If we hear the same point repeatedly in classes, how do we maintain interest?

This is an AI-generated transcript and it might not be fully accurate:

Repetition and the Human Tendency to Downplay

So, if we have heard some point and we hear it again, we often tend to downplay it.

I think that is just human.

So, I would say that is both like I talked with Dharmaya’s from the individual to this, collective and collective to the individual.

Responsibility of the Speaker: Freshness Matters

So, I would say it is also the responsibility of the speaker to be giving fresh perspectives, to giving you realizations, to giving you examples, propars are all wine and you are bottle.

So, that new bottle is not just a meager thing, it is important thing.

So, on one side, if we find that we are hearing that kind of glasses, then we should think that in future, if I am under you glasses, I will use glasses like this.

I will try to make sure that there is something substantial that I speak, which is some fresh perspective, some new insights and so on.

So, see there is consistency of message, but there is also novelty of explanation, novelty of illustrating, novelty of explaining, both have to be there.

So, we can, that way in a long term sense, we can be a part of the change.

So, that is one thing.

Same Notes, New Music

Second thing is that when we look at the same examples, if you consider music, all music has basically the 7th service, sorry Ramapadriya, but then just combining those swaras can lead to many different beautiful sounds.

So, like that, the same point, the same example, the same show occurs, they can be used in different contexts and they can actually illustrate different points.

So, sometimes, we might be the same point, but what is it talking about?

What context is being used?

That is what brings fleshness to it.

That is the second point.

Dormant Philosophy vs Active Philosophy

The third point is that, so look at the context to get better understanding.

The third point is that sometimes, even if we know, like in vocabulary to say that there is active vocabulary in dormant vocabulary, that means that if somebody else uses the word, yeah, I know them what this word means.

And it is a good word, but when I have to use it, I cannot remember it.

And I want to say something and somebody says, yeah, that was what I was trying to say.

So, like that, there are many philosophical points which may be in the dormant philosophy environment.

That would be, but we want it to be in the active philosophy narrative.

What does it mean?

That when we have to speak the example, when we have to deal with some temptation or some situation in our life, we are able to recollect that.

From Knowledge to Reflex Action

So, one of the ways in which vocabulary moves from the dormant to the active, that is, by regular usage.

So, S5 will be regularly here some points.

It is that they just come quickly to us.

It is like somebody is doing martial arts.

Now, if while fighting, they have to remember, okay, how do I fight now?

That is, they do not have time to remember it, I do not know.

It has to become like a reflex action at that time.

Okay, I’ll talk like this, like this, it like this, come try and like this.

So like that, for us, we will also have a philosophical point need to become like reflex actions.

So, at least some core philosophy of the points.

Bringing Philosophy to the Forefront

So, in that sense, even if we are hearing repeatedly, we can try to see this is a posture to bring this in the forefront of my consciousness.

So, like yesterday, I thought our absorption comes by connection.

So when you bring it in the forefront means what?

You are able to remember it from this side also, that side also, that side also, you establish more and more connections.

Okay, this point can be used here also, this point can be used here also, this point is good over here.

So, I think that is the one way we do it.

Hearing to Associate, Not Just to Learn

Now, the fourth point would be that sometimes we hear classes not just to get a message, but to also associate with the messenger.

So what happens is that we, if we, sometimes if we go home and we have a grandfather, or a grandmother, they may tell the same story again and again.

But what happens is, it just being in that presence is soothing.

We feel warm, we feel at home.

So, each time we go home, we don’t need everything and our home to be new.

In the home, the way things are that itself gives us a sense of comfort.

So, sometimes we, our purpose of hearing is not just learning something new.

It is more of reaffirming the bond with that worldview, with that person.

Strengthening the Bond Through Hearing

So, especially with our spiritual master and devote to that level, it is we hear more to strengthen the bond with that person.

So, it is more like, we, by hearing, we are serving that great way to know why offering our time and our attention and that bond is established.

Purification Beyond Familiarity

And the last point I will make is that, even the points are familiar, they are still purifying.

And especially if we are, so I would say there is a difference in hearing.

If we are hearing from devotees who are very senior, then because not just very senior, very advanced, very dedicated, what happens is they have a burning desire to serve Krishna.

And that desire gets transmitted through their words and that desire can be actually more transformative than any amount of intellectual information and size we might get.

Choosing Whom to Hear From

So this with respect to, if you read Prabhupa’s books, a nobody can read Prabhupa’s books without feeling the call to share Krishna’s message.

So, active in Prabhupa’s words and examples, so that desire is also very important.

So, if we are hearing from devotees who are equal to us or who are not advanced, then we can be select.

It is like if we are in a temple or if you are in a particular place or morning program is happening, as a part of the system we hear from particular devotees.

But as far as our choice is concerned, then we can choose whom we want to hear from.

Selectivity, Tradition, and Transformation

You can say, if we find that particular devotees classes we like, we can hear those.

But then whatever particular framework or vertical of free time we have or whatever.

So, it is not wrong to be selective because we may have particular intellectual needs, we may have particular interests, we may want to prepare on particular topics, whatever.

So, being selective is not a problem when it is in our scope, it is in our free time.

But if we are a part of a particular tradition and there are particular teachers who are very important in that tradition, then hearing from them regularly is also important.

And when we are hearing that is more to, so the higher point that I said, that more to associate with that person and to get, I could say positively or spiritually infected by the desire to serve question, energized by the desire to serve question.

So, that is what we can focus on.

Thank you very much.