Our attitude in facing challenges has a great influence on the outcome
When we look around and talk with other devotees, we may notice so many problems in our movement. However, our attitude to them plays an important role in the results.
« Things I Wish Someone Had Taught Me When I Started Krishna Consciousness
Our attitude in facing challenges has a great influence on the outcome
When we look around and talk with other devotees, we may notice so many problems in our movement, just like we would notice in any other society or group of people. People are imperfect and often don’t act properly with others. It’s impossible to live in the material world without facing challenges, and these challenges may appear even more acute when we are following the spiritual process, since we are not just coping but effectively trying to solve the problem of conditioned existence. However, the way we react to difficulties has a great impact on the way they affect us.
Our reaction is connected with the way the modes of nature are acting upon us. When we are influenced by the mode of ignorance, we may feel hopeless and despondent. We may have the idea that everything is lost and just lose hope, which is not positive for ourselves or for others. As a result, we will tend to tolerate an unpleasant situation, not out of renunciation but just out of lethargy. The problem will bother us, but we will not want to do anything about it. We can see that while we may seem tolerant on the outside, this type of tolerance will not be positive.
When we are influenced by the mode of passion, we may want to fix the situation, making campaigns, fighting people, and so on. The problem with this approach, however, is that we may understand there is a problem, but we will not understand what the real solution is. We will not be able to properly distinguish right and wrong, and as a result, we may harm others or ourselves. We can see that there are many people online and offline trying to correct all the problems in our movement, but most of the time, they do more harm than good.
As we progress to the mode of goodness, this tendency of becoming a self-appointed reformer becomes less pronounced, and we tend to focus on our own spiritual development, understanding that Kṛṣṇa is in control and that we can’t fix anything without first fixing our own consciousness. In this stage, we try to change ourselves instead of trying to change others. Although we may not do much to directly solve the problems, we end up helping a lot because our example inspires others to also see things from the highest perspective, improve their practice, and find the best solutions. Tolerance in goodness also manifests differently. We may also tolerate, but based on a superior understanding of the temporality of this world, calculating that it is better to use our time and energy to advance in spiritual life.
We can see that when we are influenced by ignorance, we just tolerate passively, without participating in the solution. In passion, we become part of the problem and often make it worse, while in goodness, we participate in the solution, be it through direct, non-conflictive action or by inspiring others by our example.
It’s not difficult to understand why it is so. All problems and injustices that appear in our movement are caused by the influence of the lower modes. When people are influenced by material illusion, they can act as instruments of Kali. Just like it’s not possible to put out a fire by throwing ghee on it, it is not possible to solve the situation by acting under the influence of the same modes of passion and ignorance that are the causes of the problem. The only solution is to act in goodness and, in this way, gradually decrease the influence of the lower modes around us. We can see that the presence of devotees in this platform, who preach through their example, and not only through their words, is the secret of successful communities. They act as the unifying force that keeps the whole thing together. If they are removed, often the whole community collapses.
There is yet another platform, which can be observed in empowered preachers, who can act as true reformers due to their purity. The difference between these empowered preachers and ordinary, busy-foolish fellows is that they are acting not under the ordinary mode of passion, but under the guidance of Kṛṣṇa, who is directly empowering them to accomplish a certain mission. This is, however, only possible for one who is capable of not only becoming pure from the influence of the lower modes but also developing a strong connection with Kṛṣṇa.
The lamentation coming from the mode of ignorance leads one to gradually lose one’s faith and abandon spiritual life. The propensity for foolish action propitiated by the mode of passion leads one to enter into conflict and commit offenses that can also gradually put him out of the path. It’s probably even more dangerous than the first. On this path, one harms others and harms oneself.
The path for becoming successful in spiritual life is to gradually learn to see things from the perspective of the mode of goodness. We must first fix ourselves before we can fix the situation around us, and the way to do that is by our example, instead of simply by words.
« Things I Wish Someone Had Taught Me When I Started Krishna Consciousness
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