Sri Ramakrishna's wisdom about addictions.....

Surendra (a disciple) stood near Sri Ramakrishna. He was in the habit of drinking and often went to excess. This had worried the Master greatly, but he had not asked Surendra to give up drinking altogether. He had said to him: “Look here, Surendra! Whenever you drink wine, offer it beforehand to the Divine Mother. See that your brain doesn’t become clouded and that you don’t reel. The more you think of the Divine Mother, the less you will like to drink. The Mother is the Giver of the bliss of divine inebriation. Realizing Her, one feels a natural bliss."

-- Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna by Swami Nikhilananda

Sane and sagely advice to people who ask how to give up or manage addictions (alcoholism, tobacco, workaholism, anger, hatred and so on). Without divine intervention and blessings, nobody can give up addictions. Addictions are said to be results of deep rooted 'samskaras' (modern genetics) and overcoming them is a gradual process. Some things can help speed it up like the advice given above. Even in Gita, the Lord says ,'make everything an offering to me whether it is a flower, water or whatever...' Same logic. Say cheers to the Lord and then consume the alcohol :) This is also the rationale behind one of the points of 'Alcoholic anonymous' where the members admit that they are powerless over alcohol and need help from a "higher power".

Best advice: Drink to celebrate and not to get intoxicated. That too only if you must drink. If not, celebrate with water. That works too.

Be more spiritual and less 'spirit'ual.

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