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It is common belief that one can either be spiritual or maternalistic, as the twain never meet. But, in present times, the adage couldn’t be more wrong. With ‘spirituality’ becoming the ‘in’ thing, people are looking for the middle path something between spirituality and practicality.
Imagine this: at your work place, you are asked to do something which is against your basic faith. Do you go ahead or do you refuse even though there could be a backlash from your colleagues? “in my office I have to make compromises very often but that doesn’t mean that I don’t follow what my Guruji has taught me. But I don’t feel guilty because Guruji has told me, ‘you will have to make compromises, but always remember that work is just a small part of your life. Follow your consciousness at other times.’ I keep my spirituality out of my work place,’ says Sonal Joshi, a tour manager with a large travel agency.
Sonal might have taken an extreme step by leaving a part of herself out of her work place, but there are some like Parag Maniar, a journalist, who prefer to strike balance. “if my being materialistic doesn’t harm anyone, then I am one. After all, I have a career and I am ambitious. But at the same time, I don’t like to let go off my spiritual beliefs because they make me the individual I am he opines Film actress Rati Agnihotri also prefers doing everything in moderations “Becoming spiritual doesn’t mean that one has to take sanyas. I enjoy life and do all the things I want to and yet, I know I have reached a higher plane because of my beliefs. Everyone has a spiritual side to them, but it should never be allowed to dominate their life”.
Of course, the spiritual too, have their side of the story. The views might seem a bit radical, but then, that’s how they are in the present scenario. ‘Chanting the right mantra and abstaining from intoxicants and meat is the way to live a practical life,” believes Vraj Bihari, a council member of ISKON. “Once you have a ‘pure’ body you wouldn’t feel the need for living a materialistic life. Your body will become spiritual’.
For many, work is worship and Sharmistha Roy, the ace Bollywood art director working with the right attitude is turning spiritual, in her own way. “Spirituality differs from individual to individual. For me, it is not enough to talk about spirituality. I try to do my work with all the possible honesty and dignity, and that gives me a happiness”. Of course, she also lives her life according to the times she is in. And that may sound a bit material to a few.
A simple technique that might help
one decide between spirituality and materialism is to ask: who am I? If
what you are about to do fails within the parameters of ‘what and who you
are’, it is better to stick to that norm. What is important is that you
learn to strike the right balance between spiritualism and material life.
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