CATCH AND RELEASE, ... with Knowledge

Before I left Montreal for St John's Newfoundland yesterday morning, the bhaktas put forth a series of questions, one on the topic of dovetailing our attachment in devotional service. What actually is dovetailing? Especially as we would use it as an ISKCON jargon. Devotional service happens on so many levels and each level, leading up to the highest stage of pure love for God, requires a deeper commitment to serving Krsna as Krsna desires.
In the beginning, for accommodating purposes, one may use certain things natural to his/her culture to offer to Krsna as an act of love. So for example, the offering of foods like pizza, or playing musical instruments like guitars might not be the highest form of expressing devotion, but it does stimulate a devotional mood when the devotee offers it up for service to Krsna. The acharyas do inform us of what type of music Krsna likes most, what type of foods, etc etc. Advancement in Krsna consciousness means that a person accepts Krsna as a person, and wants to offer him what pleases him the most. Simplicity, I find always saves the day. {If your love one likes potato and cauliflower subji with sour cream, and you know that every bit of it will disappear once it hits their plate, then making such subji is the safest,  and simplest way of expressing love. Now, you may change things up a little and offer beets and artichokes, but there's the risk of not knowing whether it was relished or not. They might let you know-- or not.}

But eventually, we have to give it up. Which brings me to the next part of my thought flow, Newfoundland. I am visiting a friend of mine who is a Doctor, and the concept of dovetailing came up, especially when administering medication to young patients. My mother, and I'm sure yours too,  would often dissolve hard to swallow or bitter pills in some kind of juice, just to get us to take them. Why? Because the medicine would heal us. Eventually as we grew up the purpose of the medicine was explained, and when we actually realized how sick we were, we would take the medicine straight.
So we have to find out, or go deep within and see how materially "sick" we are. And from that understanding see how well we want to become. Those who take the first instruction of "you are not this body" seriously, might take more seriously to the process, where as those who come for other reasons, might not.
The underlying principle is being in the know. Of the four types of people who surrender to Krsna, Krsna says He appreciates the one who comes for Knowledge most. He even considers such a person to be like his very self. There is every chance that one who comes for wealth, piety, or solace may leave after they have their wishes fulfilled. But one who comes for knowledge realizes the wealth of knowledge in the books, and ultimately uses that knowledge to transcend the material sphere.
More about St. John's in the next blog... but I should say, the people here are toooo cute! It feels like I just walked into the shire. Every one's completely chilled out, etc etc etc...