Spirituality in daily life

Contemporary man only relies on the outer eyes – believes whatever eyes can see or other senses can perceive. While leading the mundane life, modern man forgets the art of wondering, the art of appreciating the beauty of nature or being thankful for all the blessings in our lives. It is because of the habit of relying on all the scientific gadgets (TVs, iphones and what not) that modern man has lost its ability to wonder, to awe or to admire in daily life. In fact, Science itself has that limitation- Science can only analyze the facts that can be perceived by five senses. Science cannot measure the beauty of a flower, the purity in the eyes of a child, the love in the heart or the happiness in the mind.

Science can analyze a drop of water and can tell you that it constitutes of hydrogen and oxygen. However, it cannot tell that how much nectar is hiding in that drop of water. How much satisfaction a drop of water can give to a thirsty mouth. Scientific gadgets can provide you with bodily comforts, but the peace, the satisfaction and happiness of mind can only be achieved when you begin to realize the importance of spirituality in life.

When the seeker who realizes the presence of higher goal in life, begins his spiritual journey, he learns the importance of wondering and gratitude. Only when there is a feeling of awe or wonder that one begin to appreciate the greatness of the creator of this world and one begins to pay his or her gratitude. While leading the daily life we should not lose our ability to wonder – to wonder at how amazingly the sun appears in the sky every morning, to wonder at the smile of a child, to wonder at our own ability to taste, to see,  to listen, to smell or to feel everything around us. To live in the moment and to appreciate the godliness, the divinity in everything around us – even the trees, the grass, the birds, the animals … is the beginning of spirituality in daily life.

But this won’t happen overnight. One need the presence of spiritual masters or Self realized Saints in life who are already living in that divine blissfulness. In Shiva Puran , there is a beautiful context when Parvati Mata forgets everything about her own Self and Shivji. At that time, Shivji appears in front of her in disguise and become her Guru.  When Parvati Mata accepts Shivji as Guru, Shivji asks her to take a bath and then only comes in front of him. Even though she already took bath, she went again for taking a bath. But, when she comes in front of Shivji again, he asks her to take bath once more. She took several baths like that and finally she requested Shivji for some more explanation. Shivji told her to take bath while experiencing every drop of water on her body. She went once again to take bath and she realized the importance of taking bath consciously while feeling the touch of each drop of water on the body. After that experience, Shivji accepted her presence as disciple and said, “Living in the present and performing all the day to day activities in complete awareness is the beginning on the path of exploring the Truth. However, such divinity of thoughts and awareness in present only comes by the grace of presence of a spiritual master in life.”

God is in present in our heart. We should talk with Him and listen to Him while performing our daily chores. The gratitude expressed by means of prayer is a wonderful way for the seekers to feel the presence of that omnipresent God in our heart. Fill your heart with feeling of awe, live in the present and pay your gratitude by means of prayers – prayers after waking up, prayer before meals, prayer before starting an important chore and prayer before going to bed is an easy way to spiritualize your life. When you begin to perform such prayers, your kids will also inculcate this habit by looking at you.