When we succeed in giving up some unhealthy behavior, we usually feel encouraged, even delighted. But then seemingly out of the blue, we relapse. When we are thus defeated while we were celebrating victory, we may feel discouraged, even devastated.

Gita wisdom helps us make sense of such relapses by explaining two broad causes:

Exposure to provocative conditions: When our unhealthy behavior ceases, we may presume that we have overcome the underlying conditionings. However, those conditionings may just be like an enemy who is forcibly restrained – they may have just become temporarily inactive due to our changed lifestyle and healthier habits which lead us away from provocative stimuli, as the Bhagavad-gita recommends (02.58). But if we become careless, we may unintentionally expose ourselves to provocative stimuli. Or if we become complacent, we may intentionally play with fire, foolishly believing that we won’t get burnt. Either way, we end up relapsing.

Awakening of dormant conditionings: Even if we don’t overestimate our power to resist provocative outer conditions, we may underestimate the power of our inner conditionings. These may be like a tiger that appears dead but is just sleeping. When they awaken, they catch us unprepared and impel us into a relapse. What brings them out of their slumber? Either our present karma or our past karma or both. Our present karma refers to our exposing ourselves to provocative stimuli. Our past karma can explain relapses that occur without any provocation from our part. Just as such karma may subject us to tribulations without any evident immediate cause, so too may it subject us to temptations. Pertinently, the Gita (05.23) urges us to be ready to tolerate and withstand temptation lifelong.  

One-sentence summary:

We may relapse because of exposure to provocative conditions or awakening of past conditionings or both. 

Think it over:

  • How might external conditions impel relapse?
  • How might internal conditionings impel relapse?
  • Do you face inexplicable relapses? How can you make sense of them? 

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05.23: Before giving up this present body, if one is able to tolerate the urges of the material senses and check the force of desire and anger, he is well situated and is happy in this world.

 

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