Is It Only Kitchen Work?-Part II

Add as a preferred source on Google

While we do sincerely wish to perform our jobs and duties happily, somehow, inspite of our resolve, we feel so bored with them time and again. Ramana's example and guidance seem to be in vain. The malady is so deep, perhaps the fault does not lie only in the fact that the work is not necessarily of the kind we would have chosen or which is suited to our temperaments.

The trouble lies in our inability to handle our mind. Thoughts keep pushing one hither and thither so that there is no concentration on the work and one is tired and listless at the end of it. The dissipation is of mental energy.

The inability to give oneself fully to the work on hand is not due to the work itself, it is because of the mind being scattered while working. Such a condition arises from the weakness of the mind. It appears, therefore, that one has to get out of the clutches of the thought vortex if one is to learn to work in a relaxed, yet attentive manner. Self-enquiry is the direct means available to tackle this problem.

The next hurdle on the way is the result-orientation of the mind. We regard ourselves as the architects of action and its fruits. Effort no doubt is a must. However, there is no guarantee that the work would give the desired results. This apart, our effort is often woefully inadequate and yet our desire for reaching the goal is strong and nagging. Hence worry is bound to be our lot.