How can we remember Krishna while we are working in a materialistic environment?

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
Thank you. If you’re working in a materialistic environment, how can you remember that you’re doing it for Krishna? It’s not so much a remembrance, it’s not so much a recollection, it’s not so much a specific recollection as a driving intention.
Just like, for example, say, if a householder is working away from their home, and they’re working away from their home, they’ll be doing their business, dealing with their clients, talking to different people, but in their heart, they know, I’m doing this for my family. My children are there, my family members are there, and throughout this, I’m maintaining them. So, it’s not that constantly they’re remembering their family members.
When they have to do their job, they have to do their job. So, when you talk about remembrance, remembering that they’re doing this for Krishna, it is not just a specific moment-to-moment recollection. It is more of an overall driving intention.
When Arjuna was fighting a war, it was not that, you know, he was looking at him, shooting arrows, Hare Krishna! Hare Krishna! Hare Krishna! Hare Krishna! It was not like that. He was fighting, he was fighting Krishna. He used all the knowledge of archery that he had, for fighting the war.
But his intention was to serve Krishna. So, first of all, by our sadhana bhakti, by our study of scriptures, the intention becomes deep rooted in us. Ultimately, the ultimate goal is Krishna.
Then, over a period of time, as we keep practicing Krishna bhakti, Krishna enters more and more into our consciousness. And then, whatever we are specifically doing, we are aware of that, but that goes into the background. And, why we are doing it comes into the foreground.
Just like, say, some first time we speak in public. You know, we are extremely conscious. You know, how are people looking at me? Is my hair straight? You know, more or less.
So, we are conscious of that. We are very, very self-conscious. But then, if we keep speaking, after some time, the self-consciousness goes down, and the substance consciousness increases.
What am I speaking? Not so much how I am looking. Am I speaking properly? And, beyond that, then, our intent becomes, you know, I am speaking for Krishna. So, while we are functioning in the material world, we have to be aware of the material situation.
But, our consciousness has a foreground awareness and a background awareness. So, initially, the material setting is in the foreground. And, then the spiritual is in the background.
Few years ago, the first time I came to America, I was like, OK, whether I am in India or America or Africa, I should be speaking about Krishna. So, when something is new, the situation stays in the foreground. But, once we become more purposeful, when Krishna is an internalized in us, then the setting doesn’t matter so much.
The purpose doesn’t matter. So, that’s how, gradually, that I am serving Krishna will come more in the foreground of our consciousness. It will come more in the center of our consciousness.
And, beyond that, we can also try to, within our schedule, have some spiritual reminders. For example, during lunch, I will give some class. Or, during, if we have some breaks, we have some pictures of Krishna.
We have some pictures of Krishna. So, we try to spiritualize our consciousness as much as possible. If we do that, keep our overall intention clear.
Get Krishna in the foreground as much as possible, over time. And, then, have these reminders about Krishna. And, gradually, by that, our consciousness will become spiritualized.