Daily Life as Seva

Sometimes it seems when we hear brahmacaris or sannyasis talk about Krishna Consciousness, there's a disconnect and lack of sensitivity to the everyday reality faced by those living outside of the temple or who are in the grhasta ashram. After all, they're spending their everyday directly preaching, serving the Deities, taking prasadam, etc. and not having to worry about credit card bills, gas prices, work, school, scheduling, children, etc. Their life is one of full dedication and absorption in devotional service, whereas for the grhasta it can be a struggle to remember Krishna in the midst of so much material distraction. It can also be difficult to see one's "daily grind" of work, school and family life as being connected to devotional service.

This morning I was reflecting on how my daily life is my austerity, it is my seva or service to Guru and Krishna. Getting myself ready in the morning, the 2-hour commute back and forth from school three times a week, getting my daughter ready in the morning, taking her to school, going to work, picking my daughter up, doing school work, etc. All of these things are my service. It's simply our consciousness that determines if it's mundane or transcendental. When Krishna is at the center and is the conscious focus of one's activities and life, then everything one does is an act of devotional service (of course within the parameters of Vedic rules and regulations).

So we have to begin to see everything that we're doing as service towards the greater goal of becoming Krishna Conscious. Of course it's not that easy to just say it and it happens. There has to be constant reflection and use of intelligence and also sadhu-sanga and study of the sastras. By slow and steady progress we become Krishna Conscious, not overnight. And I admit to the difficult nature of always remembering Krishna, especially when you're in the thick of maya at work or school. I can go all day at work and not think of Krishna once and then when I'm leaving and getting in my car I realize, "Wow...I didn't think of Krishna at all while I was working!" It's depressing at times, but at least I'm aware of the problem.

Gurudeva, please bless me with the ability to always see Krishna constantly at every moment, in every experience and in every situation. Without that vision I will surely be swept away by the powerful waves of illusion.