Thursday, February 15, 2018

Me, My Guru – on intent and travelling!




Me, My Guru – on intent and travelling!




Today’s session was on intent and having listened on this topic since ages, it still seemed like we didn’t understand it yet. Or was it that we didn’t want to understand about it? Either way, her (our Guru’s) job didn’t seem too easy. She went ahead with her lecture as if she was just meant to do that. And this meant we had more time with her and more lectures to listen. We enjoyed it. But then who wouldn’t this was easier than doing sadhan especially regularly.

“A Guru was walking through a village with his students and they saw some workers working on the construction site. The Guru went to a worker and asked “What are you doing?” and the worker said “slogging in the sun” bitterly. Guru went to another worker and asked the same question and he replied “Earning for my family” and when asked, the third worker said “I am doing a holy job of constructing a temple”.

After crossing the village the Guru asked his students “Why do you think each gave different answers for the same question?”

“We wanted to ask the same” they replied.

“The difference is in the intent” replied the Guru “The first one was working to fill his stomach. That’s all! That’s why that work seemed so boring and heavy. The second one was earning his livelihood to feed his family. He had a little better reason to work than the first. His bitterness was hence lesser than the first worker. But the third worker identified with the temple he was part of as a construction worker and this ‘great work’ gave him the impetus, joy and satisfaction of ‘self esteem’ that he radiated through his work and reply. The work being same gives different levels of satisfaction and various shades of emotions depending upon the ‘intent’ of his work. It reflects in his work, attitude and finally in the work that he undertakes too!”

Contd....


1 comment:

Mona said...

Slightly deviating from the topic here - But I feel taking pride in ones work is probably one of the most important ingredients of success. I dont know for what reasons - cultural or otherwise, its difficult to find people who take their work seriously. I say this with a lot of responsibility and a work-ex of 10 years, employees just go through the motions waiting for the next smoke break, vacation, salary hike, promotion and never really looking at how their contribution is making the world a better place.