Managing devotion with the difficult jobs that occupy more time!

Managing devotion with the difficult jobs that occupy more time!

A male devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:

“Hare Krishna Prabhu ji. I am writing to you with a heavy heart though I know it’s all Krishna’s planning to make me grow into a better person. I have recently joined as an officer in a reputed organization (can’t name the organisation) but the problem is there is no “work-life balance” in this organisation. I don’t get time to chant and read spiritual books.  I feel extremely sad. Now my question is should I stop my spiritual practices (which includes 2 rounds of chanting and reading) and start preparing for a better job that offers better “work-life balance”? Or should I keep struggling with very little and poor quality of spiritual time? I am posted in a place where I feel very lonely this is also one of the reasons why I feel sad and depressed. Kindly show me the way . Regards. Hare Krishna”

REPLY:

Don’t mistake me, this seems to be too much. Managing devotion with the difficult jobs that occupy more time is still possible.

Do you find it difficult to chant just two rounds a day?

It will take just 14 minutes.

There is no job in this world that will not allow a person spare 14 minutes for chanting.

Though you take about 10 minutes for offering food, 5 minutes for regular worship the total time needed will work out just about 30 minutes.

(HOW TO OFFER FOOD IN ALL PLACES LIKE HOSTELS, HOTELS, RELATIVE HOUSES, TRAVEL, ETC? READ HERE!)

So, what work it is that does not allow you even 30 minutes for devotional practices?

If it is the military service, even they allow you to take rest for 10-12 hours every day during no war period.

If it is the Police service, they too allow breaks every day and shift system is there.

If it is a company, they do not ask you to work for more than 8-10 hours a day. Some companies get even up to 12 hours of work.  Still you have 12 hours for you.

If it is a government job, wow, you can chant even 64 rounds a day.  Because office starts at 10.00 am and ends at 5 pm and two days off a week.

If it is the own business, you can bend the schedules according to your needs.  No one can ask you.

Then, what is the problem for you to chant?

(I am unable to chant daily though I perform all other devotional practices. Why? READ HERE.)

The only problem is that you should give more importance for Krishna in your life and you should have more dedication.

Think like this.  Will you fail to feed your child even a single day?

No. Then, why can’t you consider Krishna as your first child and feed Him daily?

Will you fail to feed your father even a single day?

No. Then, why can’t you consider Krishna as your father and feed Him daily?

Will you fail to feed Krishna if He comes to your home directly?

No. Then, why can’t you consider that Krishna is existing in your house all the time and feed Him daily?

Now, think like this:

Where Krishna lives actually near us?

Within our heart as Paramathma.

Fine.  So, Krishna is within our body itself. Wow.

How to feed this Paramathma who is within your heart?

Just Chant Hare Krishna Maha manthra as much as possible.  Krishna hears it from within your body and extends all His blessings to you.

Can’t you feed Krishna by chanting atleast for 30 minutes daily?

(WORSHIPING KRISHNA AS A PERSON AND AS PARAMATHMA –  DIFFERENCE! READ HERE!)

Do you know even the Chairman of Ford Cars, the world’s  Number one car company is chanting 16 rounds OR more daily?

Are you bigger than Ford?

Think and show your realizations in actions.

Now, I take your point that you are not able to follow devotional practices more and being lonely affects your involvement.

Being lonely is in fact a boon.  It is the recommended situation for following devotional practices.

I am performing devotional practices and am serving all of you by forcibly creating a lonely atmosphere. Otherwise, such nice counselling and services are not possible.  I like being alone that gives me more effective time to work effectively.

So, take being alone as a blessing. How many persons in this world get such a privacy?

Then, changing the job for getting more time.  This is unnecessary because problems exist in all the jobs in different forms and magnitudes.

(What are the jobs suitable to follow devotion also? READ HERE!)

I can give the following suggestions to manage devotion with different types of jobs:

(i) If one works in the night shift alone, he may sleep from the morning till 3PM in the evening. After that, he can take another bath and follow chanting. If he gets some breaks during his night shift, he can finish a few rounds.  He need not offer food to Krishna in the morning. He can offer dinner.

(ii) If one works in the first shift, ie, 6AM to 2PM, he can perform the devotional practices as said above after 3PM.  He can wake up in Brahma muhurtha, chant a few rounds and then go to the job by 5AM.

(iii) If One works only in the second shift, he can finish all the devotional practices and chanting before 1PM and then go to the second shift of job.

(iv) If one’s work in the IT and other companies that take extra time beyond the regular time and he can return only by 9PM, he can finish a few rounds in the night time and finish then the remaining rounds in the morning and then leave for his job.

(If Vaishnava Symbols are not Permitted in Job, Should we quit job or look? READ HERE!)

All the above categories of devotees can just spend 5 minutes for arati and offer something -whatever they prepare at home to Krishna. It can be simple and if not possible even fruits.

All the above persons can use the lunch breaks, tea breaks, etc., for chanting a few rounds or reading the scriptures related to Krishna.

Then, during the holidays, weekly off, etc., and after the retirement, he can take part in full fledged devotional practices and services.

Just consider the above options and think of how to plan your practices.

You will get a right solution to your problem.

Chant Hare Krishna And Be happy and Blissful.

Hope you are now hopeful of Managing devotion with the difficult jobs that occupy more time!

(SERVING KRISHNA USING YOUR JOB/ CAREER – USEFUL TIPS! READ HERE!)

Author: RAJAN

RAJAN from Tamil Nadu, India, a Life Patron and an Initiated Devotee being in ISKCON for nearly three decades, serves anonymously to avoid Prominence and crowd as an insignificant, Humble and Neutral Servant for all the devotees of Krishna! He promotes Social media forums and this blog-website as e-satsangha (e-forums) blessed with Lakhs of followers, to give Spiritual Solutions for all the Material Problems of the devotees since 2011! He writes friendly and practical tips to practice devotion (i) without hurting the followers of other paths, (ii) without affecting the personal and career life, and (iii) without the blind, superstitious and ritualistic approach! He dedicates all the glories and credits to his Guru and Krishna.

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