Re: Will, lack self-esteem and spiritual life

Nityananda Gauranga Hare Krishna!

1. What is cause of our weak will?

The will is not weak because our will is a gift of the Lord. It is the motivation that awakens our will. When your child would be in danger, let�s say he is running towards the street with heavy traffic, you don�t hesitate for a moment to save your son from going onto that street. Suddenly there is the motivation which awakens your will and, in this case, the necessary adrenaline to come to the rescue of your son.   

2. How to develop burning desire for spiritual life?

In other words how do we get motivated to awaken that will. Many times the Lord gives us glimpses like Nava talks about in his video. Those glimpses are highly motivating and strengthen our will to assist Lord Gauranga in His divine mission to inundate the entire world with Krishna prema. However we are so dull that after having many glimpses we are prone to forget and slight back into material slumber. Also that is a motivation because when you slight deep enough back into the mundane the desire to go back to those happy moments with the Lord is reawakened and you pick it up right where you were when you slighted off. So the sublime glimpses as well as the deep falling are both motivators for spiritual life. It is the principle of pain and pleasure, both are motivators.

3. I was doing small research. Lack of self esteem and weak will are "modern" diseases. Many propagate use of autosuggestion? Will it help?

Yes auto-suggestion helps. We just have to create our own version of auto-suggestion. Suggestion implies self-imposition. In our case we base our knowledge on the disciplic succession which we accept and hold high above our heads. When we direct our lives in the direction of the suggested recommendations of guru and sastra our success is guaranteed. 

4. Lord Chaitanya said that we should be more humble and tolerate then tree? What is difference between lack of self esteem, or will, and original humbleness?

When you are poor you are poor. When you are rich and you give up al your riches your poorness is profound. True humbleness is profound and is the opposite of weakness and lack of self-esteem.

5. Also some psychologist said that childhood have major role in our adult behavior. I had hard childhood and that reflected on my behavior, so I have pattern - not to confront to anyone - simply let it go and in material sense many are taking advantages of such behavior. Should I try to change it and oppose to others, even that requires arguing, quarrels etc or should I continue not to confront anyone?

You have to have clear boundaries and when people overstep your boundaries you should indicate so. When somebody start beating your son or your wife you will not stand by and just watch: you stand up for them even when that means you have to engage into fighting.

6. I found myself to be confused about proper way of acting. From one side - devotee should be humble and tolerant, from other side to survive in this world and render duties of material world person should be aggressive and self-oriented. How to resolve this?

Eventually we want to direct our lives in such a way that our so-called material actions will be transformed into spiritual actions. The easiest way to do that is to offer everything you do to the Lord. The only restrictions are when we are asked to engage into unethical actions: then we indicate and persist on our boundaries. You can �play� the (aggressive) material game as long as you dedicate all its results to the Lord. This takes the self-orientation out.

Very good questions!

Your servant,

Hadai Nityananda dasa

Nityananda Gauranga Hare Krsna!

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