Welcome to episode 45 of the Ask Sri Vishwanath show. It’s a pleasant afternoon here. Today I want to talk about the number one dangerous habit that people subconsciously form. How it ruins them and how you can overcome it.
Today’s question is from Brad. Brad says “I struggle with getting rid of bad habits: drinking, procrastinating, smoking. I’ve tried various programs but I’ve made very little progress. What am I doing wrong?”
Thanks for the question Brad. Let’s see what Krishna did. He looked at people and their life experiences and the experiences of their ancestors and was able to break them down into three distinct parts. These parts are based on their attitudes.
Sattvic
Sattvic people do the right thing, in the right place, at the right time. That’s the sattvic attitude. It means they have the right knowledge and the right attitude to get things done.
Rajasic
Indulging in actions through limited experiences of body, mind and intellect. Sattvic starts in the consciousness whereas the rajasic experience lies in body, mind and intellect
Tamasic
Tamasic people tend to make a lot of mistakes. They mistake unrighteousness for righteousness. Everything is the contrary so they don’t believe that things like smoking, drinking and procrastinating are wrong. That’s the tamasic experience.
So sattvic starts in the conscious. Rajasic starts from a place of body mind and spirit and tamasic people mistake unrighteousness for righteousness. Krishna says that tamasic and rajasic is Maya that can easily be broken apart.
These are the experiences of hundreds of millions of people. They experience it 24 hours a day for 365 days of the year. Sattvic people have the right attitude. Rajasic people limit themselves from the start and tamasic people react on their instincts.
Habits of manifestation
Let’s see what Krishna has to say. This is interesting but also very important. Krishna says the single biggest mistake people make is not looking at habits as effects of manifestation of the soul but rather as a cause for problems. This is the reason for human degradation.
Let me repeat that because it’s just so important! The single biggest mistake people make is not looking at habits as effects of manifestation of the soul but rather as a cause for problems. We think that habits are the cause of all our problems but Krishna says no! Habits are not a cause of the problem. It is the effect of manifestation of the spirit.
Self-effort and willpower
I really want you to understand this. Krishna says self-effort and willpower are useless when it comes to solving problems. You’ve already been doing this for years and it’s not working. You’re locked in a never ending cycle.
So what is the answer?
The answer is attitude! You must have the right attitude. If you have the attitude of sattvic it means you’ll do the right things, in the right places at the right time. You’ll start from a place of consciousness because the consciousness is complete. It’s full.
What do I have to do?
This is the best part. You don’t have to do anything. It’s already there inside you. All you need to do is replace self-effort and willpower with the right attitude.
There are only 3 attitudes. A sattvic attitude, a rajasic attitude and a tamasic attitude. Right now you’re using a combination of rajasic and tamasic. You’re coming from a place of body, mind and intellect. You’re using self-worth and willpower. Krishna says you need to stop this. Start by taking it easy. Make its simple by having the right attitude.
The right attitude
Having the right attitude. Doing the right things, in the right places at the right time is the most valuable thing a human being can ever do. It will solve most of your problems in life. Develop the right attitude. Don’t worry about self-effort and willpower.
Meditation
I also want you to try something. I want you to put aside ten minutes each morning after you get up to meditate on these words from the Bhagavad Gita.
This is the first verse I want you to meditate on so you can get to the core of your consciousness.
“Him the weapons cannot cut, water cannot wet, air cannot dry, fire cannot burn. The Self cannot be cutted, dried, burnt or wetted. Eternal, all pervasive, stable, immovable everlasting the self reigns. The Self is the Imperishable, the Imponderable, the Immutable”
This is the second verse:
“The Sage neither hates, light, action, delusion, when they appear nor seek them when they disappear. Seated as if indifferent, he is not disturbed by constituents, he stirs not is of steadfast resolve holding that constituents alone prevail”
Firstly “him the weapons cannot cut” is you embracing your consciousness. Secondly, when the inclination comes to partake in these bad habits such as drinking and smoking don’t worry. It’s just a wave that will pass. Remember you are the ocean and those bad habits are the waves. Let them come. They will come because they are the effects of the manifestation of the soul.
Think of them as seeds. Can you change a seed? No. The seed will grow no matter what but it’s up to you to decide what type of plant it will be.
The waves will keep coming. They are effects of the manifestation of the soul. You will be ok because you have the right attitude. You have the strength to know that it’s an effect and not a cause. All you need to do is to have the right attitude to start from the consciousness.
Remember: “him the weapons cannot cut is” you embracing your consciousness. And The Sage neither hates, light, action, delusion, when they appear nor seek them when they disappear” is you having the strength to embrace those waves.
So you will feel the urge to drink, smoke and procrastinate but when you meditate on these words you’ll find the strength to know that these thoughts are only an effect and not a cause. Through meditation you’ll see that you are the ocean and this is just a wave that will pass. You’’ decide that you will do the right things, in the right place and at the right time.
It only takes 10 minutes each morning to ensure that you have the right attitude to not worry about self-effort and will power.
Say to yourself:
“Let it come. I am not afraid”
I hope this explains everything. Remember. You keep asking questions and ill keep answering them.
