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Thread: Work / Making a living

  1. #1

    Work / Making a living

    Namaste,

    I am from New Zealand.

    I've read and attempt to follow the teachings of Ramana Maharshi and other teachers. The main practice being mindfulness and self-enquiry.

    I work in front of a computer and the job is very analytical. I have considered changing to a lower paid job as a gardener. All my friends and family believe this would be a mistake but they are looking at it mostly from a financial point of view.

    I am looking at it from a spiritual point of view but I wonder whether I am deluding myself...

    On one hand, I feel that doing simple work outdoors will improve my health and make it easier to remain mindful and then focus on self-enquiry while engaged in work. On the other hand I wonder if it will make any difference at all or there will simply be new obstacles.

    Should I simply accept where I am and stay even though I feel it's detrimental to my health and spiritual progress?

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    Re: Work / Making a living



    Welcome to the forum quadrant6!
    Answer: Stay where you are!

    In order to know the Truth you do not need to change your job. This idea arises in you as you begin to question your self and your previous motives for action, where as before your decisions may have been made on financial requirements, your likes and dislikes and the need for security. This questioning is spiritual enrichment and not a sign for a requirement for change.

    I can relate to your concerns, having asked myself the same questions.

    Economically you are better to continue in your profession and use the "extra income" for gym membership or just walking after work. A healthy diet and 1 hour a day in the gym or walking should be sufficient. 8 hours a day in a garden does not necessarily bring the same improvements to health. It will also bring with it new problems e.g. back ache, periods of unemployment perhaps, lower income, facing the weather and elements in winter or sun. I am not suggesting that a gardner has less or more value as a career, but my point is to look into karma and the results of your actions which will result from your desire.

    Mindfulness will come with practice, even now reading this response it can be practiced. Be here now! If you master it in front of a PC then you can expand it to walking, cooking, talking, parties etc.

    What is the point of having awareness when alone in a wood only to find you loose it all when you walk into a room full of people.

    In fact, the thinking that you need to do something to improve you, is a part of the play of ego. You don’t need to abandon or change your job or living to know the Truth.

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    Re: Work / Making a living

    Quote Originally Posted by quadrant6 View Post
    Namaste,

    I am from New Zealand.

    I've read and attempt to follow the teachings of Ramana Maharshi and other teachers. The main practice being mindfulness and self-enquiry.

    I work in front of a computer and the job is very analytical. I have considered changing to a lower paid job as a gardener. All my friends and family believe this would be a mistake but they are looking at it mostly from a financial point of view.

    I am looking at it from a spiritual point of view but I wonder whether I am deluding myself...

    On one hand, I feel that doing simple work outdoors will improve my health and make it easier to remain mindful and then focus on self-enquiry while engaged in work. On the other hand I wonder if it will make any difference at all or there will simply be new obstacles.

    Should I simply accept where I am and stay even though I feel it's detrimental to my health and spiritual progress?
    Namaskar Quadrant6 ji,

    Welcome to the forum. Snip ji has said a good advice. Changing jobs isn't nececessary to progress in spirituality. As you are a follower of Ramana Maharishi, you should know it BETTER. We are not our body, we are not the mind, we are the soul...

    See positive things in everything, see everyone as the soul, you will be able to train the mind to be detached even while performing action or simply being idle.

    I long ago read this story, and couple of times being told the same story by different people. Though I must say I have forgotten the plot of the story, I remember the gist well. Well, it goes like this. There once lived a prostitute opposite the house of a revered swami. This swami is known to stick to dharma, perform good deeds, and being a role-model to anyone who wants to live life spiritually.

    The swami will go about his daily routines strictly, though he knows lots of sinful activities were going on the prostitute's house. He always thinks bad of the prostitute, when seeing her clients visiting her.

    On the other hand, the prostitute watches intently the routines of the swami. She watches him go out to have his morning bath for prayers, she watches the students and people who throng to listen his discourses. In her mind, she said always had good impressions of him. She always has nice things on her mind seeing him. That's how a man should live, she'd always say.

    But when the swami died, he was in hell, and the prostitute was in heaven. Why? The prostitute had good thoughts in her mind even while leading a sinful life. The swami, though he has lots of good in his life, he forgot that the same Brahman is in the prostitute.

    What I am trying to say is that, we should perform our jobs with respects. We might think that job will make us have time for spiritual pursuits, spirituality is not measured that way, we should strive to do our best in anything we are now.

    Sorry for this long post. And to members of the forum, I know prostitution is a sin, by saying the above story, that doesn't make prostitution not a sin. God works in enigmatic ways, and each of us will reap what we sowed, if not now, in the coming future.

    Namaste.

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    Re: Work / Making a living

    Vanakkam Quadrant6:

    What an interesting name!

    You have several factors to consider. Without a bit more information, I am hesitant to give you my two bits, but here goes. I may clearly disagree with the other adherants who advised you.
    Firstly, here are my questions.
    Are there other souls that would be impacted by this decision, especially a wife, or children? Financially, this might affect things.
    What is the actual drop in pay in New Zealand? Others may have an approach based on monetary circumstances in India or elsewhere. I don't know the details. If the pay cut is not significant, I would definitely consider it.

    I was a teacher for 27 years. It was high stress. I had little time for personal sadhana. I was probably a poor parent and spouse at times, due to this. Following the mental teachings of a Ramana Maharshi may sound all good and dandy, but in reality, you wake up every day, and have to go off to some stress filled workplace that deals with deadlines, personalities and all that. During my time in that space, I maintained a low level of faith in my life, often hoping time would go faster.

    Now I have retired. I garden. For six months a year, I spend up to 6 hours a day maintaining and beautifying a 1 acre parcel of land belonging to a temple for Ganesha. I get paid nothing. It is so incredibly healthy. You get fresh air, exercise, and time alone to be reflective. You are surrounded by nature spirits, and your own spirituality comes out. If God gives you that opportunity, take it. Please just take it. It will be the best decision of your life, provided the finances are sufficient, and the job you take has decent people. (This is far more likely, given the nature of the profession.) Earth herself will become your best friend. God only comes along with these opportunities for you once in a while. There are websites dedicated to this type of return to simplicity. One is called simpleliving.com.

    Besides, even if you discover that its actually not your bag, you can always return to the other profession.

    Aum Namasivaya

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    Re: Work / Making a living

    hari o
    ~~~~~~

    Namasté quadrant6

    Quote Originally Posted by quadrant6 View Post
    I work in front of a computer and the job is very analytical. I have considered changing to a lower paid job as a gardener. All my friends and family believe this would be a mistake but they are looking at it mostly from a financial point of view.

    I am looking at it from a spiritual point of view but I wonder whether I am deluding myself...

    Should I simply accept where I am and stay even though I feel it's detrimental to my health and spiritual progress?

    First let me say I do not have the answer to your question. I think EM and others have offered you reasonable, level-headed views of some choices. Let me offer a few ideas for you to consider.


    Here is what the wise say:

    Svāmī Brahmānanda Sarasvatī was Śaṅkarācārya of Jyotirmath (from 1941-1953)
    Do not get the mind excessively involved in your employment if you desire peace.


    My teacher told us,
    see the job, do the job, stay out of misery.


    The key here is what you are comfortable with that brings you balance. Many executives love their work and can manage the stress ; when they go home leave the work at the office. Others do not and think about work all the time - where is the time then for spiritual pursuits?

    Another view is what you can afford? Some people leave their work , yet are still in stress becasue they cannot make ends meet with their new income levels. Again, all thoughts are how to make money and no time for spriritual pursuits.

    So , you need to balance this... Can you test the waters? Do you know gardening ? - it too at times can be hard work. You may want to look at what you like, dislike what you can afford, those things. Can you take some time off and try this gardening on for size and see if it suites your style . Like that, trying it out first.

    Yet as I see it and have practiced, there is no final decision. If X does not work , then one can try Y.


    praṇām





    यतसà¥à¤¤à¥à¤µà¤‚ शिवसमोऽसि
    yatastvaṠśivasamo'si
    because you are identical with śiva

    _

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    Re: Work / Making a living

    Quote Originally Posted by quadrant6 View Post
    Namaste,

    I am from New Zealand.

    I've read and attempt to follow the teachings of Ramana Maharshi and other teachers. The main practice being mindfulness and self-enquiry.

    I work in front of a computer and the job is very analytical. I have considered changing to a lower paid job as a gardener. All my friends and family believe this would be a mistake but they are looking at it mostly from a financial point of view.

    I am looking at it from a spiritual point of view but I wonder whether I am deluding myself...

    On one hand, I feel that doing simple work outdoors will improve my health and make it easier to remain mindful and then focus on self-enquiry while engaged in work. On the other hand I wonder if it will make any difference at all or there will simply be new obstacles.

    Should I simply accept where I am and stay even though I feel it's detrimental to my health and spiritual progress?
    Hi Quadrant. I understand what it means to have an analytical job. As an astrophysicist, I too do very analytical work. I admit that sometimes it doesn't seem all that "spiritual." On the other hand I've always viewed academics as spiritual, since Hinduism places a strong emphasis on learning via our worship of Sarasvati. Just mentioning this to point out that technical jobs can be spiritual too.

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    Re: Work / Making a living

    quadrant: I hope some of our answers have been helpful. I do wish you could provide us a bit more feedback, or information. Another though crossed my mind: What do you mean by gardening?

    -hard physical labour in vegetable or fruit farms you hear about with illegal Mexican labour in the US and elsewhere
    - landscaping, where you're tree trimmer, arborist, lawn cutter, planter, etc all rolled into one
    - rural farmer, driving heavy machinery

    Wages for all this would vary a lot. Another thing that escaped me is the facet of prayer in all this. Have you prayed for clarity?

    Just yesterday at my temple, a young potential immmigrant told me his story. He was from Andhra Pradesh, wishing to come to Canada. He had two different paper/red tape barriers to cross. His wife and two kids were back home, and he was hoping to accelerate process. Initially, the government officials told him about 12 months for the one thing and 6 for the other. So he came each time, did 108 prdakshinas for Ganesha, all the while praying. The 12 month tape was reducred to 6, and the 6 month one to 2. Yesterday was thhe 'thank You" day, and prayer for a safe trip back home to get his wife and kids. He leaves today.

    I only mention this to remind everyone of the power of sincere prayer, which I think we sometimes forget about.

    Aum Namasivaya

  8. #8

    Re: Work / Making a living

    Many thanks to all of you for the replies. It's been very helpful.

    Just to give a little more info, I am 26 with no children. The gardening job is at the botanic gardens in our city centre. A place I often go to walk and simply sit and find peace.

    The pay would be more than cut in half if I take thew gardening job.

  9. #9

    Re: Work / Making a living

    Thank you all for the replies.

    Just to add, I should have mentioned earlier that I am 26 and have no children or family depending on me. The gardening job is at my city's botanic gardens. It's a trainee position and involves caring for the plants & grounds. I often walk and sit there and find a sense of tranquility & peace, I feel healthier going out than when I go in.

    The wage will be less than half of what I get now but it will be possible for me to live. However, it is a good point that I may get new stress from worrying about paying bills and only just making through each month ( in the case of any unforseen expenses ).

    I will perhaps go to the interview and see what I feel at that stage.

    If I stay where I am (have been there for 6 years so far), I shall endevour to make changes to reduce the stress, try to be more mindful and compensate for hours in front of the screen by doing plenty of exercise after work.


    Thank you for the advice

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    Re: Work / Making a living

    quadrante: Thanks for the additional information. I'm sure it helps the rest of us relate better. One thing I was able to do in my later years teaching was cut my job down to 0.8 which was reflected by hours worked and pay.

    This freed up some time, for more sleep, and some additional sadhana.

    The gardening job sounds wonderful to me. But that's what I love anyway. Maybe you could add to your food supply by taking home a few of the edible cuttings. Would it be possible to supplement this with a paper route, or some other part time job, and then finances wouldn't be the worry.

    I would think any stress from gardening would come from a supervisor. One person can be the key. But out there you can at least chant bhajans quietly to your self.

    Just throwing out ideas for you. Best of luck in coming to a clear decision.

    Aum Namasivaya

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