“No! Spirituality is not about escaping the world”

Some people say that when you take to the teachings of Bhagavad-Gita or you become a devotee of Krishna you are escaping the world. But that is the most ridiculous misconception. – Radhanath Swami

We do not want to escape; we want to face it for what it is. But we want to see it in such a way that we see the goodness, we deal with the badness, we see the goodness, we see the bad but we see the opportunity of how we could try to do something wonderful according to our capacity, and that brings us bliss. To know we are trying to actually help brings us inner and true satisfaction and that takes a positive attitude based on knowledge. As long as we are attached to being the enjoyer of this material energy, as long as we have selfishness, greed, envy, and pride within our heart, there is going to be so many frustrations because we are trying to exploit.

The actual liberated state is the service attitude. We do not want to posses, we do not want to exploit, we do not want to control, but we want to serve. – Radhanath Swami

Now if we can serve by controlling – our motive is to serve – that attitude is free from selfishness is liberating. It is the actual supreme most positive attitude to serve in all situations with complete faith in God. Faith in the goodness of God and the potential in every possible situation. And how does that state of consciousness come? Through association. If you are associating with negative people you will become very, very negative. In fact I was speaking to a very, very high level managing consultant, and he said that even in a company, one person who is seriously negative can spoil the whole operation. Just a bad apple could make all the apples turn bad. It is depressing to be with somebody who is negative and complaining. Is it not?

But even in difficult situations when we see somebody is hopeful and enthusiastic, it brings life. It brings enthusiasm. It brings hope and happiness, to associate with those people. – Radhanath Swami

And to associate with those free choices that bring us closer to God, that increase our faith in God and simultaneously raise our values in life, that will transform our hearts.