How To Balance Spiritual Life and Material Life
In today’s materialistic world it has become a human nature to acquire wealth and this lust is never ending. Rather it grows stronger day by day. Quite often we lose ethics in the means to acquire materialistic gains. It is always ‘YE DIL MANGE MORE’, we long for worldly things and refuse to part with them giving undue attention and inviting disappointments, frustration, stress and anxiety– factors that makes us unhappy. It is because of these tendencies the world happiness report ranks India at 122 out of 155 countries. The sense of detachment from things is the first step towards achieving happiness in life.
In rat race to accumulate wealth, we lose sight of purpose of human life. Our shastras tell us that rarely we get human life out of 8.4 million lives. Our learned saints have visualized that a child, when in mother’s womb recollects his or her past lives and prays to the Almighty that once out of the womb will strive hard not to be born again. Thus the sole aim of this rare life is to attain mukti (salvation).
Once we are born, the world around us drags us to the materialistic life. It is the few blessed ones on whom Guru kripa is showered. It is our Guru Bhagwan who guides us to navigate through the rough terrain of this materialistic life.
It is not necessarily needed to observe renunciation from daily life activities in order to indulge into spirituality. In Shrimad Bhagwad Gita (Chapter 8, Verse 7), Lord Krishna says to Arjun-
Constantly remember Me at all times and fight, offering your mind and spiritual intelligence unto Me and certainly you shall attain Me without doubt.
This teaching of Lord Krishna is for all of us to learn that in the midst of all actions, we must try to remember God. This remembrance connects us with God and always helps us perform the task in a better way. In this way, every work becomes a worship. Based on the teachings of lord Krishna to Arjun in Bhagavad gita, our Guru inculcates the balancing habits between spiritual and material life.
Ways of balancing spiritual and material life
- Chanting– Chanting is the easiest way and the best way to connect to God. It can be done at any time of the day and at all times. Guru Bhagwan says, we can focus on doing our physical work and along with that we can try to do chanting.
- Prayer– Prayer is another very important way to connect to God while doing any task. Guru Bhagwan says, after short intervals of time, we should remember to pray and to thank God. This helps to maintain a feeling of surrender and gives us strength.
- At times, when we get time, we can read some spiritual texts. What we read, directly goes into our mind, so instead of reading unnecessary things, we should try to read spiritual matter.
Benefits of balancing spiritual and material life
- It gives us inner satisfaction. Guru Bhagwan says, everything done for the world gets lost after the end of this life but whatever we do to rise spiritually, remains with us life after life.
- Along with worldly settlements, we are able to move towards the aim of life.
Some important points to balance spiritual and material life
- Guru Bhagwan gives us the dose of spirituality which acts as an anchor to the ship of human soul that needs to stabilize in troubled water of life’s day to day problems. It gives an insight to reflect on daily activities and create positive emotions. Turnings to spiritual life does not reduces problems but it surely gives strength to withstand them with a peaceful mind.
- Mentor also awakens our inner voice and helps to clearly distinguish between right and wrong. As Lord Buddha said- “WHO LOOKS INSIDE AWAKENS !!”
- Guru bhagwan never asks to renounce the world or ignore your job or profession but advices us to put GOD in the center of each activity. The golden words are
“HAATH RAHE KAAM MEIN MANN RAHE RAM MEIN”
If you are not sanyasi or saint and following worldly life then be in the world and not of the world. Perform routine activities of the day with the thought that God is watching you and is always with you. Always imagine today is the last day of life because that is the only eternal truth and with this thought in mind nothing wrong can be committed.
4) Always believe that we are not the doer but everything is happening as per God’s will and accept it with humility and grace.
5) Follow the simple way of life. Begin your day by Thanking God for giving human life and one more day to march ahead to salvation. Also thank God for all the physical and materialistic support to attain the goal of life. This will pave the way for the day on a positive note as is said well begun is half done
6) Get up early in the morning in Brahm Muhurat i.e. between 3 am to 6 am. This is the best time for prayers. Do not pray for anything other than what God wants to give. Believe in “SWEET IS THY WILL”. Spare time for exercise, yoga, pranayama, walking and anything right to keep body fit and healthy so as to perform spiritual and material life very well.
7) One should also donate a portion of earning for needy and less privileged as this act purifies the wealth.
Housewives have to perform their daily chores with love and devotion. While cooking, one should remember that food is being cooked for the supreme power who resides in all human beings. Whatever satvik food cooked, should be offered to God first which automatically becomes Prasad. Food cooked with positive vibrations transmits the same among all the family members.
We have a role model in lord Krishna, who teaches us how to maintain equilibrium in our lives, neither to lose ourselves in material pursuits nor take renunciation route. One needs to maintain a fine balance between worldly pleasures and spiritual thoughts.
So whenever at the crossroads, awaken the inner consciousness in you and you’ll be as successful in fighting your outside enemies as well as the demons within.