The visible change with spirituality: the way we respond

All of us who balance worldly and spiritual life I'm sure face these questions:

1) Why do we firstly come into spiritual life. 

2) Is there any practical purpose to this

3) If the spiritual goal isn't reached, is it all naught

Well to answer the first question, I think many attribute various reasons. 

-> Oft attributed is difficulty in wordly life:

• Bereavement
• A sense of failure be it in educational result, office projects, or relationship
• Poor circumstances be it health or financial
• As a stress-buster

This usually wanes off when that particular feeling is assuaged or situation is taken care of. And as it often happens, life moves in waves. So things change, and the commitment to spirituality changes if this was the reason

-> Oft seen though is retirement from active duties. A sense of realization and acceptance that the end of life is appearing.

Typically people who get into spirituality at this stage in life, are there mostly to pass time and socialize with like minded people. Some of those who pursue spirituality during personal time are the more serious ones. But also at this stage, situations in health or family commitments etc means one is slower to grasp the deeper fundamentals and less likely to go further than Bhakti or Karma yoga..

-> The only reason that can sustain spiritual pursuit is an inner need to pursue it, and despite worldly commitments. If you find yourself young and successful personally and financially, with all the joys of worldly life beckoning and meeting you time and again, and yet don't feel attached to them. If you find yourself seeking something more profound. If you find yourself finding and taking time out to do sadhana and serve when you could be doing things that would profit you more in worldly life. Then you are someone who is spiritually advanced. You are one of the few who will hang on to spirituality.

Before getting into the second question, I'll take the third.

It's because the answer I don't have to give for this. The same question was posed by Arjuna to Krishna, and it's recorded in the Bhagavad Gita. Krishna's response was that your progress will show results in the next life. And this something one can logically have Shraddha towards. For if you see, people are born in various cicumstances. And with various tendencies (vasanas) and bent of mind (mental attitudes). This is all attributed to the Karmic outcomes of actions and efforts in the previous lives.

The Second question is the primary concern of this article.

And the answer I'll try to keep simple so that the message is forcefully conveyed.

There is indeed an indirect benefit to how we transact in worldly life, owing to our pursuit of spirituality. It's in the way we Respond to situations. 

We are very much engaged, involved, purposeful in our actions; but yet unattached. To the result, to the response, the reactions. To even the ownership of the action (not the accountability); neither credit nor blame. You firmly know you are just the medium. You have let-go in the mind already. You live and are rooted in the moment. You have no hankering for titles or pay, you love the responsibility, the task at hand. Your focus and concentration is impeccable, even when multitasking! Your mind is relaxed, free of tension. There is no question of needing a stress-buster, because you never feel stressed. This is different from the mind or body feeling exhausted. That you even feel after a good session of exercise or having satisfyingly worked on a mathematics problem. 

In short you are much much more efficient. And if not for lofty purposes as Moksha, for this benefit of being more relaxed and efficient itself, I hope people dedicate time to spirituality!