Be in the World but Not of It

Being in the world but not of it is the biggest challenge for one who seeks liberation, because when we are in this world, we are surrounded by the mind, the senses and all the attractions and distractions that the world offers.

So, how can we be in this world, but not of it? We generally tend to get carried away and we sink in this world, but it’s a big challenge to be like a boat that is on the river, but does not sink in the river. It is a big challenge to be like the lotus that’s in the pond, but stays above the dirty waters, bright and shining. We have to learn to be like the lotus and the boat, and not sink in the waters of this world. There is no way to escape being in the world. Anybody who is alive has to wake up, has to do something, has to do his duty or his karma. The challenge is - while we are alive and while we are doing things - not to sink in this maya, this illusion, this mythya of the world or samsara, this is the biggest challenge for us. Many people try to escape the world; they try to run away from the world, go into a forest, a silent retreat. Can they escape the world? Eventually, they have to wake up. Then have to wake up and face the world and then they will feel defeated because they have no experience of facing the world.

For instance – imagine we are in a jungle and right in front of us, a tiger appears. Does it make any sense to close our eyes?, The tiger will be there regardless; we have to face it. So also we have to face samsaar, we have to face the world and not shut our eyes to it, but we have to overcome it, not suppress our feelings, but sublimate our feelings; we must be in this world, but not be of the world.

AiR