Saturday Satsang

Hari OM

Satsang is the drawing close to the teacher/leader in order to listen to some of the finer points of the philosophy (or matter under discussion and study). In our case, that is Advaita Vedanta/comparative religion. It is of particular importance to those with a serious interest in the subject matter and it is understood that there can be no loss from the listening/reading from the masters of the 'craft', only gain. No matter how advanced we are in our study and practice. 

It is the daily application, in life, of the principles of the philosophy we choose to follow that makes the difference between it being mere 'lip service' and intellectual hubris, or a methodology by which we can raise ourselves, and possibly those we meet along the way. 

Daily practice, be it formal in the manner of morning prayers, puja, attendance at class or a satsang, or be it through our daily activity, seeking only to be the hands of service in our tasks, is what is known as saadhana. It is possible, even with as simple a job as washing one's clothes, to make of it a sacred thing. How? By focusing the mind fully on the task, by acknowledging the fortune that there is water to be used for the task, and by knowing the honour of having clothes to clean. In that, we also allow time to think of those who have neither of these so readily to hand. 

Every action has the potential to be made sacred. Every thought, indeed. This is what is hinted at in Gurudev's quote here. That we should know ourselves as being The Spirit, and not just the words of a text, or a tick list of chores. Live the tasks. Love the tasks. Life will give back.