In the Information Age we have an extensive new technical vocabulary, but our vocabulary for states of consciousness is still woefully inadequate. Guru Nanak described the state of consciousness of moment-to-moment acceptance as “Sahej”. Sahej means “in balance”. This effortless acceptance of each moment comes from two things: Not judging what’s happening, and not thinking of everything in relation to oneself.
In our early years, our view of the world is self-centered. “What can I get out of this?” “How can I get what I want from this person?” “How can I manipulate this situation to get what I want?” In 1970 I heard Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji say a very simple thing, “You can live in only two ways. Either you can live life constantly hassling to get the things you want, or you can make yourself so beautiful that God comes and sits in your lap.”
You can live in your desires and be preoccupied with satisfying them, or you can forget what you want, and let all your desires be pre-fulfilled - you can let the Universe give you everything you need at each moment. Life of hassle, or life of hustle – your choice.
Guru Nanak describes this in these simple, beautiful words:
Wherever God puts me, there I am.
Whatever happens naturally, that’s a good thing.
Hatred is gone — I hate no one. I see God in all.
My fear is gone. All darkness has vanished. I see God everywhere.
Leaving behind all thoughts of myself, I live under God’s protection and I work for Him.
Very rare, and very blessed, are those few people who come into this world and see God in all, 24 hours a day. Keeping the company of such sweet and humble people one is saved and one’s family is saved as well.This is the blessing God has given me. I meditate on the Infinite One twenty-four hours a day. I chant God’s Name, and through the Name I naturally merge into the Lord. O Nanak, may all be blessed with the Name and repeat it forever.
