Is your energy drained out due to addictions? Are you concerned about the well-being of your children and their potential addiction to gadgets or substances?
Hindu wisdom gives us meaningful insights on addictions and the way to deal with them.
Diamond cuts diamond. Jagadguru Puri Shankaracharyaji explains that there is no such person who does not have an addiction. Everyone needs some kind of intoxication. Even Gurus stay in nasha of spirituality or engrossed in the bhakti of Bhagavan.
When we do not have good addictions, we go for what is harmful.
Where the intoxication of dharma, Ishwar and rashtra (love for the nation) has been planted by parents in their children, they do not go towards other foul intoxicants. We must have strength of remembering Bhagavan, ability to have a dialogue, offer our services and have the strength of a community.
We must get intoxicated by bhakti of Bhagavan, benevolence, and devotion to dharma. If we do not have these type of addictions, we will be automatically be drawn to other kind of addictions that are unwholesome.
Thus, we must replace our bad addictions with these good ones.
If we are suffering due to unhealthy addictions like smoking, they can be left gradually. For example, if someone is in the habit of smoking 15 cigarettes in a day, he must bring it down to 5 times a day and gradually free himself of the habit.
Here is a guidance that can help us bring positive changes in our lives.