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The following story is from the Mahabharata of Vedanta philosophy, of Hinduism.
A monk went into a forest and practiced spiritual exercises until gaining supernatural powers. Annoyed by a crow and a crane in a tree, above his meditation seat, he glanced at them and they burned up.
Very pleased with his supernatural attainments, the monk returned to town to beg for food. Entering a courtyard, he called out, “Mother, give me some food!” “Wait a little, my son,” came a reply. “How dare she,” the monk thought, “tell me to wait! Does she not know my powers?!” Immediately, the voice spoke again, “Boy, don’t be thinking too much of yourself. There is neither crow nor crane here.”
The mother brought, in time, food. Amazed at her knowing of his killing the crow and crane, the monk asked humbly, “Mother, how did you know that?” She replied, “My son, I do not know your spiritual practices. I am only a common, everyday woman. I made you wait, for I was caring for my ill husband. All my life I have only tried to do my duty each moment. That is the only spiritual practice I have. But, by doing my duty I have become illumined; so, I could read your thoughts and know about the crow and crane. If you want to know of something profounder than this, go to the next town. In the marketplace
you will find a butcher. Though of the lowest class, he will tell you something you will delight to learn.”
The monk thought, “A butcher! Why should I go to such?!” He decided, still, to go. In the market was a very obese butcher, cutting meat with big knives and bargaining with shoppers. The monk, appalled, considered, “Is this the man I am to learn from?!” The butcher saw the monk and spoke, “Ah, Sage, did that lady send you here? Sit until I finish.” The monk sat, while the butcher finished his work and gathered his money.
The butcher invited the monk to his home. After sitting the monk, the butcher attended his aged parents, bathing and feeding them, making sure all their needs were met. When he returned to the monk, the butcher said, “Now, you’ve come to see me. What can I do for you?” The monk replied, “I want to know about God and the Soul.”
The butcher gave a lecture. The profundity of insight amazed the monk. Therefore, he inquired: “Why are you in that body? With that insight, why are you a butcher, doing such dirty work?” The butcher spoke, “My son, no duty is ugly, none impure. My birth put me in these circumstances. In this family I learned to be a butcher. I attempt to work well, and I am unattached to my work. I do not know your spiritual practice. I am not a monk. I have not left the world for a forest. Still, all that you have learned has come to me through the unattached doing of the duty Life has given me.”
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Religion is not an escape from the common everyday duties of life. Religion, at its best, teaches that the measure of work is more in the way one works than in the work.
The contemplative works, growing to be more and more unattached to results, as she grows more into Union with Love. She grows, gradually, to relinquish expectation of recognition or fear of disapproval. Thus, she is able to offer the work and herself, through work, to Life.
Work is no longer other than Prayer. Indeed, she might find herself feeling less a need for set aside times of Prayer, for her Life is becoming so rich with Communion throughout day and night.
Initially, this change in need might confuse her. She, then, realizes herself as a living, joyful sacrifice of Life, and she can grow to see how her devotion through work is as much devotion as her solitude with God. Truly, she has grown to take Solitude into her work. Work becomes, for her, Sacrament.
Questions for Reflection
1.Do you enjoy your work? What aspects do you enjoy? What aspects do you not enjoy?
2.What can you change in attitude or viewpoint, so that you realize your work as Work, a self-donation of Love and, thus, befriend your work as a means of Joy?
3.Does concern over how others esteem you or your work detract from your being-present-with your duty of work?
4.How does doing your work as “vocation” differ from working to gain esteem, money, or to purchase a comfortable lifestyle?
5.How does the idea of Work presented above agree with or conflict with the cultural view of citizens as “consumers”?
6.Would you be willing to either change the values you have about work or change your work, if such led you to a way of working or a work that better facilitated your experience of love, joy, and peace?
7.If you knew your body would die in five years, would you keep doing what you are now doing as work? Or, how would you change your attitude toward and experience of work?
Exercise
Today, choose one task, which you usually do not enjoy or which is not a preference, and do it, deciding to be present fully with it, unattached to results, and thankful that you can do it.
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*Charitable contributions would be appreciated to assist Brian in continuing his ministry. For contributions, contact Brian at barukhattah@embarqmail.com .
*Brian's book of spiritual love poetry, An Ache for Union: Oneness with God through Love, can be ordered through major booksellers or the Cokesbury on-line store, cokesbury.com .
*Brian K. Wilcox, a United Methodist Pastor, lives in Southwest Florida. He is a vowed member of Greenbough House of Prayer, a contemplative Christian community in South Georgia. He lives a contemplative life and seeks to inspire others to enjoy a more intimate relationship with Christ. Brian advocates for a spiritually-focused, experiential Christianity and renewal of the Church through addressing the deeper spiritual needs and longings of persons.
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