How can I stay connected to Oneness while still handling my daily responsibilities? I have a demanding job, and I often find myself slipping back into the mind, especially when stress hits. During those moments, I lose the sense of connection and let the mind take over. I’m trying to understand how to live in awareness of Oneness even in the middle of everyday life. If you have any personal insight or experience with this, I’d love to hear your story and learn how I can stay rooted too.
How can I stay connected to Oneness while still handling my daily responsibilities? I have a demanding job, and I often find myself slipping back into the mind, especially when stress hits. During those moments, I lose the sense of connection and let the mind take over. I’m trying to understand how to live in awareness of Oneness even in the middle of everyday life. If you have any personal insight or experience with this, I’d love to hear your story and learn how I can stay rooted too.
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According to Prof. Sahib Singh ji, who has given meanings of all the Shabads included in Guru Granth Sahib, the entire Guru Granth Sahib is the vyakhya (explanation) of the following two Pangtis of the first Pauri of Jap Baani:-
ਕਿਵ ਸਚਿਆਰਾ ਹੋਈਐ ਕਿਵ ਕੂੜੈ ਤੁਟੈ ਪਾਲਿ ॥ ਹੁਕਮਿ ਰਜਾਈ ਚਲਣਾ ਨਾਨਕ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਨਾਲਿ ॥੧॥
Therefore, the basic principles of Sikhi are to become a righteous/virtuous person and to remain in the Hukam (Divine Law) of Akalpurakh.
If a person, despite all the pressures of life, remains connected with the above principles then the person will remain connected with Ik Onkar (Oneness) all the time. In other words, the person will always be a Gurmukh.
Otherwise, the person will be playing the games being taught by the mind i.e. the person will remain stuck in the worldly affairs (Maya) and remain a Manmukh.
There can’t be a single story, which will remain valid for all the persons and at all the times. The experience of every person is different and the main requirement, in case of all persons, is to have a strong mind, which doesn’t compromise, on principles. This will enable the person to remain connected with Oneness all the time.
In Sukhmani Sahib bani, Guru Arjun dev ji maharaaj says
Simar Simar Har Karan Karna
it means you have to do all your daily activities with the name of Lord.
all gurus do the same also.
What is Naam Simran?
Generally Sikhs consider, sitting cross legged for some time and repeating recitation of a word, as Naam Simran. To this more antics, like shouting loudly and lying on the floor have been added, to indicate the intensity of Naam Simran.
However, at Panna 71 of Guru Granth Sahib, the first Guru Person, Guru Nanak Sahib, teaches us:-
ਏਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਹੈ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਦੀਆ ਬੁਝਾਇ ਜੀਉ ॥੫॥
Further, at Panna 515 of Guru Granth Sahib, the third Guru Person, Guru Amardas Sahib, teaches us that understanding the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib and living one’s life, as per these teachings, in Akalpurakh’s Hukam (Divine Law) amounts to doing Naam Simran all the time:-
ਸਲੋਕੁ ਮਃ ੩ ॥ ਵਾਹੁ ਵਾਹੁ ਬਾਣੀ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਹੈ ਤਿਸੁ ਜੇਵਡੁ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥ ਵਾਹੁ ਵਾਹੁ ਅਗਮ ਅਥਾਹੁ ਹੈ ਵਾਹੁ ਵਾਹੁ ਸਚਾ ਸੋਇ ॥ ਵਾਹੁ ਵਾਹੁ ਵੇਪਰਵਾਹੁ ਹੈ ਵਾਹੁ ਵਾਹੁ ਕਰੇ ਸੁ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਵਾਹੁ ਵਾਹੁ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੈ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਪਾਵੈ ਕੋਇ ॥ ਵਾਹੁ ਵਾਹੁ ਕਰਮੀ ਪਾਈਐ ਆਪਿ ਦਇਆ ਕਰਿ ਦੇਇ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਵਾਹੁ ਵਾਹੁ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਪਾਈਐ ਅਨਦਿਨੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਲਏਇ ॥੧॥ {ਪੰਨਾ 515}
ਅਰਥ: ਜੋ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਆਕਾਰ-ਰਹਿਤ ਹੈ; ਜਿਸ ਦੇ ਬਰਾਬਰ ਦਾ ਹੋਰ ਕੋਈ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੈ; ਜੋ ਅਪਹੁੰਚ ਹੈ, ਜਿਸ ਦੀ ਥਾਹ ਨਹੀਂ ਪਾਈ ਜਾ ਸਕਦੀ, ਜਿਸ ਨੂੰ ਕਿਸੇ ਦੀ ਮੁਥਾਜੀ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੈ, ਜਿਸ ਦਾ ਕੀਤਾ ਹੋਇਆ ਹੀ ਸਭ ਕੁਝ ਹੋ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ, ਉਸ ਦੀ ਸਿਫ਼ਤਿ-ਸਾਲਾਹ ਉਸੇ ਦਾ ਰੂਪ ਹੈ। ਉਸ ਦਾ ਨਾਮ ਜੀਵਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਆਤਮਕ ਜੀਵਨ ਦੇਣ ਵਾਲਾ ਹੈ, ਪਰ ਉਸ ਦੀ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤੀ ਕਿਸੇ ਗੁਰਮੁਖ ਨੂੰ ਹੀ ਹੁੰਦੀ ਹੈ। ਸਿਫ਼ਤਿ-ਸਾਲਾਹ ਦੀ ਦਾਤਿ ਭਾਗਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਹੀ ਮਿਲਦੀ ਹੈ, ਜਿਸ ਨੂੰ ਮੇਹਰ ਕਰ ਕੇ ਆਪ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਦੇਂਦਾ ਹੈ, ਹੇ ਨਾਨਕ! ਜੋ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਗੁਰੂ ਦੇ ਹੁਕਮ ਵਿਚ ਤੁਰਦਾ ਹੈ ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਸਿਫ਼ਤਿ-ਸਾਲਾਹ ਦੀ ਦਾਤਿ ਮਿਲਦੀ ਹੈ, ਉਹ ਹਰ ਵੇਲੇ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਦਾ ਨਾਮ ਜਪਦਾ ਹੈ।੧।
You can see that Guru Sahib is making very clear that whosoever becomes a righteous/virtuous person (Gurmukh), i.e. who gets rid of vices and lives life, as per Divine Law, keeping teachings of Guru Granth Sahib in view, he/she is granted the boon of becoming one with Akalpurakh and Shabad Guru, who are spiritually embodiment of each other, and he/she achieves the state of spiritual equipoise and spiritual bliss, amounting to doing Naam Simran all the time. The final goal is to achieve spiritual emancipation/salvation in this life itself.
Therefore, becoming a Gurmukh (Righteous/Virtuous), living life as per Divine Law (Hukam) and Naam Simran go together and are inseparable.
Hope it helps. If you have any further questions, please do ask. If you find any deficiencies, please point out the same, for improvement in future.
This state is achieved when Shabad has become a part of an individual. Divine wisdom and the individual are one now, and one has recognized the Divine within and around one.