The goal of life is spiritual. Understand that as the guiding principle of your life. With an attitude of cheerfulness and with full attention, do your duties in life in your role as student, worker, child, parent, member of the community, and so on. Then let go and leave the rest up to the timeless process of spiritual unfoldment. It won’t seem like work or duty, and everything will be in harmony.

This approach simplifies life and expands it; it purifies the seeker from karmas and attachments. There is no longer any concern for collecting odds and ends from your actions, piling up belongings, or needing reinforcement from others for what you’ve done. Your needs become less. Your sense of owning and having grows less and less. At the same time you become increasingly selfless. You do your actions greased with love. Great joy comes when actions are done with love. Personal gain is not the motivation behind your actions. Slowly you learn to do your actions selflessly. To do this is a spiritual discipline, a spiritual practice.

Editor’s note

This is an excerpt from Sacred Journey by Swami Rama, published by Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy, 1996, pages 70-71