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Good morning. I was fascinated to watch Amol Rajan’s interview broadcast earlier this week in which Novak Djokovic explained that he chose not to be vaccinated against Covid – not because of doubt in the effectiveness of the vaccine – but because he had “always supported the freedom to choose what you put in your body” and he could not know how it might affect his performance as an elite professional athlete. But, he accepted that taking his stance came at a price – not being able to participate in some tournaments. Amol voiced the bafflement of many when he asked: “Why? Why?” Were his self-imposed principles worth more than becoming statistically the most successful player in the history of tennis? Yes, replied Djokovic, they were more important than titles. Novak Djokovic’s controversial stance of sticking to his principles has received both praise and condemnation. The Bhagavad-gita applauds those having clear principles and the determination to attend to them. But the texts also explore the pit-falls of being too principled. The Mahabharat contains a story intended as a thought experiment, along these lines. You have sworn to tell the truth in all circumstances. You live in an isolated village and see a family being chased by a group of thugs. The family escapes their view and hides near you. The thugs ask you: do you know where they are? So:- Do you stick to your principle of utter honesty? Or do you lie to protect the family from danger? The point being made is that no matter how cherished our values may be, context is vital. One shouldn’t give up one’s principles lightly or under mild adversity. But, neither should one follow them so rigidly they might cause harm to others. Hence, the Gita distinguishes two types of motivation behind our principles. One type is focussed on external achievement and whilst it may not always negatively impact others – its purpose is mainly to serve one’s own interests. The other type of motivation is applied to spiritual practices intended to develop one’s inner character – so that one’s outlook and behaviour become more accommodating of the needs of others. This raises questions for each of us: Do I have any principles for which I am willing to pay a personal price? And, do those principles contribute to or compromise the welfare of others? As we emerge from two years of pandemic, with crisis and uncertainty in Europe and the cost of living escalating at home, perhaps we need more of the type of principles that promote empathy and generosity and whose influence may be more help than hindrance.