When we face a huge problem, we may feel overwhelmed: “How can I ever tackle this?” What makes a problem seem overwhelming? Frequently, our perception of a problem arises from dominant negative emotions such as resentment and fear. We resent the very existence of that problem, “Why couldn’t things have gone through smoothly? Why does something or the other always go wrong?” And we fear that the problem may be interminable: “I don’t see any light at the end of this tunnel; will this problem torment me forever?”
How can we counter such disempowering emotions? Before taking on (confronting) a problem, we need to first seek a new take (perspective) on that problem. A potent source of such takes is Gita wisdom. Consider a relevant verse from the Bhagavad-gita (18.37): things which seem like poison initially turn out to be like nectar eventually. Let’s see how this insight can help us:
Replace resentment with acceptance: Worthwhile things usually come with an initial poison layer — this insight reminds us that problems don’t need to always have a specific cause that we can trace; they can be attributed to a generic cause: the very nature of things in this world (08.15). Once we realize that we are not being solitarily singled out, we can more easily accept our predicament.
Replace fear with fortitude: In the pursuit of worthwhile things, the poison is only initial — this insight reassures us that problems won’t always remain as intimidating as they appear. When we reinforce that assurance with another Gita teaching that we are eternal spiritual beings (02.17), we realize that our existence extends far beyond that of any particular problem. Thus, we discover within ourselves the fortitude to tolerate and penetrate through the initial poison layer till we reach and relish the eventual nectar layer.
One-sentence summary:
Even if we feel we can’t take on a problem, Gita wisdom can offer us a new take on that problem: a perspective that can replace resentment with acceptance and fear with fortitude.
Think it over:
- Which emotions make a problem seem overwhelming? Explain?
- How does Gita wisdom help us counter resentment?
- How does Gita wisdom help us counter fear?
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18.37: That which in the beginning may be just like poison but at the end is just like nectar and which awakens one to self-realization is said to be happiness in the mode of goodness.
To know more about this verse, please click on the image
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