By: Aruna Ladva
Source: The Daily Guardian 
Dated: October 19, 2024

Conscious living frees us up from wanting anything unnecessarily, 
because we care too much.

We have truly become disconnected from Nature, and many have stopped appreciating Her mighty works. Time is turning and showing us that we need to become more thoughtful. 

Every time we buy or use something, let us think before we choose to buy, use, abuse, or waste. It is mindless or thoughtless acts that have created the world we live in today.

Conscious living is about thinking before I think; taking a moment before acting on that thought. Ask yourselves such questions: Do I need this? How much do I just want this? Is this product really necessary? What next? What is the karmic rebound? What happens to the planet after this? Who or what has to give so that I may have ‘what I want’? What is the ‘cost’ of this product on all levels?

Did you know that returned merchandise is a business in itself and is costing millions of pounds? What happens to it? Does it go for waste or is it re-sold? Some items actually get put in landfills. What about a spoilt lemon or apple? Do we throw them away as soon as we see fungi on a part of it? 

Do we stop to consider other uses of the lemon or apple? Such as using the lemon for washing pots or the sink. Or extracting some of its juice for cleaning the skin, or leaving it in the fridge or microwave. And that apple would surely be appreciated by the birds if we do not want to eat it.

Of course, this does not just apply to things, but to people and our relationships as well. Sadly, we have started to use, that is to have a “consumer” attitude towards each other too.

No-one wants to be used or abused – people are not products, despite the image presented by the media. Why are people suffering from a sense of isolation and loneliness? Is it because we have better relationships with things than we do with people? Things do not answer back – maybe that is part of their appeal. Just look at how mobile phones take priority over the person in front of us.

Apart from being conscious we need to be aware that there are various subtle energies at work ‘out there’ that want to deplete us of our power. They prefer we remain mindless followers, rather than lead from within. They want us to be the sheep, not lions. These subtle energies are pushing and pulling on our soul energy. They obviously want to profit from our sadness and depression.

We need to be conscious enough to know what is going on. At a spiritual level we are all divine sovereign beings, and nothing can take that away from us - but we can forget our own inner power and strength.

So, when we buy, is it because of a real need, or are we being ‘influenced’? Are we caught up in the race of having just to boost our status symbols? If so, then we are also caught in the illusion trap. It is like that trap door on the stage of life. One minute we are standing and the next moment the trap door opens and we are hurled into this abyss of ignorance. Only later (after the purchase or consent), do we wake up, which may be a little late by then. it’s a drain on our finances. All this is just a distraction, which ultimately leads to a dilution of our power.

If we have to struggle to keep up with our ‘happiness’ – with the external show – then there is something seriously wrong. Something needs to change. And that something is within us, it is our thinking! 

Conscious living frees us up from wanting anything unnecessarily, because we care too much. It is not just a question of the planet, but our own physical, mental, and emotional resources are being wasted on so much that is not important in the long run. 

Once we become awake, we pay more attention to what is going on ‘inside’, rather than what is happening on the ‘outside’.

Let us be honest with ourselves at least. As Abraham Lincoln famously said: “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all the people all of the time.”

It is time we stopped fooling ourselves.


Aruna Ladva is an author 
and Rajyoga meditation teacher 
based at the Global Retreat Centre,
Oxford, UK.