God in the Marketplace
Before the book fast, I was reading "Paths to God" by Ram Das - a book of reflections on the Bhagavad-Gita. In chapter 3, Ram Das speaks exclusively of Karma Yoga - the path to God through action/work. The entire chapter is perhaps best summed up by the following sentence:
"So the karma yogi is the person who uses his or her life to come to God by listening for the dharmic act, acting without attachment to the outcome, all the while knowing she or he's not the actor, anyway."
This is indeed the formula for turning the home and the workplace into a spiritual practice.
The goal is therefore not to find a "more spiritual" job (like, in my case wanting to teach hatha yoga full time) but to bring spirit into the very "ordinary" work and homelife. In something as simple as a routine daily task at work, can I listen to Divine Order for instruction, act without anxiety, selfish motives or other expectations, and release any sense of ego "me-ness" in the action? If so, I have found a path to God. If not, it will not be found in a "more spiritual" profession either.
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1 comment:
I, too, long for my 'spiritual occupation' which I intuitively feel will come to me some day (I, like you, want to operate an outdoor or nature retreat- for young people who have experienced loss in their lives.)
I know that unless I can stay connected to the idea that all occupations (even my present job- strange as it seems) and every act we do is purely spiritual- then I will find it hard to make my higher dreams a reality. It is a struggle for me to hold this in mind- but, like you say...if I cannot find Spirit in what I'm doing now...how will I ever find it in anything I choose?
“The goal is therefore not to find a "more spiritual" job (like, in my case wanting to teach hatha yoga full time) but to bring spirit into the very "ordinary" work and homelife. …If so, I have found a path to God. If not, it will not be found in a "more spiritual" profession either.”
Well said... you are teaching me and I am well pleased to be your student.
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