How can we increase the quality in our existing devotional commitments?

Transcript

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Thank you. So how can we increase the quality in whatever commitment that we do have? Because we already have so many so many activities which we have to do in our daily life. Yes.
The quality at our level, it usually comes through conscious contemplation using the intelligence. What do we mean by quality? Quality at one level can mean, if I am worshipping the Deity, if I am chanting the holy names, I am doing it as a ritual, or I am doing it with some focus, some emotion. So we can refer to the quality as the concentration that we have, the absorption that we have, the emotion that we have.
So firstly, the intelligence needs to be convinced. And this is important. And the mind is going to be restless.
The mind’s emotions will sometimes work in favor of us and many times work against us. Sometimes when we are chanting, on a few occasions we feel, chanting should never end. On most occasions, chanting never ends.
It goes on and on. Our mind’s moods are such that we can’t, at our stage, count on the emotions working always in our favor. If they work in our favor, great.
But we need something to push us on, even when the mind is not working in our favor, the emotions are not there. And that comes through intellectual conviction. Our intention, it ultimately is something which is coming from our free will.
But that free will can be supported by different things. So, In 3.45, Krishna says, in this way, with your intelligence, understanding that you are transcendental, you are spiritual, fix your mind on the spiritual platform. So, whatever we are doing, we need some intellectual conviction for doing those things.
And that intellectual conviction comes by hearing, by reading. And not just generic hearing or reading. During our hearing or reading, if we hear purposefully, tomorrow, I usually get distracted during my chanting, I get distracted in various things.
So, I note some points down, and before my chanting, I contemplate these points. This chanting is important because of this, this, this. So, that intellectual conviction it will not bring taste immediately, but it will bring focus.
Otherwise, there is no focus only. Sometimes our, our tongue and our mind are running on two different tracks. The tongue is Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, and the mind is, I got my job, what is the team, what is the cricket score, what is this, what is that.
Two different tracks entirely. Now, the mind will go on a different track, but if you have intellectual conviction, you will get the mind back on track. You will get the mind back on track.
So, this, our intelligence has to be strong. And then, there is Buddhi, and then there is Sangha. Sangha is association.
General devotee association is wonderful, but if we have, if we want to do a particular activity seriously, then if we have some other devotee friend who is also doing that activity. If I want to memorize verses, somebody else is doing that. If I want to go for a program, then somebody else is also doing that.
We talk after the program, okay, what did you like, what did you like. So, basically some sort of reciprocation is there, then it becomes much easier to do it. The mind gets us alone, and then gets us.
So, if you don’t let it come, let us get isolated, then if you stay connected, then resisting the mind’s wandering becomes easier. So, reading specifically about the activity which we want to commit ourselves to, even existing commitment or some extra commitment, whatever it is, and associating with somebody who also wants to commit themselves similarly, and exchanging notes. These two things, buddhi and sangha, can help us to infuse quality into what we are doing.
When the focus comes, by the focus, gradually taste will come. But when we get connected with Krishna, then gradually the mind starts experiencing, yes, this is good. I am thinking that TV match, TV is good, that cricket match is good, that is good, all that is okay, but this is great, I want this.
Once the mind gets that, then the taste becomes chai. But till that point we need to perceive it. Krishna says that, that which tastes like poison in the beginning, will taste like nectar in the end.
So, there will be a phase of poison, through which we need to perceive it, till we get to the nectar. And perceiving through the phase of poison, it becomes easier with buddhi and with sangha. Okay? Thank you.
Any other questions?