We all remain trapped in a body-conscious situation all the time. We think all the time about our names, our homes, our wealth and all other materialistic things.
If somebody has complimented me for my “handsome looks” or for anything else, my ego feels flattered. If somebody has ignored me, my feelings become disturbed and I feel as if I have been insulted.
Feeling honoured or insulted, this process goes on at every step because we keep on repeating: My house, my job, my family, my city and my, my, my…!
What all these things show? They simply exhibit that we are living in a body-conscious situation all the time. We are giving too much importance to this body and its belongings. It is sad that only this kind of thoughts keep us busy all the time. The reality is not our body but our soul. Because our soul is immortal, I, you and we all have been taking births and dying since times immemorial. And this process will go on and on till our soul attains salvation.
It is advised by the great seers that while performing the worldly deeds, one should shut one’s eyes at intervals and retrospect. Tell yourself that “my reality is not that I am a body but I have to consider myself as a soul. I should try to become 'ashriri' which means that I have to become completely detached from my body.”
One should have similar thoughts regarding one’s family members and about other human beings too; and should think about them that they too are all souls.
{{/usCountry}}One should have similar thoughts regarding one’s family members and about other human beings too; and should think about them that they too are all souls.
{{/usCountry}}While doing so, we have to perform good deeds and help others by showing love and sympathy. We should be particularly sensitive and caring about those people who are in distress and need help immediately.
In this way, we can see 'soul' in all the living beings; and can thus become soul-conscious.
And that would be the way to go in life.