What Should I Do?

 

Photo Credit : Wisdom Quotes

What Should I Do?

We always have a choice as to what to do with our lives. The Sanatan way of life has divided human life span into four stages, first as a student, then as a householder, then retirement and finally renunciation. In each stage we are to guided to do what is best for that stage in life – so for the first 25 years we are learning, enjoying life as children and youth, then for the next 25 years we are householders, getting married, working, having children and in general taking care of our householder responsibilities. From the age of 50 onwards we are supposed to start withdrawing from active life but not denounce it completely. After 75 all our worldly responsibilities are taken care of and we can devote the rest of our time for attaining liberation or moksha.

Very few people manage to stick to the guidelines as most get caught up in the fight for survival in a competitive world, the ego and our desires drive us and blind us to our real goal in life – liberation. Thus, we get stuck in the birth-death-rebirth cycle.

Whatever we choose to do, we should give it our 100%, like Swamiji says, ‘whatever target I have set for myself, I always exceed it, so that my soul feels good.’ So, if one wants to be a musician but the family does not support it, then one should do the next best thing and try and become financially independent and continue with your passion as a hobby. Once you have the wherewithal and the independence to pursue music, do so wholeheartedly – if music is in your heart, the instruments will become available – the universe takes care of that.

If we do not have the awareness as to what one should choose, then one should put one’s heart and soul in doing whatever is at hand right now, in the present moment. One should not get stuck in anything, life is a continuous flow with barriers cropping up now and then, one overcomes the barriers and keeps flowing – remember water which does not flow, stagnates!

Be completely involved in whatever you are doing, always give it 100% - do not think of getting entangled anywhere. If you do not know where, just show absolute involvement in what you are doing right now.

People neither eat with involvement, nor breathe, wake up or sleep with involvement. Because of this, they have no sense of what to do. Whatever they do, it seems to be inadequate – it seems to be the wrong thing. Just show involvement into everything that you are. Then life will choose, and it is never wrong.