We spend an extraordinary amount of our lives being seen.
At work, we have an identity…With family, another…Online, perhaps another still.
We become known by our profession, our achievements, our appearance, our possessions, even by the opinions other people have formed about us.
But I’ve been reflecting on a much more uncomfortable question:
Who am I when nobody is watching?
Not the person I present to the world…Not the person I would like people to think I am…Just me.
Because perhaps character isn’t really revealed in the moments when people are applauding us.
It’s revealed in the small moments that nobody sees.
How we speak about someone when they’re not in the room.
Whether we remain kind when there is nothing to gain.
What we do when we could easily get away with doing otherwise.
How we respond when our ego is hurt.
And perhaps most importantly…What occupies our mind when we’re completely alone?
The Bhagavad Gita repeatedly brings our attention back to this inner world.
We naturally spend enormous amounts of energy arranging the world outside us, while the Gita asks us to become curious about the world within us.
Because ultimately, that’s where we live.
You can be sitting in the most beautiful place in the world and still be miserable.
And you can meet someone whose circumstances appear incredibly simple, yet somehow they possess a peace that money couldn’t purchase.
So perhaps the most important work we’ll ever undertake is work that very few people will ever see.
The work of the heart.
Becoming less envious.
More grateful.
Less concerned with being recognised.
More interested in serving.
Learning to forgive.
Learning to listen.
Learning to become comfortable with ourselves.
And this is one of the reasons I value kirtan so deeply.
For me, mantra isn’t about creating another identity.
It’s almost the opposite…For a little while, I don’t have to be my profession, my responsibilities, my successes or my failures.
I can simply be present.
Voice…Breath…Mantra.
And something underneath all those layers begins to emerge.
Perhaps spiritual life isn’t ultimately about becoming someone impressive.
Perhaps it’s about gradually becoming someone genuine.
So here’s the question I’m taking into this week:
If nobody ever knew about the good I did, would I still want to do it?
Because maybe the person we are when nobody is watching…is the person we’re actually becoming.
Jagannātha Dās
Come and Experience It
If these reflections resonate with you, why not come and experience kirtan for yourself?
Every Friday, we come together at OMNOM Birmingham for an evening of mantra, music, meditation and community. I also share kirtan at retreats, festivals and gatherings throughout the year.
Whether you’ve experienced kirtan many times or you’re completely new, you’re warmly welcome.
See all upcoming events:
https://jagannathadas.com/events
Continue the Journey
Insight is my weekly reflection on mantra, life and the inner journey.
If you’d like to receive future editions directly, you can subscribe completely free.
Subscribe:
https://jagannathadas.com/subscribe