Should we learn from problems or move away from them?

Answer Podcast

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
so if we are in a troublesome situation then is moving away from that situation not like running away isn’t it better that we see that situation as a stimulus as an opportunity for learning improving for growing spiritually yes definitely every situation is an opportunity to learn and grow specifically how we learn and grow that is not stereotyped basically if we are having a troublesome situation there are three broad alternatives to it one is change the situation second is change ourselves third is walk away from the situation it is not necessary that only one of these situations is the best course for spiritual growth you see the Pandavas they adopted all these three at different times initially when the Kauravas were persecuting them they tried to poison Bhima, they tried to burn them in Valnavar Pandavas simply tolerated Yudhisthira told them don’t complain about this, don’t publicize this don’t provoke them unnecessarily they just tried to change themselves, tolerate it but then when they tried to disrobe Draupadi then a particular line was crossed then the Pandavas took assertive action, they fought so they did not just change themselves, they changed the situation at that time and eventually when Krishna departed from the world they said enough now they also left so they walked away from the situation so the point is in all situations in different situations they acted different and in all the situations they are devotees they are choosing things which help them to grow so in general we should not run away from situations there is a difference between walking away and running away running away means we are so fearful of the situation I just want to get out of here I don’t care where I go that is running away from the situation but walking away from the situation means that I have better things to do in my life I have more important things to do in my life and I don’t want to waste my life fighting the situation so in that with that understanding because I have something more important to do suppose say we are driving a car and then somebody cuts across us and then we get angry and we try to speak something to that person that person shouts back at us now we may feel I am not wrong you are wrong now we may say I will go to a cop and I will tell that person and get this person but if we are going for some important meeting just forget this so we may just leave that situation sometimes we may walk away from a situation because we have something more important to do with our time and energy so when I talked about when we are in a provocative situation to move away from it I was talking more in terms of at that moment to choose a wise response so if we have got into a shouting match with someone that person is shouting and usually shouting matches never lead to any solution it’s only both people at throat get exhausted but internally they are still shouting at each other so it’s best to move away from the situation at that time or whatever it is whatever it is that is our provocation, we move away so that we can think and respond wisely so usually when we are in rajoguna or tamoguna when we are angry or when we are irritated or when we are passionate whatever it is when we are in the lower modes we can’t choose wisely so moving away from that situation helps us to create some distance it gives us better perspective we can come to the mode of goodness and then can choose a proper response in general actions done in the heat of the moment actions done in passion in a rush of passion they are often counterproductive so it’s good to in that situation just press a pause button not yes, not no just pause after pausing then I think what should I do and we can respond you know if I get angry with someone I may just express my anger and say that person is far away writing email to them but then I try that if there are any strong words in that email I will not send that email for 24 hours at least and next day when I read that email hey, you know, what is there to get so worked up about this makes sense but maybe I just make this word a little less judgmental so I may either send that mail unchanged which usually doesn’t happen I change a few things at least or sometimes I may decide I just not send this mail only so it’s not that I succeed sometimes I still get angry and I speak angrily also but the thing is I have found that a lot of trouble is avoided just by pause so when I was talking about moving away from the situation, it is not running away it is just pausing so that we can become more peaceful think more clearly and respond appropriately ok Hare Krishna Hare Krishna