how to be conscious or super conscious when you are surrounded by unconscious people for almost whole day or maximum hours in a day?
—smit, india
Dear Smit,
With prayer and meditation, one develops a centeredness that increasingly can be maintained in the face of whatever it is one has to do each day. It’s best to start with situations you can handle, of course, but the ability to maintain your own inner peace is an achievable goal in most cases. I assume from your question that you are a meditator, yes?
It is a fact that most people have a period of increased vulnerability after they begin the journey to Self-realization. This is because, as we turn inward, we begin to dissolve or crack the fragile shell of ego that we previously around ourselves.
But as our journey deepens through devotion, selfless service, the magnetic influence of our association with others on our spiritual path, and deeper, longer guru-given meditation, a new and powerful form of magnetism begins to surround and protect us. Divine grace, surrender to the Divine Will, and the indwelling joy, power and wisdom of the soul become increasingly our reality. From this state we live and share (often silently and magnetically) to those around us. From this sharing, the energy and consciousness of others, if not in attunement with our own, cannot disturb our own inner peace.
It may not happen quickly, and it certainly won’t be permanent until we grow closer to soul-freedom but the process itself is reassuring and precious.
As you deepen your faith, then, and in the meantime, you may need to put extra attention on remaining inwardly focused on your activities even as you are surrounded by others. Perhaps the most important thing is not to react to the emotions, “jabs,” or other acting-out behavior of others around you. It may be useful to talk less — but try to avoid seeming cold, aloof, or critical of others. In fact it is vitally important that you not mentally judge or criticize others, nor label them as lower in consciousness. It would help for you to see each person as your Self, as a child of God, and to view whatever ignorance they might express simply be seen as a temporary forgetfulness of their soul-nature.
Patanjali describes the state of yoga as the neutralization of the waves of likes, dislikes, mental turbulence, and emotions. And as Krishna says in the Gita: “be thou, O Arjuna, a yogi.” This means being friends with all in your heart, calm, non-reactive yet kind, helpful without rescuing, and seeing all as manifestations of God, of Krishna, or your own Self.
The challenges you describe are a gift from Divine Mother to help you strengthen your faith and your love for God in all forms. Be grateful for the opportunity to grow spiritually in wisdom and in grace!
Blessings to you!
Nayaswami Hriman
