Question: When I meditate, I have a sense of God’s presence, but once I jump into my day I lose it. My reactive mind kicks in. What can I do about this?
Response: As a starting point, don’t jump into your life; walk into your life. By this, I mean embrace your activities consciously and purposefully. Avoid absent mindedness by staying present, alert, and awake. For example, when I am with my adult children I try to never forget that it is my duty and my joy to be their father, to love them, and to serve their highest good. Even when we interact with strangers, we should aspire to bring God’s light and love into the encounter. A warm smile has the power to bless and uplift others. The Bhagavad Gita teaches us to do everything for the love of God, bringing all of our attention to the task at hand without being attached to the outcome. Living in this way implies that we must keep a kind of vigilance, continually making the conscious choice to bring our best selves into all circumstances. Living consciously takes effort! However, as we practice, the flame of God’s light shines brighter and brighter in us and through us. Life becomes more joy-filled. Yogananda teaches us, “Whatever you experience in meditation, bring into activity.”
Beloved Guru,
With your grace,
I can practice living consciously.
I don’t want to fall asleep!
