If we are asked to do a service that risks triggering our weaknesses how should we respond?

Transcript

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I agree that this is a difficult situation So if somebody has a conditioning Because of which They may not be the best person for a service But then there is nobody else So they are given that service So what should be done at that time I think You know there is a sentence that is often Attributed to Prabhupada Along with the instruction comes the empowerment Now I haven’t seen that statement actually Anywhere in Prabhupada’s works There is no quote for that I have talked to several Prabhupada disciples They have also not Told about that So I would say that yes The empowerment can come But that doesn’t mean that we can be reckless We also have to be careful So my understanding is two fold In such situations If we are put in situations where The certain conditionings are going to be Triggered or likely to be triggered Then And we are just instructed do it Then we should Create some safeguards for ourselves Have some accountability partner Somebody whom we can talk with When that kind of situations come up So consider a broad parallel is Somebody is an alcoholic in the western world Now in India There are many people who don’t take alcohol But in the west Alcohol is just a part of the normal culture There is a famous British thinker who said That the taste of wine Is the proof that God loves us If God did not exist If a loving God did not exist How could something as tasty as wine ever exist Now there are so many tasty things But for them Wine is such an integral part of the culture So in the western society So their idea is you drink but don’t become a drunk That means drink in moderation Don’t become alcoholic Just drink moderately But what happens is There in the western culture Somebody will be constantly exposed to alcohol So if somebody says I want to be in a situation Where I will not be exposed to alcohol It is just not possible in western society So what do they do? So if we have to be in that situation It is a very different situation But the same principle Then generally they have said that Have an accountability partner So if you are going to a party If you are going to an office event If you are going to some social gathering Where there is likely to be alcohol Call your accountability partner And tell him that I am going there Please pray for me Or if I call during this time Please immediately pick up my call Be available for me Like you have a SOS So have somebody accessible at that time And then tell them I should be out of here by 2 hours And I will call you after 2 hours If I don’t call after 2 hours you call me So try to create some safeguards So when we create some safeguards That way what happens is We are put in a particular service At least we are showing Krishna It’s not that I am using my service As a justification for Pandering to my conditionings For indulging in my conditionings You know I want to have some safeguards Ideally you can talk with the authority And ask them only What all safeguards can be put And that’s also possible generally speaking It’s not very difficult to think of They may have more experience and they may also suggest some safeguards So That way Even if we are put in a difficult service And sometimes we are required To do services that are beyond our capacity But we can create those safeguards Either the authority Can help us create the safeguards Or we create the safeguards ourselves And sometimes working with those safeguards May mean that We may not be able to do the service as rapidly as we could do It’s okay Like a soldier who is going into enemy territory The soldier is carrying a lot of Defensive gear and weapons Soldier may not be able to run as fast But then All the defensive gear will protect the soldier It’s a slower progress but safer progress So we have to choose Accordingly So that way create some safeguards That’s what is the broad principle And second thing is Try to look for training someone else Of course it’s possible that by doing the service We also become purified But it’s that we try to show Krishna that If there is an alternative I will take up some other service Try to train someone else