Are You Using the Art of Living Tools?

A quote from Sat from the book Love & Wisdom is read:

“Art of Living. Our teaching is about the Art of Living. The Art of Living is integration of spirituality in day-to-day activities. The Art of Living allows us to live; it gives us life. The Art of Living is to be in the world but not of it. The Art of Living tells us how to not give importance to the individual mind and the Universal mind. The Art of Living teaches us how to live in this world and how to handle different situations in the world. The Art of Living not only eliminates the falsehood of body identification, it also eliminates the falsehood of believing this world is real. In our dedication to free ourselves or to have peace of mind, we have freed the whole world, because it is Universal. It is very hard for the mind to understand, but if you can trust me, you will see that no other remedy has ever worked. Why hasn’t it worked? Because it was like we put a temporary ointment on a large, deep sore. So, what is the remedy? It is the elimination of the false... it is the elimination of the false... it is the elimination of the false …”
Sat, November 2007

Sat: Thank you Nilu, it is always a good reminder to go back and read articles like this because if you are doing it, it gives you such a joy to know as some of you said that it is happening automatically. And if you have forgotten, then here it is, the importance of not just being spiritual in certain circumstances or certain situations, but to genuinely want to free ourselves and have that peace that the world cannot give!
Sharing: I always had the desire to cut myself off and physically go in a corner and practice silence. I thought that was the way to not be of this world- through physical solitude. What I have learned is to be vigilant when I am out there in the world, even though I have to be swimming in the world for several hours a day [because of my work]. I am now on the outside looking in at what is happening without over involvement. I have learned that I don’t really need to isolate myself as much as I thought I needed to.
Sat: No, that is very true, I am glad you came to this realization. Listen, because as we know God does not make a mistake, if our lot was to be a renunciant, we would not be married, we would not have children, we would not have a high education, we would not have a job, we would not even live in the United States.
Now, many, many years ago, when I had just started with Baba, I don’t even remember who said it. I think I read it in one of Baba’s books, where a householder was told if he or she can remember their own true nature, they have made so much more progress than someone who sits in solitude. Of course, Baba had said “God” but I translated it to true nature. Because they did it in the thick of responsibility, they did it in the thick of temptation and challenges! That is what makes it rare and much more useful, because now we know how to be in the body but also to be God. To Me this is true spirituality!

There are a couple of stories that I will tell you guys later about how it is when you go into solitude and then you are forced into the world- how out of balance that can be. But once we gain that peace that is not of this world, we are constantly in solitude because we have found Home. And it is so beautiful because I see some of you guys daily, [and] none of us have resigned from the role that we are given and day to day responsibility. We still work hard, we still accommodate each other, we still attend to our children, and in My case with you guys, grandchildren, etc. But now we come together and each one of you says, “Listen, I am in the world but look at what I am doing with it.” Now, this is precious!
-After a few moments of silence Sat says:

For a couple of minutes, let’s go Home together as one unit of Divine. As our body and ears are on the phone, let’s just really dive Home and experience that infinite silence as one.
Namaste
US Chat - 11/4/2021