As self we’re all one, there’s no other, so we must learn ‘to be’ and ‘to do’ good!

As a society, academia, leadership and governance we must learn, awaken and spread the idea, ideal, and the wisdom that identified as Self within, we’re all one.  However, without learning this basic, fundamental wisdom from childhood, we all believe that we’re only this limited body-mind. And obviously, as body-mind we’re bound to be self-centered!

So, our duty as elders and sincere well-meaning devotees of all religions, is to become aware and reflect on a simple obvious fact, that we are all alive, conscious and exist only because of Life, Self, Consciousness within. So, we’re asked to be and do good, because as Life and Conscious-Existence we must be one, interconnected, interdependent. And, if I hurt anyone seeing them only as a separate ‘body-mind’, in reality I am only hurting my Self because as Self, we’re one; there is no other!

This is the idea behind all goodness, virtuous conduct and religions when they talk of love, serve, care and concern for each other, truth, peace, non-violence, love thy neighbour as thyself. Vedanta (literally, end or essence of vedas), discusses this ideal of our Oneness as life and shows that as the ‘subject’, knower, conscious, we’re all one; and so, the purpose of life is to actually experience this Oneness. We’ve to realize that I am now attached to my mind-memories and beliefs; we now have to learn to identify with Self thru’ universal ideas of righteousness and our respective religious prayers, worship. Education and religions must learn to work together to explain this wisdom and how to get established in righteous conduct so that all work itself becomes a worship, and each ‘work’ becomes the path towards experiencing our oneness with all.

We’ve to know, reflect, discuss, debate, accept and then strive to imbibe the higher ideal. Thus, from childhood we should be established in the awareness of the idea of oneness and in the habit, discipline and self-development practices to learn to be committed to walk-the-talk towards experiencing our oneness.

Our ancient culture was focused on establishing the young in the habit of worship of mother, father, teachers, Atithi (guests). The idea of ‘worship’ was to recognize, be conscious of the Self, Life within each being. By bowing down to touch the feet of elders, we learnt humility. The idea of commitment to duties and work as worship was to remain conscious of Self, Consciousness. Idea was to see and serve God in man and in all Creation.

Understanding work as Karma to learn to Work as Worship aka Karma Yoga: Holistic idea of work as karma must be understood to appreciate why & how to work, secret or real skill of work, aka Karma Yoga, which means work as worship of God in man and in all beings and creation.

Why should we work as worship to fulfill our Duties, ethically and selflessly? We need to reflect and appreciate how every moment and continuously we’re engaged in work, ‘karma’, which includes every ‘thought-choice, word, action’, including the ‘motive, intention, purpose behind them’. And as we engage and get results from work, ‘karma’, externally, we must be conscious of the Subjective impression that are simultaneously being left on our Minds as records, memories, impressions; and these collectively go on to form our Mindset, likes, dislikes, habits, characteristics, etc. which govern all our external behaviour.

‘Karma’ is thus a holistic concept which includes, every single thought-action and I must be aware that each Karma, ‘either ‘pollutes or purifies’ our Mind, based on whether it is ‘self-centered or selfless’. I alone can choose, be inspired, evolve my action plan for managing my Mind towards the higher and better. Each Karma is governed by previous karma and leaves a record in our mind and we get enslaved by our cumulative Karma. These form all our tendencies, skills, worldview, beliefs, etc. Every moment, including from birth in a particular family, we’re what we’re, based on our self-acquired Karma. Thus, I and I alone am responsible for what and where I am and where I wish to go now.

The ideas have emanated, not just from monks but also from the busiest persons engaged in everyday challenges; right on the battlefield waiting for war to begin; and from kings ruling a kingdom! And yet some rulers were calm and deep thinkers too. So, the lesson to be learnt is, how to remain calm amidst intense activity, focused on our duties. This is the secret of work, karma yoga, goal of practical Vedanta as a religion. It is the calm, forgiving, person who can learn to work as yoga.