyes and focusing on our breath is no doubt a pleasant way to relax — and be present, for a moment. However, it isn’t the same as being clear-headed, focused and available throughout your day.

Think of a businessman burdened with all sorts of problems. He’s stressed, he can’t sleep, he’s exhausted. His wife arranges a picnic by the lake. He lies down under a tree and, within moments, he falls asleep.

When he wakes, he tells his wife that he has had the best sleep in months, perhaps even years.

What happened?

The environment lent him its calm, lulling him to sleep.

But did he learn how to sleep?

No.

The moment he returns to his usual environment, all his problems are still there. The restlessness and stress come back as quickly as you can say 'Jack Robinson'.

And this is just like modern meditation.

You sit in a quiet room, close your eyes, remove all distractions and create an environment conducive to calm. And for those few minutes, you feel peaceful.

But what happens when you open your eyes?

The phone rings. The traffic’s heavy. You’re interrupted. Someone says something that annoys you.

Where did your peace go?

If your presence depends on physical stillness and closed eyes, how useful is that when you return to everyday life?

Somewhere along the way, we have forgotten how to pay attention.

Thanks to modern technology, smartphones and social media, our minds have become scattered with too many desires and distractions.

And the solution we’re given is to meditate.

Sit quietly. Close your eyes. Focus on your breath.

Breathe…

I mean, do we really need to be told to breathe? Is this really how far we’ve fallen? Have we become so distracted that we now need an app to remind us to inhale and exhale?

We don’t need another technique. We need to learn how to pay attention — and this requires concentration.

In this short video, I explain how to make your mind calm, so you can concentrate — and be present at all times, not just sometimes.

Thank you for reading and watching.

Till next time,
Be Well, 
Meredith ∞ The Elder Sage

Meet The Author

However, before you reach the ultimate, you live in a world where everything changes. This is where Vedanta is most practical: it provides the technique for right action.

Right action reduces and ultimately eliminates worry, anxiety, fear, stress, addictions, anger and depression.

Right action is about grounding yourself in higher values and working in a spirit of love and discernment towards a higher goal and a more meaningful life.

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What is Vedanta?

Vedanta is the ancient philosophy of India. It is derived from two Sanskrit words: Veda, meaning knowledge, and Anta, meaning end. Literally, Vedanta means the end of knowledge. Its teachings are found in the final section of the Vedas, the Upanishads, regarded as the most ancient and profound spiritual texts.

The Upanishads speak the highest truth — that you are eternal. But because you have not realised that immortal state of peace and bliss, you feel a void, an emptiness that nothing in the world can fill. A state of incompleteness.

According to the Upanishads, this state is an illusion. It isn’t real. Yet we feel it, as if something is missing.

We search for happiness through success, relationships, possessions, or recognition, hoping that one more achievement will finally make us whole.

This feeling of lack arises because we have identified this personality as our true self. We have become attached to our thoughts, emotions, roles, and circumstances, and have lost sight of the limitless Self that we truly are.

As a result, we spend our lives seeking fulfilment in the world, outside ourselves, unaware that the fulfilment we long for is already within us.

Practical Vedanta

Vedanta teaches us how to live with both peace and productivity.

In today’s world, we find two extremes: people who are peaceful yet unproductive, and those who are highly productive yet inwardly anxious and stressed.

Vedanta unites the two: peace and productivity — inner composure with purposeful action — through the technique of right action.

Right action means dedicating your efforts — whether it’s writing, washing dishes, or running a business — to a higher purpose, without concern for the results. You act because it is the right thing to do, not because you are driven by praise or recognition.

Vedanta also teaches the importance of understanding your dharma — your natural disposition. When your actions are aligned with your nature, work ceases to be a struggle and becomes an expression of love and service.

This is why Vedanta is so profoundly practical. It is not an escape from the world. It is a manual for living wisely within it. It transforms the quality of your actions, your relationships, your work, and your mind.

That is Vedanta: a practical philosophy for daily life, and ultimately, the path to Self-realisation.

Thank you for reading.

Till next time,
Be Well,
Meredith ∞ The Elder Sage

Meet The Author

Gnana means knowledge. Yoga means union. Together, Gnana Yoga is the path of realising your essential nature through knowledge.

What is Gnana Yoga?

Gnana Yoga is a traditional discipline that prepares the mind for meditation. I’m not talking about modern-day meditation techniques; I’m referring to traditional meditation — the kind that is practised for true Self Realisation or God Realisation.

The practice of Gnana Yoga calms the mind and sharpens the intellect. Not the academic type, but the subtle thinking faculty called buddhi: the power to reason, discern and distinguish between the real and unreal, the eternal and the ephemeral.

Through systematic study, self-inquiry, reflection, and contemplation of the scriptures, Gnana Yoga gradually reduces selfish desires, quietens the ego, and clears the accumulated clutter of the mind.

It’s like weeding a garden. If you neglect it, the weeds take over. Gnana Yoga removes the mental clutter that prevents clarity, composure, and steady contemplation.

Three Thought Temperaments

Every human mind expresses itself through three thought temperaments, known in Vedanta as the gunas. Now, don’t let these Sanskrit terms put you off, because they are universal, meaning these gunas are for everyone. So, it’s important to know what they are.

In Sanskrit, these thought temperaments are known as Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas:

• Sattva is a state of peace, contentment, composure, serenity, poise, and pause. It is a state of contemplation and objectivity — seeing life as it is. It is the highest state, and while we all have it, in some of us it is very faint, so we need to strengthen it.

• Rajas is a state of passionate activity. You’re out there running around desire-ridden, propelled into action helter-skelter by every desire that comes up.

• Tamas is a state of inertia. Your mind and body are sluggish, your intellect is asleep, and you’re just going through the motions.

A lot of people mistake tamas for sattva, but it isn’t!

In modern-day meditation, people claim to be peaceful, but what is actually happening is that they have simply stopped running around and slipped into inactivity. I don’t mean to sound dismissive of our modern approach to meditation. However, there is much to learn and understand before we can find lasting peace.

Waking Up to Your Higher Nature

In nature, sattva manifests between 4-6am. If you wake up after six, you miss it completely and jump right into rajas, rushing into the day before the mind has found its centre. This is no way to function!

When you rise early, you enliven the Buddhi, intellect.

Unfortunately, we live in a world that thinks “intellect” means intellectual brilliance or academic achievement. But the Buddhi is our awakened thinking.

Look at it this way: Buddhi is Buddha with an ‘i’ on the end. To become awakened like the Buddha (the awakened one), you need the Buddhi — your awakened thinking to take you to that state of Self Realisation or God Realisation.

The intellect is like a muscle: if you don’t exercise it, it remains weak. Imagine an adult with the muscles of a child? It’s like that.

When the intellect is weak or asleep, the mind jumps into the driver’s seat.

The mind is a flow of thoughts—it gets into worries of the past and anxieties of the future, jumping from thought to thought like a monkey from one branch to another.

The Buddhi, intellect, governs the mind. It decides which thoughts deserve attention and which should be ignored. It is also what keeps the mind in the present.

So, we need to wake it up and strengthen it — and the best time to do this is first thing in the morning through the practice of Gnana Yoga (the yoga of knowledge).

How to Practice This at Home

You don’t have to overhaul your life overnight. Just tweak your habits by going to bed a little earlier and getting up a little earlier. This needn’t become another self-improvement project. Simply begin where you are.

1. Start with 30 minutes: Get up at 5:30am, sit quietly in a comfortable chair without disturbances, and gradually build up to an hour.

2. Choose an uplifting text: Find a sacred text that uplifts you. My choice is the Bhagavad Gita by A. Parthasarathy, but choose whatever inspires you. It could be the Bible or the Dharmapada.2

3. Read systematically: Don’t just turn to a random page. Go systematically from beginning to end, reading just a couple of paragraphs.

4. Follow the 20/80 Rule: Spend 20% reading and 80% reflection. Ask yourself: How does this apply to my life? What do I need to do to bring about a positive change?

What you read and contemplate in the quiet morning hours carries you throughout the day. You find that you are no longer as reactive as you used to be. You become calmer, more in control, poised, and dignified in how you respond to life.

Imagine beginning each day this way? Why not try it for a month? Observe what changes — not only in your mornings, but in the quality of your thinking throughout the day. If you decide to try it, I’d love to hear about your experience.

Leave a comment

Thank you for reading.

Till next time,
Be Well,
Meredith ∞ The Elder Sage

Meet The Author

Today, this body turned sixty-two. I say “this body” deliberately because I am not this. This is not who I am. This body is constantly changing and ageing. I am not.

Another word for “body” is change.

Because it is fleeting, it cannot be the ultimate Reality. What is real is that which never changes: the true Self. We all have a choice of where to place our focus: on this ever-changing, limited self or on our changeless, unlimited Self.

The Changeless Self

If you focus on the changes in your body, on what is fading, you will never find peace. You will long for what has passed, feel incomplete in the present, crave your lost youth, and remain dissatisfied.

You will search endlessly outwardly — for more, better, different — hoping something will finally satisfy you. But it never will, because what you seek cannot be found out there. It must be discovered within.

The Nuggets

Choose one or two that inspire you and reflect on them deeply. Reflection turns knowledge into wisdom. That’s when you start to live the knowledge.

1. Don’t chase what’s passing. Seek what is permanent.

2. Turn inward and gain wisdom — contemplating sacred texts fills you with inner strength and dispels restlessness.

3. Being grounded in your higher Self heals all psychological problems.

4. Life is like a boomerang. What you do to another, you ultimately do to yourself.

5. Your mind will drive you crazy if you let it. Use your power of discernment to govern your irrational and indiscriminate mind.

6. Intellect, buddhi in Sanskrit, is the capacity to govern the mind. It is the gateway to wisdom.

7. Contemplate before you meditate.

8. Never let yourself be defeated. Get up, and keep moving towards your higher goal.

9. Remember that you are one of a kind. Unique. There isn’t another you.

10. Be available for others. Don’t be so caught up in your own thoughts that you don’t have time for others.

11. See the Divinity in others, not the differences.

12. The world can never satisfy the longing in our hearts to be free.

13. Read sacred literature and reflect deeply. Question yourself, your choices, and your life.

14. You are your unlimited Self — the Source, the life-giving principle, pure Consciousness.

15. What they see in you is only a fraction of who you are.

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16. Meditation requires an awakened intellect, not a switched-off brain!

17. True spirituality is how peaceful you are when things don’t go your way.

18. Pay no attention to anyone’s praise or criticism. Simply follow what’s right for you.

19. Be a witness to what is happening around you and watch the procession of perceptions, actions, emotions and thoughts pass by.

20. Be still internally, dynamic externally.

21. Be your original Self. No one likes a copy.

22. Don’t be judgmental. The energy we waste in judging others is just what we need to live up to our own ideals.

23. Stand your ground. Not from a position of ego, but from a position of Truth.

24. Never be influenced by others. Pause, observe and question. Then draw your own conclusions.

25. Be good, always. Goodness comes back to you from the most unlikely sources.

26. Have no expectations; then you won’t have any disappointments.

27. Hate no one. No matter how much they hurt you.

28. Life may not seem fair, but it always is.

29. Focus on the work, not the outcome.

30. Love expresses as service to others.

31. Always follow your conscience, no matter what. Conscience is your inner compass, always pointing to the Truth.

32. Don’t waste your time focusing on what you don’t have.

33. Count your blessings. You have so many.

34. Make peace with your past. Plan for your future, but always focus on the present.

35. Don’t compare yourself with anyone. You are on your own journey.

36. No matter how you feel, get up and show up.

37. Rise up with knowledge and live it. Watch as all pettiness and negativity fall away.

38. Do what makes your heart sing. Life is too short to be working in a job you don’t love.

39. The people who are closest to you are your greatest teachers.

40. Plan your life, work towards a higher goal, but be flexible.

41. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

42. Think of others before yourself.

43. When life throws you a curved ball, ask yourself, “In a year’s time, will this matter?”

44. However good or bad a situation is, it will change. Everything is temporary.

45. Be in control of your life. Don’t let your life control you.

46. Forgive everyone everything. Hanging onto resentment will only harm you, not the other person.

47. What other people think of you is not your concern.

48. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.

49. Get up from your desk and walk outside. Breathe in the fresh air. Come back to your desk feeling invigorated and revitalised.

50. Be kind to others. Everyone is fighting their own battles.

51. Surrender to a higher power, beyond your small self.

52. Empty yourself of ego, and God will fill you up.

53. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it is a gift.

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54. Happiness exists in the present moment, not at some time in the future.

55. Fear is an illusion. Most of the things we fear never happen.

56. Simplification is the greatest sophistication.

57. Failure is good. If you avoid failure, you avoid taking action. Accept that failure is part of learning and keep moving forward.

58. Don’t waste your time and energy in petty, negative emotions.

59. You only take one thing with you when you go. That is, your wisdom or your ignorance.

60. Don’t take yourself too seriously. No one else does.

61. Never be selfish. Life is to give, not to take.

62. Age is just a number. The best is yet to come.

Was there one nugget that stood out for you? Let me know. Would love to hear your thoughts.

Leave a comment

Thank you for reading.

Till next time,
Be Well,
Meredith ∞ The Elder Sage

Meet the Author

First of all, this body turns sixty-two next week — and for more than three decades I’ve been studying, researching, contemplating, teaching and living an ancient philosophy called Vedanta.1

Vedanta is the most profound philosophy. It literally means “the end of knowledge.” Because once you know Vedanta, there is nothing more to be known. You have reached the ultimate realisation of your essential nature.

But before you reach the ultimate, you live in a world where everything changes. I’ve been a child, a teenager, a young woman, a mature woman, and now I’m entering the later stage of life. In the blink of an eye, I’ll be seventy-two!

That is why I called this publication The Elder Sage.

Everything I write here comes from sincere study, reflection, contemplation, and personal experience. I’m not here to tell you what to believe. Quite the opposite. I encourage you to question. To apply your own intellect and ask, Is this true? Does this stand up to reason? Does it correspond with my own experience?

If it does, keep it. If it doesn’t, leave it.

Much of what I’ll be writing about in the near future centres on one distinction that has the power to transform our lives — the difference between the mind and the intellect: manas and buddhi in Sanskrit.

The mind is the seat of our desires, impulses, feelings, emotions, and personal preferences, our likes and dislikes. The intellect is our faculty of clarity, critical thinking, reason, and discernment — and, most importantly, our capacity to observe and manage our mind.

The mind is constantly rambling: moving, like water in a river. The intellect is like the riverbanks. When the banks are strong, the river flows smoothly and safely towards its destination — the ocean. But when the banks are weak, the river floods its surroundings, destroying everything in its path.

Our lives work much the same way.

When our intellect is weak, the mind runs everywhere — wherever it wants. It lives in the past and future, worrying and replaying regrets and anxiously creating unnecessary emotional turmoil.

When the intellect is strong, it guides the mind back to the present. It is like a loving parent caring for a child — not suppressing it, but guiding it with wisdom.

Hope you enjoyed watching my first video here on Substack. Along with the writing, this is the direction I'm taking The Elder Sage.

Thank you for being here.

Till next time,
Be Well,
Meredith ∞ The Elder Sage

Meet the Author

One of the toughest things I’ve ever had to do was stand in front of a room full of highly intelligent professors at the University of Western Australia and speak about the difference between intellect and intelligence.

I mean, who was I? I wasn’t one of them. I didn’t have a degree in science, engineering, or business management. All I had done was study ancient philosophy in India for six years, where I learned the core difference between the two.

Still, I stood there, head up, shoulders back, and asked them to keep an open mind — and for a brief moment, they did.

But the shutters came down the moment I said, “Education systems around the world focus on gaining intelligence, rather than teaching students how to think.”

The auditorium fell into stunned silence. Then came murmurs: “How dare she? Of course we teach students how to think.”

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You are the stars, the moon, the sun, and the sky. You are your unlimited Self — the Source, the life-giving principle, pure Consciousness. That is who you are. Yet, you feel limited and inadequate.

It is the greatest delusion, the greatest error humanity can make: to be Almighty, yet feel minuscule. To be the ocean, yet feel worthless because you believe you’re just a wave.

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We are all gods and goddesses in this apparent world. Yet, we have lost sight of our true nature. Consequently, we have identified entirely with the body, mind, and ego, reducing our magnificent stature to something insignificant and small.

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Many years ago, in my early twenties, I was arrogant, self-centred, and deeply unhappy. Not a day went by without anxiety clouding my mind. I honestly thought the world was the problem. But it wasn’t until I went to India to study the ancient philosophy of Vedanta that I realised the real culprit was me and my ego.

I also realised I wasn’t alone. Almost everyone falls into the ego trap. The ego is the “I am” in us — “I am this,” “I am that,” “I am so important,” or even, “I am nothing.”

Ego steals our happiness by separating us from who we truly are, convincing us that we are merely a limited personality bound by the body, mind, and intellect. But we are so much more than the story we tell ourselves.

Imagine Timothée Chalamet as a beggar in a film. He dives deeply into character and begins to suffer as the beggar. When it rains, he curses the heavens. When a passerby ignores him, he genuinely feels wounded. He spends years defending his little corner of the street, hoarding scraps of food, and crying out, “This is my miserable life! This is who I am!”

Then, the director calls, “Cut!”

In that single moment, the beggar dissolves. Timothée instantly steps out of character and returns to himself. He knows he isn’t a beggar; he was just playing a role. He never lost his wealth, his home, or his status — and crucially, even while deep in character, he never once felt separate from his real self.

Similarly, we are not separate from our true Self. It is ever present. We are all like actors playing our roles. The only difference is that we have become lost in the script — as a mother, partner, daughter or son. We have identified so deeply with the characters we play that we’ve forgotten our true selves.

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People spend their lives chasing money, believing that wealth will bring them the peace and happiness they long for. But if happiness truly came from possessions, then the wealthiest people would live in permanent joy.

They do not.

Wealth may provide comfort, convenience, and pleasure, but it cannot satisfy the deepest longing of the human heart.

So where does real fulfilment come from?

To discover it, we need not look to the stars or to the vast oceans. We can begin with the smallest thing imaginable — a mustard seed resting in the palm of your hand.

Look carefully at the seed. It appears insignificant. Tiny. Almost lifeless. You can describe its colour, shape, smell, texture, and weight. But is that truly what a seed is? Is a seed merely what the senses perceive?

Place the seed into the earth.

Within days, something extraordinary happens. The shell breaks open. A shoot emerges. Roots descend into the soil.

In time, the tiny seed becomes a flourishing plant carrying thousands of new seeds. Those thousands become millions, and millions become trillions.

And it all came from something so tiny.

What does this reveal?

The original seed perishes in the ground. Its form disappears completely. Yet something within it does not perish. Hidden inside that tiny shell was an immeasurable power — an invisible intelligence, a silent force, an infinite potential waiting to express itself.

That unseen power is the real seed.

The outer form was only ever a temporary covering.

We could manufacture an artificial seed with the same colour, size, smell, and weight as the real one. To the eye, it may appear identical. But place it in the earth, and nothing happens. No life emerges. No transformation occurs. Why? Although it outwardly resembles a seed, it lacks the invisible essence within.

The true nature of the seed was never its appearance. Its reality lay in the incredible power hidden within it.

This is one of the greatest truths of existence: the Infinite hides within the finite.

And perhaps the seed is teaching us not only about nature, but about ourselves.

Human beings tend to judge life by outer appearances — the body, status, possessions, age, success, and failure. Yet these are only the external coverings. Beneath them exists something immeasurably greater: the spirit, the Self, the infinite essence of life itself.

The body changes constantly. Thoughts change. Circumstances change. Eventually, like the seed form, the body too returns to the earth. But does the essence within perish?

No. The Infinite cannot die.

Just as the invisible life within the seed survives the destruction of its outer shell, the spirit within every human being remains unaffected by birth and death.

It is timeless, changeless, eternal.

The tragedy is that most people live unaware of this inner wealth. They search outside themselves for fulfilment while carrying infinity within.

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A mustard seed silently proclaims one of life’s greatest revelations: never mistake the outer form for the deeper reality.

Within the smallest seed lies a hidden universe.

Within you lies the Infinite.

Thank you for reading.

Till next time,
Be Well,
Meredith ♾️ The Elder Sage

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What if you were handed a manual for living on your first day of school? A blueprint for thinking clearly, loving selflessly, and standing tall in the face of life’s toughest challenges.

As you grew physically, you wouldn’t just gain bookish knowledge, you would mature mentally, so that you begin to see life AS IT IS, not as you would like it to be.

You wouldn’t feel bullied, anxious, or crumble under pressure, because you wouldn’t take yourself or the world too seriously.

The name of this manual is Vedanta.

Vedanta is an ancient philosophy that originated in the Himalayas over 10,000 years ago. It provides eternal principles for life and living.

These principles enable you to deal with life’s challenges in a calm and dignified manner. They teach you how to prepare for life’s eventualities; how to handle pressure, navigate pain, and rise when life knocks you down.

Above all, its philosophy leads you to the ultimate state of liberation: Moksha.

With the guidance this manual provides, you live the life you are meant to.

But, like most of us, it wasn’t like that for me.

I wasn’t handed any such manual. By the time the 1990s rolled around, I was 26 years old and completely adrift, like a small boat lost at sea, tossed and bossed by the chaotic winds of life.

While my friends were navigating the predictable milestones of their mid-twenties — settling into careers, getting married, buying homes, and starting families — I chose a path many labelled “radical and weird”.

I boarded a plane to India to “find myself”.

Shortly before, I had met a Swami in Perth during his Australian lecture tour. I read his book, Vedanta Treatise, and felt an inexplicable pull toward its concepts.1

While the world back home was spinning its usual wheels, I found myself cloistered in an Indian ashram under the brilliant guidance of a self-realised master, Swami A. Parthasarathy.2

For six years, I lived in the ashram, practised yoga, adopted a vegan lifestyle, and immersed myself in the study of this ancient philosophy — Vedanta.

What is Vedanta?

Vedanta is a Sanskrit word that literally means the end of knowledge. As radical as it sounds, once you know Vedanta, there is nothing more to be known.

It’s like this: Imagine you’re in a dream. While you're in it, you are bound by the rules of that dream — the sky, the people, the threats, the joys. But the moment you wake up, the dream world loses its power over you. You don’t need to analyse every detail of the dream to understand it; you simply realise its illusory nature.

Vedanta is like that. It’s the alarm clock. It takes you by the hand and leads you to the realisation of your original nature — your true Self.

Yet, unlike other mystical schools of thought that get lost in abstract ideas, Vedanta is intensely practical. It accepts the reality of our current human experience — that we function with a body, a mind, and intellect — and teaches us exactly how to navigate the messy day-to-day, guiding us step-by-step toward ultimate transcendence.

A Universal Philosophy

In contrast to most religions, Vedanta was not founded by a single prophet, messiah, or master. Instead, it was mapped out by a galaxy of anonymous sages and saints.

This gives Vedanta a uniquely universal edge. Its truths are timeless, not because one person declared them, but because generations of enlightened souls independently arrived at the same understanding and conclusions through disciplined living, reflection, and meditation.

What makes Vedanta strikingly urgent today is that it teaches the rare art of combining dynamic, effective action with profound inner peace.

By instilling higher values and right action, Vedanta provides a blueprint for career success, business ethics, and domestic harmony. It guides you toward peace of mind amid action, rendering you completely unflappable, no matter what chaos swirls around you.

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Why It Matters Today

Stepping onto that plane at 26 wasn’t a retreat from the world; it was a deep dive into the very mechanics of how to live in it.

Today’s world is louder, faster, and people are more fearful and anxious than ever before.

Vedanta matters today because it reminds us that the quality of our lives is never determined by our bank accounts, our resumes, or our social status, but by the clarity of our internal state.

Looking back at those six years in the ashram, I realise that the timeless principles I studied under Swamiji are not just concepts in a book. They are the anchor of my existence.

They are living proof that the ancient past still holds the brightest key to our chaotic present — and they are the only manual you need for a truly peaceful future.

Thank you for reading.

Till next time,
Be Well,
Meredith ♾️ The Elder Sage

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For thousands of years, the Bhagavad Gita has inspired philosophers, poets, saints, and seekers in their search for meaning.1

Though born on a battlefield in ancient India, the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita remains timeless because its philosophy is Vedanta — a universal philosophy for all humanity.2

It speaks to the eternal struggles of human life: fear, grief, purpose, duty, attachment, and the search for lasting peace.

The Gita is not a book to rush through. It is a scripture to live by. A companion in times of confusion. A guide when the mind is restless. A light when life feels uncertain.

What is remarkable is not only the depth of its philosophy, but the extraordinary range of minds it has touched across centuries. Some of the world’s greatest thinkers stood in awe before its wisdom.

To Einstein, the Gita placed worldly concerns into perspective. Compared to its vast vision of existence, much of human anxiety appeared small and fleeting.

For Thoreau, the Gita was not merely literature — it was nourishment for the intellect and soul.

Millions have discovered the same truth: the Gita has an uncanny ability to speak directly to the human condition. Open any page, and often the answer you seek appears.

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Its teachings are eternal because they address eternal problems: fear, attachment, grief, desire, confusion, ego, purpose, and inner peace.

The Gita teaches that lasting happiness cannot come from external possessions or changing circumstances. It reminds us that life is constantly changing — success and failure, pleasure and pain, gain and loss all come and go. Wisdom lies in remaining steady amidst the changing tides of life.

At its heart, the Gita is a call to rise above weakness and live with clarity, discipline, courage, and selflessness.

Act wholeheartedly, the Gita says — but do not lose yourself in anxiety over results. This single principle has the power to transform daily life from stress to serenity.

The enduring power of the Bhagavad Gita lies in its extraordinary ability to awaken the human spirit. It does not ask us to escape life, but to face life’s challenges with dignity and poise.

At the heart of the Gita is Vedanta — the timeless philosophy that teaches that true strength lies not in controlling one’s circumstances, but in mastering oneself.

The battlefield of the Gita symbolises the battlefield within every human being: the struggle between right and wrong, clarity and confusion, courage and fear, wisdom and impulse.

This is why the Gita continues to live across centuries, because it speaks to something universal in all of us. Every human being longs for peace. Everyone faces uncertainty, loss, disappointment, and change. And everybody seeks something lasting amidst the fleeting nature of life.

To read the Gita is not merely to study a scripture. It’s to encounter a philosophy that has the power to transform the way we think, act, live, and face the world.

Perhaps that is why generation after generation continues to return to it.

Not simply for knowledge, but for strength, clarity, courage — and ultimately, for peace.

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Read what the Bhagavad Gita teaches about staying steady in a shaky world.

Till next time, 
Be well, 
Meredith ♾️ The Elder Sage

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The Bhagavad Gita is one of the world’s most revered scriptures. It is a powerful guide to handling life with a calm mind and a clear intellect, especially during times of stress, change, or emotional upheaval.

Unlike any other scripture, the Gita opens on a battlefield.

Arjuna, a master archer and the greatest warrior of his time, stands ready for battle. For thirteen years, he and his brothers have prepared for war. The kingdom they once ruled was usurped by their cousin, and they were exiled.

But just before the battle begins, Arjuna asks Krishna, his charioteer and friend, to place the chariot between the two armies so he can see who he must face.

What he sees undoes him.

Across the field are not enemies, but his own cousins, teachers, elders, and friends. His composure collapses. His bow slips from his hands. His body trembles — and he refuses to fight.

Witnessing Arjuna’s agitation, Krishna remains silent. He knows there is no point in speaking when someone is emotionally unhinged. Krishna doesn’t say a word until Arjuna surrenders to Him for guidance in Chapter II, Verse 7.

Arjuna’s breakdown is not unique. It’s human.

We remain composed while life is in our favour. But when it turns — when plans fall apart, when relationships fail, when there’s loss or uncertainty of any kind — our composure goes with it.

We forget to pause. We react and take things personally. We become overwhelmed, confused, and unable to act with clarity.

This is where the Gita becomes invaluable as a guide to daily living with calm, clarity, and composure.

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What is Unflappability?

Being unflappable is the highest art of living.

It’s the ability to witness your mind and the world with love and attention, without getting emotionally entangled.

Most people do the opposite. They get involved with the hope of satisfaction, only to lose themselves and whatever peace they had.

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This body will be 62 in July ‘26. Over the last six decades, there is one thing I know to be true: life is impermanent. It’s constantly changing.

Just look at what the world was like fifty years ago. It was very different from what it is today. The forties, fifties, and sixties, right up to now — each decade has been different. Every year, month, week and day, the world changes.

You have changed… I have changed… everything has changed.

The person you were yesterday is not the person you are today. The you who went to sleep last night is not the you who woke up this morning. You might have been thinking one way last night, but now, after a good night’s sleep, you’re thinking just the opposite.

Today your life might be great... Everything is just the way you want it to be. Or things might not be the way you want them. You may have lost a friend, and you’re feeling sad. Your child might be unwell, or your partner might be angry about work, and it’s affecting your relationship.

Whatever your situation, there’s one guarantee… It will change.

Good becomes bad and bad becomes good in an instant. That’s life. Morning becomes noon and noon becomes night. Nothing remains the same. Friends become enemies and enemies become friends. Children grow up. Profits go down.

Life is full of changes. It is passing, fleeting and ephemeral, like a river; it is never the same from one moment to the next.

The sooner we accept this fundamental truth, the sooner our lives become smoother, and our minds become balanced. Instead of jumping for joy and sinking into sorrow, we remain steady and composed amid the highs and lows of life.

Two Selves

So when it comes to turning 62, or any age, you have a choice of where you place your focus: on this ever-changing self or that changeless Self.

If you focus on the changes in your body, on what is fading, you will never find peace. You will long for what has passed and feel incomplete in what is. You will crave your lost youth and always feel dissatisfied.

Thus, you will search… outwardly. For more, better, different; hoping something will finally satisfy you. But it never does. Because what you are seeking cannot be found out there. It must be discovered within.

Seek Wisdom

Turn inward. Gain knowledge; not of the world, but of the Self. Contemplate sacred texts — and you will find that this knowledge does something extraordinary: it removes the restlessness within: the anxiety, the dissatisfaction, the sense that something is missing.

Spiritual knowledge fills you up… internally.

So, whether life rises or falls, you remain full. Complete and unruffled. Not indifferent, but detached — full of love and understanding.

So when it comes to turning sixty-two, there is very little to say. Age is just a number.
In a moment, it will be seventy. That’s simply the nature of life.

So don’t chase what’s passing. Seek what is permanent. Embrace the pursuit of wisdom. Not the fleeting knowledge of the world, but the profound understanding of the Self.

Know That. And you will find the peace, fulfilment, bliss, and contentment that has been waiting within you all along.

Till next time,
Be Well,
Meredith ∞ The Elder Sage

Meet the Author

In a single second, life can turn completely upside down — and show you what you’re really made of.

It began just over a week ago, on Good Friday. My husband and I had just spent ten glorious days skiing in Corvara, Alta Badia, celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary — a long-awaited gift to ourselves. Everything felt effortless. Light. Perfect.

We were having a ball. By the end of our ten days, I had proudly skied 15 slopes (24 km) in a day. Not bad.

But then, in an instant, everything changed.

I fell.

I’d fallen before, quite spectacularly, I’ve got to say, and walked away with nothing more than bruises. But this was different.

Before I explain the fall, there’s something worth mentioning.

This was an extra day of skiing. An unplanned indulgence — like a dab of wasabi: exciting in the moment, but a second later you’re questioning why you ever thought it was a good idea.

And, as it turns out, it wasn’t a good idea. But more about that later.

Back to the fall.

The slopes were new. We were now in Plan de Gralba in Val Gardena. I’m an intermediate skier; Paul is advanced. He enjoys the steep runs, but I don’t. I prefer control and predictability — solid ground beneath my feet. Not ideal for skiing, but I’ve never been one to take too many risks. I always prefer to err on the side of caution.

From Paul’s perspective, I had improved out of sight. He had no doubt about my ability to handle the steeper slopes.

So we took the lift to the top.

Standing there, looking down, he pointed out the blue runs — the ones within my comfort zone. But to reach them, I had to traverse a short red run.

He skied ahead a few metres down the slope and waited.

“Come on,” he said. “You can do it.”

I hesitated. A subtle tightening inside — the kind you cannot afford on a ski slope.

He waited. But I could sense his impatience.

So I pushed off.

One turn. Then another.

And then I was down.

“Ouch.”

I raised my arm. “I’ve hurt my knee.”

“No, you haven’t,” I heard him say.

Yes, I have!” I yelled.

A paramedic was at my side within moments.

“Are you okay?” He said.

“No. I need help.”

Another paramedic arrived. They helped me to my feet and checked whether I could stand. My knee felt very unstable.

“I can’t ski,” I said.

So they brought a snowmobile and carried me down.

Strangely, I wasn’t in much pain. I simply enjoyed the ride. This is something I’ve learnt through Vedanta: to meet each moment as it comes and to find the good in it — even in adversity.1

So that’s what I did. I breathed in the mountain air. I spoke to the paramedics in my broken Italian. We laughed. They sympathised. They were kind, gentle, and unhurried.

Since studying Vedanta, I’ve come to see that the best and worst of life are simply experiences. They come and go. Nothing stays long enough to justify losing your balance.

Everything passes. Including this.

There’s a beautiful Sanskrit word called Titiksha, which is the capacity to endure difficulty with grace. To meet discomfort without agitation.

A beautiful quality worth cultivating.

The next thing to happen was that Paul picked up the car and drove me to the doctor. I watched the mountains pass by, still calm, still at ease.

While driving, he said, almost casually, “Don’t be alarmed, but I don’t think we’re insured for today.”

I said, “It’ll be fine. We’re with RAC. They’ll look after us.”

(We had ski insurance for ten days, not eleven.)

The doctor saw me immediately. X-rays were taken, and he explained that “My left knee was like a jelly pudding.” But to understand the full extent of the damage, I needed an MRI, which meant travelling to another clinic.

So we went.

If you’ve never had an MRI, it’s a strange experience. Fifteen minutes of absolute stillness — not even a twitch was allowed. And the noise was deafening. Mechanical and relentless. Yet, despite it all, the process was seamless.

I couldn’t help but admire the Italian system, especially the ethos of the Dolomiti Sports Clinic, which is designed specifically for ski injuries and where diagnosis and surgery occur with remarkable speed.

But the results were grim. Two cruciate ligaments were torn, and the meniscus was badly damaged. In essence, a full knee reconstruction was necessary.

I could have gone into surgery that evening, but Paul wanted to confirm the insurance coverage first. It was going to be an expensive operation.

But confirming cover proved complicated. It was Easter. In Australia, everything shuts down. Still, there was an emergency line, and Paul managed to reach someone in America. No one mentioned the dates, so it all seemed fine to proceed. Still, there was no confirmation from Australia. Which meant one thing: we would have to pay up front.

The doctors were clear — this kind of injury required immediate surgery. Waiting until we returned to Australia, despite having private healthcare, wasn’t advisable.

So on Saturday, Paul paid the €15,000 bill, and I went in for surgery.

The two-hour operation was like a comma in a sentence — barely a pause. One moment, I was there, being prepared. The next, it was over.

On Easter Sunday, I met Tao, the physiotherapist. She was from Georgia, just thirty years old, bright and full of warmth.

“I like your pants,” she said.

“They’re from India,” I replied — and just like that, a conversation began.

I told her I had lived in India for six years, and had returned many times since. She was intrigued.

“What were you doing there?”

“Studying philosophy.”

“Really? What kind?”

“Vedanta.”

For me, meeting someone genuinely interested in Vedanta is rare — and deeply satisfying. We spoke for two hours about human nature and small miracles, as we worked through the therapy.

At one point, I smiled and said, “I’m almost certain I had this accident just to meet you.”

After physio, I was allowed back to the hotel, where I continued to rest.

On Easter Monday, we had to leave and head back to Venice. But before we left, Paul got some bad news.

“They’re not paying,” he said.

RAC travel insurance had confirmed that the ski portion of our holiday was covered only until April 2nd. The accident happened on April 3rd, Good Friday.

One day.

That was all it took.

I had believed they would assist. After all, that was their job. That’s what we paid them for. Instead, we found ourselves on our own — injured, overseas, and paying for everything.

But I don’t say this to complain. The mistake was ours, and we take full responsibility. Yet, to have our claim denied and be cut off from any assistance — to have no discussion. No exception. No help was a genuine blow.

We both felt flat — for a moment. But we decided to put it behind us and keep moving forward. We had a drive ahead of us to Venice, and that required all our focus.

So we drove. Forgetting the past, not concerned about the future. Our full attention was on the road. Consequently, we enjoyed the road trip immensely.

I should mention that the emergency organisation working on behalf of RAC was exceptional. Human, responsive, and genuinely helpful. They arranged flight options for us, including upgrades so I could lie flat, and even lodged a complaint to RAC on our behalf.

Venice was another adventure. It’s a city with no cars — just vaporettos (water buses), water taxis and gondolas. You have to walk to get anywhere. This was our third visit, so it didn’t bother me that I would have to stay mostly in the hotel. I saw it as an opportunity for rehabilitation.

So, we dropped the rental car at the airport and took a water taxi into the city. I was slightly apprehensive; it meant being carefully lowered into the boat. But it was all good.

It was a beautiful day. And a fabulous way to arrive in Venice.

Finally, in the hotel room, Paul and I breathed a sigh of relief.

What an ordeal.

And yet… here we were.

In Venice.

On crutches, unable to go far — but still, incredibly happy.

The flights arranged for us were long and indirect, avoiding certain regions. But we discovered a shorter route via Dubai — Venice to Dubai, then onto Perth. With a ceasefire in place and reassurance from friends in Dubai, we felt comfortable choosing that option.

So that’s how we travelled home.

And as I sit with it all — the fall, the surgery, the cost, the uncertainty — I’m reminded of something simple.

Life is a flow of experiences. Some we welcome. Others we would never choose. And in that moment, we have a choice: to resist or to accept, to collapse or to remain steady.

We may not control what happens to us, but we do have a say in how we respond.

That is where our freedom lies.

Everything passes. The best of things and the worst. So why not meet each experience with a little grace?

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I did writing it for you. If you have any questions or anything you’d like to say, feel free to write them in the comments.

Until next time,
Be Well,

Meredith, The Elder Sage

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