How to Maintain Enlightenment in Everyday Life
How to Live According to the Principles of Advaita Vedanta in Modern Times
Advaita Vedanta is often misconstrued as an escape from the mundane, implying that one has to give up everyday pleasures to seek spiritual enlightenment. However, this is a fallacy. The principles of Advaita Vedanta encourage self-improvement and active engagement with the world. This article discusses how one can maintain the state of enlightenment while dealing with everyday duties and societal expectations.
Understanding Advaita Vedanta and Everyday Life
Advaita Vedanta doesn't advocate for escapism; instead, it emphasizes that to achieve liberation (Moksha), individuals must understand and work on themselves. This journey involves recognising that true enlightenment lies in a deeper understanding of our nature and the interconnectedness of all beings.
Contrary to popular belief, Advaita Vedanta does not impose restrictions on worldly pleasures. In fact, it suggests that indulging in life truthfully can lead to a freer existence. The joy and satisfaction derived from the truth can diminish the pursuit of worldly pleasures, but this does not mean they must be abandoned.
Is It Possible to Maintain Emotions in Everyday Life?
It might seem paradoxical to maintain feelings like anger, sadness, or happiness in everyday life. While one can indeed recall or imagine a state of anger or happiness throughout the day, these mental states are not intrinsic. Ideas and knowledge, while powerful, do not have the ability to create or control real emotions.
The primary distinction between these emotions lies in our understanding of them. Anger, sadness, happiness, and jealousy all stem from the same underlying energy. What creates the perception of difference is our knowledge and ideas about these states. Essentially, these emotions are manifestations of the same fundamental energy, much like enlightenment.
Knowledge and Enlightenment
According to Advaita Vedanta, knowledge is the key to enlightenment. Once an individual gains fundamental knowledge, such as the understanding that "you don’t exist," this knowledge becomes ingrained and unforgettably part of their consciousness. This foundational understanding does not need to be maintained artificially; it becomes a constant presence.
The famous saying from Advaita Vedanta, “Before enlightenment, carrying water chopping wood. After enlightenment, carrying water chopping wood,” encapsulates this idea. After an individual achieves enlightenment, they continue to perform the same tasks with a heightened awareness and purpose.
Conscious Living in Daily Life
Maintaining a state of enlightenment amidst daily duties and societal expectations requires a shift in perspective. Rather than seeing these tasks as ordinary and mundane, one should perform them with consciousness and purpose. This means:
Living in Consciousness: Engage in your daily tasks with full awareness, recognizing them as part of a larger, interconnected existence.
Performing Tasks for a Higher Purpose: Undertake your responsibilities knowing that they are directed by the Supreme Immortal Power (SIP).
Continuity of Purpose: Once enlightenment is achieved, the alignment with divine will ensures that actions continue to serve a higher purpose.
Embracing Mundane Tasks with Consciousness
The tasks we perform in life, whether family duties or societal responsibilities, become more meaningful when done with consciousness. We are not merely performing these tasks; we are manifestations of the divine, serving as divine instruments in the everyday world.
By doing so, we transform everyday life into a form of spiritual practice. This continuous engagement in our daily lives, rooted in consciousness and divine purpose, allows us to maintain our state of enlightenment.
In conclusion, maintaining enlightenment in everyday life is possible by embracing consciousness, purpose, and divine connection in our daily activities. This approach transforms our mundane tasks into expressions of spiritual awakening and service to the greater good.