Acharya Shree, what are your 5 secrets in living a spiritual life in a hectic and stressful society?
First, you have to understand life is blissful.
And, in this hectic, stressful, society even you have lot of responsibility. Raising children, you have to work hard. You think that you don't have time at all for the spiritual growth.
But you are wrong.
Spiritual secrets for everyone very easy. They are not difficult one.
Like if you want to grow spiritually, even you have everything and you're living in a stress and hectic society, still you can follow it.
A secret of spirituality is you have to take a vow for nonviolence.
Not to kill anyone and every day you remind yourself that no matter what I am not going to kill or hurt anyone.
No matter it is a human, animal, bugs, insects, unless they are in your own way they are attacking you, it is a different story.
You are defending. Defending is totally different. But you take the vow first.
And everybody can do it.
Because there is no need to hurt other people or other animals.
Because everyone likes to be survive. Everyone likes to be alive, not to be dead.
So we don't have right to kill anyone or to hurt anyone.
Nature doesn't give you any right. You want to survive, you want to live yourself - other wants to live too.
So, live and let live.
That is the first secret of the spirituality.
You live peacefully and let them live peacefully.
Second is to minimize this violence.
Killing. Because for survival we need to eat something.
And people have this misconception that animals are made for them.
"God made animals for the human". Then I will ask them question:
What the human makes for? They are made for some animals maybe?
It is not the right way to say that God made animals for us.
Yeah, maybe it is made for animals to live in harmony, live in peace because without animals life will not be, like, we cannot survive even.
Because this planet will create imbalance right away.
So, second secret I am giving you that in order to survive, you be vegetarian.
And vegetarian in the society, in the hectic society, if you work hard, if you go...even you work 8 hours a day...
It doesn't hurt you. You still eat. Be vegetarian!
Because vegetarian ((vegetables)) is the lowest category of life.
And for survival you need to eat. Be a vegetarian, and this is healthy diet.
So if you become vegetarian, you will be able to put yourself together.
You can work hard even without stress, without depression, without any tiredness.
Be vegetarian, and you feel light! Because vegetarian food is light!
Third secret of spirituality is you don't put in your body any acid ((LSD)) or any alcohol or any drugs.
Be away from all alcohol, drugs, or strong drugs like LSD or anything.
So the third secret of spirituality if you keep away this way you are straightening up your life.
Fourth secret of spirituality is if you can meditate.
In 24 hours you don't have to like think about that like "I want to meditate 24 hours".
You can start meditate even 10 minutes a day!
If you practice little bit sit quietly, close your eyes, concentrate on your third eye, and...
you will begin to feel very peaceful state of consciousness.
Very kind of stillness there, very calmness there.
So 10 minutes you devote just to meditate.
And then you will be surprised that you are beginning to feel that you are changing.
And fifth secret, what you have to do: try to change your habits, daily habits. Whatever you have habits like
To be angry it is a habit maybe. Maybe in the real sense you are not angry. Maybe just you have a habit.
Or to shout on your children, or shout on other people, or think negative about other people.
Just be aware about your habits. If you be aware about your habits, your life begin to change fully.
And even though you are not practicing spirituality, in a way you are really practicing it.
Because you are on the path.
And it doesn't require any discipline. It requires knowing more.
Or it requires guidance more. And it is your life and your life becomes pure.
And you feel good about "hey I am not killing someone which has 5 senses, any animals, and I am not putting that animal's body in my body".
So you feel pure. When you feel pure you get inspiration.
And that inspiration will take you further into meditation automatically!
And one day you will achieve the highest state of consciousness!
Remember 5 secrets. Nonviolence, not to kill anyone. Not to hurt anyone.
Second you stay away from drug, alcohol, and all kind of LSD.
Actually second one was vegetarianism. So you can be vegetarian. That is the lightest food you can put in your body.
And within 8 hours it can be digested. Not like meat!
Like, it takes 3 days to pass through your intestines.
So, third one I told you to be away from this alcohol, drugs, and don't put in your body because this body is a beautiful instrument.
It is divine. It is pure. Keep it pure. Not to put, not to pollute this instrument through alcohol, through drugs, or through LSD kind of strong drugs.
So the fourth I suggested you to meditate at least 10 minutes. And meditation is just close you eyes...
and sit quietly. You just observe yourself or you can observe your breath even for a while.
That how you breathing, how where your breath. You can follow your breath.
Or you can repeat a mantra. Just it will, you will focus on one mantra. It can be a sort of meditation for you.
And think about fifth one, always just watch your habits.
If you were negative yesterday, you just decide today I don't want to be negative no matter what.
I want to be always positive. So this will change your life.
Whole structure of your life. So five secrets to be spiritual. And it doesn't take any discipline.
You can do it! Anybody can do it.
It is not impossible. These five secrets if you follow these you will be surprised you're automatically spiritual.