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PART SIX
WORK Work as an Offering to the Divine
Let us offer our work to the Divine; this is the sure means of progressing.
Consciousness develops best through work done as an offering to the Divine. Indolence and inaction end in tamas: that is a fall into unconsciousness; it is contrary to all progress and light. To overcome one’s ego, to live only in the service of the Divine − that is the ideal and the shortest way towards acquiring the true consciousness.
You must do the work as an offering to the Divine and take it as part of your Sadhana. In that spirit the nature of the work is of little importance and you can do any work without losing the contact with the inner presence.
When there is not enough work in my department, can I spend my time reading or drawing?
Your work is your sadhana, and it is by doing your work in a spirit of consecration that you can make most progress. I think it would be better not to tire yourself too much by reading or drawing. 18 February 1933 Page − 319 I would like to know, isn’t there also the same sadhana in reading and drawing?
Everything can be made into a means of finding the Divine. What matters is the spirit in which things are done. 21 February 1933 Work done in the true spirit is meditation. 15 September 1934 All depends on the attitude with which you do the work. If done with the right attitude, it will surely bring you nearer to me. 17 May 1937 I am quite satisfied with your way of doing the work and it is sure to help you to come nearer to me.
I make no difference between work and yoga. Work itself is yoga if it is done in a spirit of dedication and surrender. 25 January 1938 Sometimes when I am absorbed in meditation I see and feel that my physical being aspires through work. Then I see a sun manifesting in my physical with its brilliant light. All the gods and forces emanating from You are in this sun. Page − 320 Yes, it is true that in and through work one can enter into contact with the sun of divine light and force.
Your attitude towards work is the right one and I see no changes to suggest. The work done through love and because of love is surely the most powerful. 8 June 1942 Works of love: the best condition for work.
Let us work as we pray, for indeed work is the body’s best prayer to the Divine. 11 December 1945 To work for the Divine is to pray with the body.
One can progress through meditation, but through work Page − 321 provided it is done in the right spirit one can progress ten times more. 6 April 1954 The progress in sadhana comes from the rectification of the inner and outer attitude, not from the nature of the work one does − any work, even the most humble, can lead to the Divine if it is done with the right attitude. 16 July 1955 It is not so easy to do work. In true work you have to do all that is done in Sadhana and much more. 21 August 1955 You have to do all that a yogi does, you have to reach the highest heights and bring down those conditions of consciousness, light and peace and manifest them in your everyday work. For you no job is insignificant or trivial. 22 August 1955 Go and prepare yourself and the best preparation is to be useful to the Divine’s work. May 1963 Should I try meditation?
It is not necessary if your work is a constant offering to the Divine. 13 April 1965 Page − 322 How can I offer my work?
Usually one works for one’s own profit and satisfaction; instead of that, one should work to serve the Divine and express His will. 23 June 1965 Whatever is our work and whatever we do, we must do it sincerely, honestly, scrupulously, not in view of any personal profit, but as an offering to the Divine, with an entire consecration of our being. If this attitude is sincerely kept in all circumstances, whenever we need to learn something to do the work more effectively, the occasion to acquire this knowledge comes to us and we have only to take advantage of the opportunity.
Now that you are about to take your first steps on the path of action, it is time to decide whether you will consecrate your life to your own personal interest or whether you will make an offering of it for the accomplishment of the work. In either case the field of action remains the same. But the spirit in which it is done is totally different.
It must not be forgotten that the offering is made to the Divine’s Work and not to any human enterprise. So the only thing that can be done is to express some appreciation in a few words.
What are the steps to follow for (1) sadhana and (2) silence of the mind? Page − 323 (1) Do work as sadhana. You offer to the Divine the work you do to the best of your capacities and you leave the result to the Divine. (2) Try to become conscious first above your head, keeping the brain as silent as possible. If you succeed and the work is done in that condition, then it will become perfect. 2 April 1970 Be faithful to your ideal and dedicate your work to the Divine.
Work for the Divine and you will feel an ineffable joy filling your being.
Disinterested work done for the Divine: the surest means of progressing.
Disinterested work: work done with no other motive than of doing as well as possible the Divine’s work.
How is one to know what the Divine’s Work is and how is one to work with the Divine?
You have only to unite and identify yourself with the Divine. Page − 324 |
