shailendrasharma.org · Published site text
The Yogi Way
4 sections
§1
Yogis survive without working — leaving society for an objective view
Book 5 · Money, work, ambition and success Also: Religions, history, society and science, Guru, disciple and the lineage
From the time immemorial only Yogis are known to survive without working. If you want to be a yogi, you should leave your family, society, community behind, go into the jungle, find a competent Guru, and do nothing to earn money — only to get food and bed. That will enable you to have a purely objective view on society and you will become wiser and wiser.
The whole society is built for trade and commerce. What the cities are? Money, trade and commerce. So if you want to be away from this rut, you have to go away from society. Only then will you develop an objective view, otherwise it is impossible.
If you are intelligent enough to observe it while living within society — then it’s a different thing. But to develop absolutely objective view, you have to move out of the society from time to time. And if you have an objective view on society, you can use society for your own purpose. You can guide it also and you can survive and continue to develop yourself to an unknown degree.
§2
Duties, the decision to do nothing professionally, and faith in yourself
Book 2 · Samadhis and the practice years, told as events Also: Living well: emotions, love, family, work and money
But first we have to know exactly what are our duties.
It was a very strong decision, but I decided that I will do nothing professionally. If one decides not to do anything, he will survive. Maybe in the beginning he will go through some very bad periods. He will have to face so many different types of challenges. I had gone through this and the biggest challenge is that you are never sure where your next meal is coming from.
But if you have enough faith in yourself, whatever you are doing, you will survive.
§3
The musician who practices yoga — music inside its maker; yoga as art
Book 5 · Money, work, ambition and success Also: Kriya Yoga practice
I think if a talented musician practices yoga, his talent in music will be superfine. Much more imaginative and exulted than before. He cannot stop himself from expressing it, because it is part of him. It will be better and better. What is the reason for him stopping that music?
Music is really inside its maker, then he simply cannot stop it. And knowledge of music will give him much more better understanding for yoga. Because there are certain techniques in music also but ultimately it’s an art. Yoga also looks technical but it is actually an art. I think it will give him certain advantages over others.
§4
Trader, real duty, and yoga as mind development
Book 5 · Money, work, ambition and success Also: Mind, brain and consciousness
A trader or a business person also has a talent. If he practices yoga, he will become a better person. If he is a trader then he will become a better trader.
If you have real duty then practice will make you much better. Yoga is not only discipline — it will develop your mind.