It’s easy to feel the power of our spirit when there is less work and it's a relatively relaxed part of the year. I reach the heights of having a good grasp of religious philosophy and spirituality — in theory as well as practice — in a world devoid of deadlines and inflexible secular obligations. The real challenge is to keep going despite the 'burden' of work when I step out into the world. Multiple times I have lost that accumulated spiritual calmness over unrelenting class assignments.
—Ashutosh, India
Dear Ashutosh,
You have expressed well the battle that each devotee of God has to face: How to keep the inner flame of spirit while living in the material world with its constant demands!
Having a daily sadhana (spiritual practice), where you practice meditation in the morning before going to work and in the evening after coming home is most valuable to be able to come back and re-establish and gain your connection with God, if you lost your inner calmness during the day.
It is also very helpful to practice japa (repetition of the name of God) during the day, and mini-meditations while at work (even one minute at a time).
Other important and helpful ways are to bring God into your job. Pray for your co-workers at the end of your daily meditations and bless them. While at work, share love and kindness with them and find ways to care for them as much as you can. Your love and care for your co-workers will bring relaxation and harmony into the work environment.
I hope these few tips will help.
Blessings,
Nayaswami Diksha
