Does Consciousness Hinder Work?

Here is a question from a reader:

“If you consider yourself as consciousness it becomes very difficult to do business or any kind of work, and if you are body conscious it’s not possible to engage in spirituality. How does one select the right course?”

Consciousness is a state when you are aware of everything around you. That means your mind is focused on the present moment.

Here is an example.  As I drive to work in the morning, I am looking at the traffic and making the right decisions regarding slowing down, turning, etc. All this is happening in the “now”, meaning I am conscious of everything around me.

I also look outside and see the trees on both sides, a bed of flowers, children going to school; and those images make me happy. The feeling of happiness is an experience in the “now”. If I see a homeless man, or a man struggling in a wheelchair, I feel sad. But again, I experience that sadness “now”.

Once I reach office, I park my car, enter the building, go to my desk, log into the computer, and start typing code. Well…all that is happening NOW. I am very aware of it, I am conscious of everything around me, and of all my actions.

I am doing my work and my business in full consciousness!

Now imagine another scenario. As I am driving to work, I keep “thinking” of the argument I had with my wife. Next I think of the bad day I had at work yesterday and how my coworker shunned me.

I am still driving, noticing the traffic, slowing down if needed but occasionally applying sudden brakes, taking the turns but occasionally missing one and then taking a u-turn. My mind is roaming elsewhere. I definitely don’t remember seeing the trees or the flowers!

Then as I get to my desk, I start thinking of the ball game I am going to watch after work, and the tail gate party! That slows down my work…And suddenly it is lunch time!

In this scenario, I was NOT conscious. I was mostly unaware of my surroundings, and even neglected my work. My business suffers.

As you can see, when you are conscious, your work and your business are done more efficiently!

The second part of your question is about the conflict with spirituality. Depends on your perception of the meaning of spirituality. There are many definitions of spirituality, some are religion based, some psychological, some metaphysical. And they are all right in their own context!

But here we are talking of Enlightenment, a step beyond Consciousness. In this state you are always conscious, AND, you see your self in everything. This is the most sublime state humanly possible. It is beyond all forms of spirituality.

I chose the course of Enlightenment!

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