How to Keep Up Your Practice When Life Gets Busy

An error that we fall into is the notion that there is our spiritual life and there is our regular, everyday life and the two are in conflict. Or that they are separate even if they are not in conflict. In my last blog, I addressed this by asking you to relinquish your sense of ‘doership’. You don’t do anything or accomplish anything or achieve anything. You are merely the instrument of a higher power.

Sri Ramakrishna, an Indian mystic, shares another method. He gave the example of a child who was playing by spinning round and round. If you try this, you will soon get dizzy and fall down. But if the same child spins round while holding firmly onto a post at arm’s length, the child’s grip on the post will keep him upright and prevent him from falling over. Similarly in this dizzy fast-paced material world, if you remember your true nature is the Self, pure awareness, you will not fall over.

Annamalai Swami, in his Final Talks edited by David Godman, gives another example. “When you cut a jackfruit with your bare hands, there is an unpleasant, milky liquid inside that sticks to your fingers and makes it very hard to take out the fruit. And afterwards it takes hours to scrub it off. However, if you put a little oil on your fingers before you start the work, this milky liquid will not bother you because it cannot stick to your oiled hands.

“Without some protection, contact with worldly matters can prove to be sticky and unpleasant. But if you oil yourself with remembrance of the Self, you can move smoothly and efficiently through the world, without having any of your business affairs stick to you or cause you any trouble or inconvenience.

“When there is remembrance of the Self, everything in life proceeds smoothly, and there is no attachment to the work that is being done.”

The ektara is a one-stringed musical instrument used in Indian classical music. Its single note remains under the other notes of the orchestra. In exactly the same way, keep your knowledge that you are awareness in the back of your mind no matter where you are or what you are doing. It is difficult, but you will get better with practice.

With even a little proficiency in this, you will find that you are no longer carried away by the vicissitudes of life.

Peace!