Chapter 35- Putting What We Have Contemplated Into Practice
Thinking about the cheapness of pleasure automatically weakens our desires in our next battle. Further, some of those ideas might pop into our heads during the challenge and strengthen us. These are automatic benefits of contemplation.
But to take full advantage of our efforts, we must take what we have contemplated and consciously apply it during battle. We must do this right when the yetzer hara starts up, and also when the battle is in full force and we are pulled by strong desires.
Sometimes, the yetzer hara starts by nudging us with weak pulls that we view more as an annoyance than as a real challenge. But if we are not careful, he can maneuver his way in by increasing the desire until we are affected. A major tactic the yetzer hara uses, both by desires that start small and by desires that make us feel as if we got run over by a truck unexpectedly, is repeating the desire over and over. We feel the pull over and over, and each time it gets stronger while a bit more of our willpower burns out.
Often, it is best to ignore these thoughts, and we should definitely not be disturbed by them. Thinking “Whatever. Who cares?” and moving on to something else is far more effective than getting worked up, which usually causes worse problems. But sometimes, you might notice that the yetzer hara is not letting up and is gaining on you. If this happens, you will feel yourself starting to want it. You must do something so you don’t eventually cave in.
This is the time to whip out what you have been contemplating. Start by taking a slow, deep breath and entering a calm state. Feel yourself calming down and becoming serene. Then, each time the yetzer hara hits you with a desire, calmly remind him that following these desires will make you unhappy and that it just isn’t worth it. Gently cause yourself to think about how physical pleasures can’t give you emotional satisfaction and that they are not what you ultimately seek. And don’t forget to get excited about your opportunity to accomplish. Because the desire is in an early stage and isn’t so strong, this will be easier to do.
These thoughts to limit desire must be done carefully. The wrong thoughts after our desires have activated can strengthen them. When our desires have awakened, we should avoid trying to figure things out — such as contemplating for the first time whether attaining our desires will make us happy. When we try to play out what will result, our thoughts might be swayed by our feelings of desire. Instead, we should think about truths we already established when we were free from desire. It is best to think a guided thought such as, “I know that what I desire won’t make me happy even though I want it, so I won’t do it.” If we have contemplated that this desire is not what we really long for, we can remind ourselves that it won’t make us happy. We can remember that the desire’s promises are inaccurate. We can regain clarity and refuse to give in because it’s not worth it.