Is your practice sacred but your work profane? “Work”, to me, is just another word for your actions.
Being in harmony (balance) means aligning our thoughts and actions with our positive spiritual practices.
Many do not see “work” as part of spiritual practice, but I do.
It just so happens that much of our time “working” occurs in a work place. Or in school. Therefore, our choices in these areas (college, major, job, career path, etc.) become an integral part of how our life unfolds. When we select areas that are in harmony with who we really are, our experiences are much more authentic…and often, more enjoyable. Departing from our true Self causes imbalance in that experience. This is true with every other area of our lives. Therefore, our work is merely a microcosm of our life experience. All of our actions create our total life experience.
Whether your life is in tune with your passion or not actually doesn’t matter in terms of life experience. Each experience is meant to educate us…there is no such thing as “good” or “bad” except for our perception. And this dualistic thinking is the start down a slippery slope. Adjusting our thinking away from these distinctions, and instead following natural flow, is the path to peace. Understanding the real lesson and learning how to be grateful…even before blessings are understood…is the key.
So when I say, “the work is the Buddha”…I mean that enlightenment comes through doing, learning…and then unlearning and undoing. By understanding how distinctions and dualistic thinking disrupt harmony, we can actively move back to original oneness from an enlightened state (understanding the consequence of creating these faulty separations). Meditation and breathing gives us the space to understand these lessons and move back to our true Self.
As we understand these lessons, we gain confidence in ourselves. This confidence allows our inner light to shine. When this happens, all of our work becomes sacred because we only seek to share that light :)
Photo source: Tibetan prayer flags in nature (sacred, profane, or just is?)