HANDLING HABITS

HABITS

HANDLING

HANDLING HABITS

Dedicated to and based on the teachings of

HDG ACBhaktivendanta Swami Prabhupada

HANDLING HABITS

Second NatureHabits are also called our second nature because of their extremely

powerful influence in all aspects of our sensory and mental activities

HANDLING HABITS

Srila Prabhupada QuotesStory: A thief on a pilgrimage:He does not want to commit theft anymore, but because he is habituated, sometimes he does. Thus Kåñëa says that one who has decided to refrain from his immoral habits and make progress in Kåñëa consciousness is to be considered a sädhu, even if out of past habit or by chance he yields to his fault. In the next verse we find that Çré Kåñëa says:kñipraà bhavati dharmätmäçaçvac-chäntià nigacchatikaunteya pratijänéhina me bhaktaù praëaçyati"He quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. O son of Kunté, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes." (Bg. 9.31)

HANDLING HABITS

Srila Prabhupada SaysThe example is... Just like the electric fan is going on, and if you put off the switch, you'll see the fan is still going on. But that going on will stop because the switch is already off. Similarly, if one dovetails himself in Kåñëa consciousness, then automatically he'll become a saintly person, automatically. Because his switch is made off. Just like the fan, when the switch is made off, the current supply is stopped. Now... There was a force of running. You may see that it is running for few minutes. But it will stop. Similarly, anyone, it doesn't matter what he is, if he puts himself, dovetails himself in Kåñëa consciousness, then he, all his material contamination will be washed off, washed off.

HANDLING HABITS

Srila Prabhupada Story Fisherman

There was a fisherman. So at, in the evening... That is still in India. In the evening you can ask shelter from any householder's house. They'll give you shelter. So he came in the evening, "Sir, I want to pass night in your home." "All right, you are welcome." So the fisher basket, fishing basket. "You keep this here, outside, and you sleep inside." So whole day, he was restless. Then whole night, he could not sleep. Then the master said, "You are not sleeping?" "No, sir." "Why?" "Now, because my baskets are kept outside." "What is in the basket?" "No, unless I smell, I cannot sleep." (laughter)

HANDLING HABITS

Srila Prabhupada Quotes - Dog

Habit is second nature; it is very difficult to break. Çvä yadi kriyate räjä/ tat kià näçnäty upänaham

(Hitopadeça): One may seat a dog on a royal throne, but as soon as he sees a shoe, he will immediately jump

down and run after it simply because he is a dog. The canine qualities are there, and they cannot be changed

simply by putting the dog on a throne. Similarly, we have acquired material qualities by associating with the three modes of material nature—sattva guëa, rajo guëa

and tamo guëa—and our habits are formed by association with these three qualities, which are the

qualities of goodness, passion and ignorance.

HANDLING HABITS

Srila Prabhupada Quotes - Dog

If, however, we disassociate ourselves from the three modes of material nature, our real spiritual nature is invoked. That is the process of Kåñëa consciousness. If one is Kåñëa conscious, there is no chance of his

associating with the three modes of material nature, and when one is conscious of Kåñëa, one's spiritual nature is automatically invoked. That is the secret. Those who seriously follow the process of Kåñëa consciousness, though previously habituated to many undesirable things, are able to stay on a

platform where there is no material contamination simply by virtue of practicing Kåñëa consciousness.

HANDLING HABITS

sadåçaà ceñöate svasyäùprakåter jïänavän apiprakåtià yänti bhütäninigrahaù kià kariñyati

Even a man of knowledge acts according to his own nature, for

everyone follows the nature he has acquired from the three modes. What

can repression accomplish?[BG 3.33]

HANDLING HABITS

In Krishna consciousness, we tend to think that we have

practically given up all bad habits (like meat eating, intoxication, gambling, illicit sex,

watching movies etc.) and are now practicing many good habits like rising early, chanting,

studying scriptures etc.

HANDLING HABITS

But, in spiritual life, one should never become complacent. One should be ever

vigilant in order to make spiritual advancement.

If we carefully introspect, we can observe that there are still so many bad

habits to give up and so many good ones to take up for advancement in KC

HANDLING HABITS

Lord Caitanya says that one

should cultivate the creeper of

bhakti with great care and attention and

remove all unwanted

weeds

HANDLING HABITS

Principle to follow

anukulyasya sankalpahaccept things favorable for DS

pratikulyasya varjanamReject things that are unfavorable

HANDLING HABITS

Cultivating Habitsyuktähära-vihärasya

yukta-ceñöasya karmasuyukta-svapnävabodhasyayogo bhavati duùkha-hä

He who is regulated in his habits of eating, sleeping, recreation and work

can mitigate all material pains by practicing the yoga system.

[Bg 6.17]

HANDLING HABITS

Cultivating HabitsEating•Take only Krishna prasadam •Do not waste Krishna prasadam•Take prasäda at scheduled times•Do not fast or eat more than is required•Do not allow the tongue to eat according to its choice

HANDLING HABITS

Cultivating HabitsSleeping•Unnecessary time spent sleeping is considered a great loss•Do not sleep in Bhagavatam class•One should not sleep more than six hours daily

HANDLING HABITS

Cultivating Habits

•Not a single moment is wasted in mäyä’s service•Every moment of our lives is utilized for the rendering of devotional service and nothing else•One should not waste time in gossiping or spreading rumors•Our recreation is dancing and chanting [PoP]

Avyärtha-kälatvam

HANDLING HABITS

Cultivating HabitsWith Devotees•A guru’s servants or disciples are all Godbrothers to one another, and as such they should all respect one another as prabhu, or master.•Appreciating good qualities in other devotees•Not finding faults with other devotees’ habits•Not misbehaving with a Godbrother•Respecting temple authority

HANDLING HABITS

Choice is YoursBad Habits - Burden

Good Habits - Gifts

HANDLING HABITS

Deleting a Habit

HABIT

“ABIT” remains

“BIT” remains

Still “IT” remains

Delete Letter by Letter

HANDLING HABITS

Changing HabitsTRANSCENDENTAL SOUND

The most powerful way to change the habit of the mind – transcendental sound

This is the way of changing the habit of the mind. The mind is not to be killed.

[SB 2.1.17 Purport]

e.g. Parikshit Maharaja

HANDLING HABITS

Changing HabitsDEVOTEE ASSOCIATION

Nothing is stereotyped. One can change his habit by good or bad association, and one has to become intelligent enough to discriminate between good and bad. The

best association is the service of the devotees of the Lord, and by that

association one can become the highest qualified man by the grace of the Lord's

pure devotees.

[SB 2.10.41 Purport]

HANDLING HABITS

Changing HabitsWILLINGNESS TO CHANGE

A diseased person who has become diseased because of a certain bad habit

must be ready to follow the advice of the physician, and as a natural sequence he must attempt to give up the cause of the disease. The patient cannot indulge in the bad habit and at the same time expect to

be cured by the physician.

[CC Adi. 5.20 Purport]

HANDLING HABITS

Hare Krishna