The Lazy Yogi

If we desire enlightenment only for ourselves, then living in society will seem like a hindrance. Everything will be an obstacle keeping you from your spiritual lifestyle and practices. Then you will feel a drive to escape, perhaps to nature or to an ashram.

There is nothing wrong with this if you wish to go and do that. However, my aim is to live a rich and harmonious spiritual life while still maintaining my identity in society. But how to accomplish this?

A key component is Motivation. If you seek enlightenment only for yourself, then the world will be continually getting in the way. The Tibetan Buddhists have a different thought in mind. They desire enlightenment for the benefit of all Beings. 

If we want to live in a beautiful and awakened world of majesty and harmony, then all change must start with ourselves. But we cannot wait until we are perfect before extending compassion to the world. Therefore even as we walk the path, we must also create space to allow others to do so as well.

This is not a matter of teaching or outreach. This means treating everyone and everything as it truly is: an extension of your emptiness.

Part of the Bodhisattva Vow is: “The beings in all the worlds are numberless, I vow to save them.”

This does not mean going one by one and leading each by hand down the path to enlightenment. This means seeing into and accepting their inner nature for what it already and always is: You. 

Living in the world requires you to understand the interdependence of all things, not just below the surface but also ON the surface.

When you can get on everyone’s side, not their ego’s sides mind you but the Soul’s side, then you will no longer find society to be a hindrance to your path. Far from it! Every moment of conflict is an opportunity to make room for clarity to emerge within yourself. Whether or not the same happens to other people is not your concern, so long as you continually give others every opportunity to emerge with you.

With this attitude, the greatest obstacle to spiritual development in the modern age becomes a vehicle for your own salvation and peace.

Namaste, sangha.