Day 57 · Advaita · September 24, 2026

Praise and blame.

The Ashtavakra (say "ahsh-tah-vah-krah") Gita puts being feted and being tormented in one sentence, which isn't how either one feels when it arrives. Praise floats you; blame starts writing its appeal before you've finished hearing it. Watch where each one lands: the shoulders lift or drop, the jaw sets, the breath changes speed, all before you've decided anything. The verse isn't asking you to stop feeling it; it's pointing at what's underneath the weather. Next time a compliment or a correction lands today, notice the breath change before you answer, and notice the part of you that noticed, which didn't change at all.

Whether feted or tormented, the wise man is always aware of his supreme self-nature and is neither pleased nor disappointed.

Ashtavakra Gita 3.9 (trans. John Richards)

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