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Namah Insight

or all things? Is there not a work that conforms bias, to which you are not emotionally attached,
to your nature, adapted to your character even indifferent normally, may be of especial
and capacity? And are there not works that help, for you will be able to do it with less
are against the grain with you that lie outside nervous disturbance, with a large amount
your scope and province? of detachment and disinterestedness.

The question is not about your scope and Man usually chooses his work or is made to
capacity. All depends upon your attitude, choose a work because of a vital preference,
the consciousness with which you approach a prejudice or notion that it is the kind in
a work, especially when you are a sadhak. which he can shine or succeed. This egoistic
When a work comes to you or when you vanity or opportunism may be necessary or
have to do a work, you must take it up as unavoidable in ordinary life; but when one
a thing worth doing. Whatever the value wishes to go beyond the ordinary life and
given to it normally or you often put upon aspires for the true life, this attachment or
it, you should not neglect or merely tolerate personal choice is more an impediment than
it, but welcome it and set about it with the a help to progress, towards finding the way
utmost conscientiousness possible. Even if it to the true life. The Yogic attitude to work
were a trifling insignificant thing, a menial therefore is that of absolute detachment, not
affair, for example, do not consider it as mean to have any choice, but to accept and do
or beneath your dignity. Directly you begin whatever is given to you, whatever comes
to do a thing in the right spirit, you will to you in your normal course of life and do
find it becoming miraculously interesting. it with the utmost perfection possible. It is
Try to bring perfection even in that bit of in that way and that way alone that all work
insignificance. Do it with a goodwill, even becomes supremely interesting, and all life
if it is scrubbing the floor, telling yourself: a miracle of delight.
“I must do it as best I can, that is to say, this
too I shall do even better than a servant, I This does not mean, however, that there is
shall make the floor look really neat and no work natural to you, for which you have
clean and beautiful.” That is the crux of the a special aptitude, in and through which
matter. You should try to bring out the best your soul, the Divine, can express itself fully
in you and put it into your work. In other and wholly in a special manner. But what
words, the work becomes an instrument of is that work? The kartavyam karma — the
progress. The goodwill, attention, concentration, work that demands to be done — deriving
self-forgetfulness and the control over from your swadharma — your self-nature?
yourself, over your organs and nerves — Evidently, it is not that of your superficial
the “smaller” the work the more detailed nature, which the mind chooses, the vital
is the control gained — all which are prefers and the body finds convenient. To
involved in doing a work perfectly, with as come by your true or soul work, you have
much perfection as it is possible for you to to pass through a considerable discipline, a
command, are elements called forth in you rigorous training.
and help to make you a better man. Indeed
a work for which you have no preferential You cannot throw off this work and that

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