Hare Krishna to all the devotees!
My humble obeisances!
I had few questions and i would feel really blessed if any of the devotees could answer them.
1. How to balance Spiritual life and Material life ? it so happens that when i am practicing spirituality, my mind worries about the material things, and when i am performing material duties, my mind tells me that i am not performing spiritual activities enough, so perform them.
2. i try to control my senses and bodily movements, and not weaver much. i try to have an orderly, disciplined, fixed time table for my activities as it is a good habit advised by advanced devotees. but after certain time it feels mechanical life. so please guide as to how i can make my routine smooth, more blissful, and not rigid.
3. And i have heard that after certain time of spiritual practice, the line that differentiates spiritual and material activities disappear. So one reaches a state where all actions seem to be aligned to God, there is no difference between any activities. so is this kind of action a result of long spiritual practice? and is it good for oneself?
All of the devotees are welcome to give their guidance according to their own knowledge or personal experience.
Hare Krishna!
Replies
Hare Krsna Prabhuji,
PAMHO.
Without knowing your routine, it would be difficult to comment on what you are doing and how to improve. The way you have written, it appears taht you have a set routine whihc you try to stick to, for your sadhana. THis is good.
Now to answer your questions:
1) How to balance material and spiritual life - that is the trick prabhuji. That is why understanding of scriptures is very important. Otherwise, we think scriptures are one thing and our life goes on separately. Only when we are in class, we pay attention, rest of the times we lead our life. The more we are able to apply the principles of spirituality in our day to day life, the more we have done both - led a material life as well as keeping Krsna in the centre. Actually, the more we imbibe and keep Krsna in the centre of all activities, the more we are able to succeed in our life.
We are one only prabhuji, I am sure you agree. Then why our material life and spiritual life should be separate? For eg - when we are doign our sadhana, like chanting or arati, no question of thinking about (say) office. Similarly, when we are working in office, the moment we go to work or to school/ college to study, before beginning our day, we can pray silently that whatever I do today is my offering to You. Then pls do your work with due diligence and sincerity. That way, your work is an offering to Krsna and you can work in peace without thinking I am doing injustice to my spiritual life.
This way, the more we keep Krsna in the centre of all our activities, the more we ahve merged material and spiritual lives, whihc makes spirituality a way of life for us, instead of something for which we have to make a lot of efforts.
2) I agree, sometimes it appears that it is mechanical to get up every morning the same time and sing the same songs for mangalarati and so on. The way to infuse life into this is sadhu sanga. The more we associate with devotees and hear from them about how they are serving or others are serving, the more we get enthused to do service. If it is not possible for you to do sadhu sanga on daily basis, maybe you can incorporate watching youtube videos of lectures or temple abhisheks. That will keep you enthused.
3) I answered this in point no 1 itself. Spirituality is a way of life - you see the senior devotees, for them devotion comes effortlessly, they do not have to make extra efforts to do devotional activity. Instead, if you take away devotional activity from them, they are lost. They do not know what to do.
I hope I have been able to answer your query. If you want to ask anything further, pls write.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Radha Rasamayi DD
I on the other hand, do feel both have to be bought into balance. This is the Tao/(way of a true/real Life experience. Not that it's wrong to rish-off in a mad-dash towards the spiritual Sky, (forsaking all other laws & obligations. Except that sounds rather "HailMarry" to me. Thinking it best to dig-in practice perfecting our relationships on all levels especially this one hear & now! So yes giving thanks verbally frequently is remembering God & keeping Him in the center of this life experience. Also shearing Krishna & preaching to jealous raskels, "if you knew a way to exit this karmic reberthing old age & death cycal wouldn't you take full advantage of it?
Then inform them of the maha save of chanting the holy names of the Head God's. & how that attracts the authority's who have a relationship of leadership skills over the karmic laws to intervene on our behalf!
Thank you all for you wonderfully perfect questions & perfect answers! Greatfly I chant Haray Krishna Haray Rama! All victory AnuntiCotiVishnaiahs-kiji
Without sadhu sanga, there is no spiritual progress.
Without bhakta sanga, there is no progress in bhakti yoga.
Trying to balance between two lives, material and spiritual , is like you trying to ride many horses at the same time.
P.A.M.H.O....
first i am just a beginner in bhakti but still i will try to answer you as i asked similar question during jigyasa class @ iskcon jaipur...
Question 1....i think you are in mid point where you want to balance your spiritual and material life....but i feel you should pick one option or you can pick both by putting krsna in the centre of all your activities...thn the word material will disappear...
like generally many of us actually worries about money and job..etc...but once you put krsna in the center of all your activities even your material life will be turned into a spiritual life... i was told to do one round of mala...i took it as duty and in early morning i used to pick my japa mala and start my mala and during that 10 min span my minds travel japan to America....thn i decided to left all this....i went to jigyasa class and i asked prabu ji what to do as my mind travel j to a...he asked what kind of thoughts come to my mind.....i said i started worrying about my electricity bill and about my mother told me to buy groceries or exams job money or i have to do this and that and this and that....he said put krsna in center..i asked how..? prabu ji said if you are worried for groceries feel that yu hv to buy groceries asap....so your mom can make bhog for lord.....
you have to pay electricity bill so krsna will not stay in dark....etc etc....i done that for quite some time and later it turned into bonding between me and krsna....thn mala job became a source of connection...Every time i feel alone whn i feel no one is with me i take mala and talk to krsna.....simple as that make your whole life dedicated to krsna....thn u will nt need ny mtrl life.. hari bol....