SPIRITUALITY AND THE GRIND OF DAILY LIFE

Some might think that spiritual growth requires abandoning roles like being a parent, an employee, a spouse, or that the only path to spiritual development involves isolation in an ashram, months-long travels to India or Tibet, living in the wilderness, or more extremely, taking vows in a monastery. In other words, spiritual growth seems possible only by detaching from mundane things, responsibilities, and the so-called distractions of daily life, or by creating specific, ideal, or more „optimal” conditions. After all, the struggles of everyday life and the noise of the modern, fast-paced world can disrupt or even prevent spiritual practices, which supposedly demand silence, calm, and freedom from temptation.

This mindset is similar to how we approach New Year’s resolutions: before we act, we focus on creating perfect conditions, like buying sports equipment instead of simply starting to exercise right away.

The notion that spirituality and fulfilling everyday responsibilities are mutually exclusive is reinforced by the inflated image of pseudo-spirituality and its accompanying “philosophy” of life in today’s world. This so called “spirituality” often manifests outwardly through extravagant dress, speech, behavior, and actions. A question I often hear from the people I guide is: “Why don’t spiritual teachers or gurus have families?” Or, “Does spirituality always mean being detached from earthly matters?”

To this, I respond: To be spiritual, to connect with the Divinity within us, we don’t need to float away, carried by a grand, colorful balloon. Instead, we should firmly plant our feet on the ground. Because if we keep soaring higher and higher, disregarding what’s beneath us, we risk losing touch with who we truly are. There’s a reason we’ve been placed on this Earth, isn’t there? If God wanted us to all be flying beings, he would have sent us among the stars, into the cosmos, as winged creatures. Instead, He made us humans, with feet bound to the ground by gravity. Striving to rise higher and higher doesn’t necessarily connect us to the source, depth, or truth, because these don’t depend on how high we ascend.

THE SPIRITUALIZED EGO

Often, this upward striving is tied to an ego inflated like a balloon, lifting us up and making us feel superior to others. A person who spends a year isolated in an ashram or a single person dedicating hours to spiritual practices is not inherently more spiritual than a simple farmer working the land.

One of my spiritual guides once shared a story about a man who couldn’t read, had never attended school, and lived a simple, repetitive life. He woke up with the sun, cared for his animals and plants, and went to bed as the sun set. This simplicity and his deep connection to nature and its rhythms led him to become enlightened. People from nearby villages began flocking to him to hear his wisdom.

SPIRITUALITY AS A TREND

I’ve also observed, as have many others, that spirituality has become a trendy lifestyle. It’s yet another fad, like fashion trends, Instagram algorithms, or popular travel destinations. This trend often involves creating an illusion of a favorable reality, such as dropping everything to pursue spiritual growth. It’s almost as if we reject our humanity, trying to play God on Earth.

People pack their lives into a backpack and head to the most “spiritual” places on Earth—India, Bali—believing this makes them “better” or more “advanced” on the spiritual path. They think they must abandon all attachments and responsibilities, wear a mala, and sit in a lotus position in a Buddhist temple.

But being spiritual is not about escaping human struggles, dressing a certain way, or speaking in a language no one understands. True, deep spirituality is about navigating the grind of daily life. It’s about the courage to remain grounded amidst life’s trials and challenges. There is no spirituality without immersing oneself in the labor of being human, walking our own cross-laden path.

BEING SPIRITUAL DOES NOT END OUR HUMANITY

Quite the opposite. It means embracing our humanity even more, with all its weaknesses and desires. The everyday grind, being part of society, and spirituality are deeply interconnected. There’s no need to choose between spiritual growth and fulfilling roles like being a parent, employee, husband, or wife. Obligations will always be a part of life.

Even in ashrams, there are schedules for: cleaning, cooking, gardening, and tending to communal needs. If everyone in monasteries, ashrams, and temples only levitated, they would eventually die of hunger. Service—fulfilling obligations—is itself a path of spiritual growth. In the repetitive, daily tasks lies the essence of our spiritual evolution.

Nepalese monks spend days creating intricate mandalas by meticulously pouring colored sand from small tubes. A single gust of wind can destroy this seemingly Sisyphean effort. Similarly, repetitive tasks in our lives—like preparing children for school, shopping, cooking, and cleaning—are, in their own way, akin to creating mandalas. Such routines teach discipline, perseverance, and reveal the depth of life. Seeing this depth in the simplicity of life is spirituality.

A CHALLENGE WORTH TAKING

Think about it—how challenging is it to focus on spiritual practices in isolation, free from external distractions and daily problems? It’s incredibly easy, isn’t it? To do something when nothing and no one interrupts us. The real test of perseverance, self-discipline, and patience is organizing life in such a way that we can find time for yoga or meditation amidst daily worries and responsibilities.

AN ANCIENT TANTRA FOR MODERN TIMES

Though Tantra is over 5,000 years old, it is not outdated for today’s world. It doesn’t require abandoning everything, living alone, forgoing family life, or creating special conditions. Tantra is a timeless, universal science of energy—practical and easy to integrate into daily life.

Moreover, preserving its original form, without modern adaptations, is key to its effectiveness. Tantric tools and techniques such as Yoga, pranayama, and nearly 200 meditation practices are accessible to anyone, regardless of status, education, family situation, profession, age, or condition. On this transformative and beautiful path, anyone can carve their own way and begin to change their life for the better.

Whether you’re a busy parent, a businessperson, a farmer, religious person or an atheist, Tantra transcends all these categories and is ready to serve you.

Because spirituality should ultimately support and assist in fulfilling everyday responsibilities. Caring for a sick child, tending to an elderly person, or serving others in any way is, in essence, deep spiritual practice – Karma Yoga. Living here on Earth and acting with heart in every endeavor allows us to free ourselves from karma, leading us one day to liberation and enlightenment.

Krishnamurti wrote: “The simplicity of the truest kind is the highest form of spirituality.”