Questioner (Q): Acharya Ji, how do I live my daily life regardless of my family, job, financial situation, mood, or body to reach the Truth? Ramana Maharshi says,
“One’s duty is to practice continuous self-inquiry.”
I am not able to practice continuous self-inquiry due to mind’s tendencies. Please help and guide me.
Acharya Prashant (AP): I want to enquire into your question. You are asking how to live a life dedicated to Truth, irrespective of one's family, job, financial situation, mood, or body. I want to ask that why do you want to keep these things outside the purview of self-inquiry or Truth? You are saying, “Let these things be there, let these things be there as they are, and let me reach the Truth.” Why are you asking that?
The real seeker is prepared to devote, sacrifice everything that he has, to his enquiry. He can dedicate everything to the Truth. Why are you keeping these things secure? Why do you want to reserve them? How are they so important? Truth should be the center of your life, only then self-enquiry is possible. With Truth at the center of your life, you look at your life, your job, your wife, your family, your body, your moods, everything.
In fact, the one who is looking is the Truth. There is no difference between Truth and the Witness. 'Satya ' and 'Sākṣī ' are one. With your utter devotion to the Truth, you become a witness of everything in your life. You cannot say that "I am not prepared to look at my finances or my family or my job or my mood or my body." That's exactly what you have to look at. That's not what you have to ignore. Please, spirituality is not about ignoring your daily life. Spirituality is about inquiring into your daily life and that alone is self-enquiry.
