We sometimes succumb to unhealthy behaviors such as overeating, excessive net surfing or even much more injurious indulgences. After such indulgences, we may rationalize, saying everybody does those things nowadays. Or we may beat ourselves up for being so morally corrupt. Either way, we find ourselves indulging repeatedly, excessively, dangerously.  

Why might our indulgences worsen? Because our desires can become like shackles that drag us past ethical boundaries (Bhagavad-gita 16.12). Being thus dragged, we may act in ways that are harsh and mean, even if we are normally gentle and kind. 

How can we ensure that we don’t act meanly? By understanding what causes our unhealthy behaviors. Sometimes, it might just be impurities such as lust or greed. More often, however, those impurities gain power over us because we are weakened by deeper wounds. We might have simmering anger over being treated unfairly or betrayed. Or we might be feeling purposeless because we experienced a shocking failure at something that was our life’s driving purpose. By thus going deep into our psyche, we can identify the wound for which our indulgences are painkillers. The more we understand what our bad habits mean and learn to address them meaningfully, the further we go from the path that might make us mean.

Gita wisdom can help us probe our inner world. When we understand that we are indestructible souls, we gain the security to address our wounds maturely. When we practice purificatory processes such as bhakti-yoga, we can remove the impurities that impel us to unhealthy indulgences used as escape-ways from our inner wounds. 

Thus, by addressing both the impurities that push us toward unhealthy behaviors and the wounds that make us vulnerable to those impurities, we can heal ourselves holistically. 

One-sentence summary: 

Understand what our unhealthy behaviors mean, lest they make us mean.

Think it over:

  • How might we end up doing mean actions?
  • What causes our unhealthy behavior?
  • How can Gita wisdom help us heal ourselves?

***

16.12: Bound by a network of hundreds of thousands of desires and absorbed in lust and anger, the demoniac secure money by illegal means for sense gratification.

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