Thinking Consciously

[Rajat Bhatia]

I think that most of us that are into consciousness work somehow need to find a balance between their career and their spiritual pursuits. While it's fairly possible to integrate your conscious work with physical activities like sports, running, martial arts etc, (things which require little mental work). I wonder whether its also possible to integrate such work if you are a knowledge worker like a scientist, mathematician, philosopher, engineer, etc. Because most of the thinking that is done in such professions is not grounded in experience but is abstract (& obsessive in most cases). In some ways, thinking seems larger than life when you are a knowledge worker which causes an unintended and unconscious disconnect with the present (at least to me).  So the challenge for such a person, I think,  is to find a way to think consciously if he is to harmonize his spiritual journey with his profession.  I wonder whether you guys also feel the need for that. And whether, to your knowledge, such a thing is even possible. Any perspectives are welcome. 

Edited May 27, 2018 by Rajat Bhatia

[tsuki]

What kind of work do you do?
I'm involved in building tools for injection molding.
As a technologist, I invent ways to machine parts for tools and oversee the process in general.

Do you have any specific questions?

Edited May 27, 2018 by tsuki

[Arkandeus]

love and trust in the universe, you deserve harmony

[Prabhaker]

1 hour ago, Rajat Bhatia said:

I wonder whether its possible to integrate that if you are a knowledge worker like a scientist, mathematician, philosopher, engineer, etc.

Work in the world but don't be lost in it. Work for five or six hours and then forget all about it.

[Rajat Bhatia]

2 hours ago, tsuki said:

What kind of work do you do?

I am a student of physics. Not working currently. 

 

2 hours ago, tsuki said:

Do you have any specific questions?

Does your work involve a lot of abstract thinking? Do you find yourself obsessing over some theoretical problem when not at work? If yes, does it degrade your meditation/ self-inquiry in any way? 

[tsuki]

2 hours ago, Rajat Bhatia said:

Does your work involve a lot of abstract thinking?

A lot of my spiritual development came through reconciliation of the abstract and practical.
My day-to day job consists of analyzing documentation of various parts of a tool we're building and developing plans for manufacturing.
These plans are then implemented by me as programs for CNC milling machines, or as electrodes for EDM treatment.
I also work on CFD simulations for injection processes. 

The abstract and practical are two sides of the same coin. There is no abstraction without practicality and vice versa.
I can express my work as 100% abstract, or 100% practical, depending on the given situation.

In the abstract terms, my job consists 100% of planning and preparation which is then executed by other employees and machines.
I understand various ways in which a part can be machined and decide which ones are optimal for a given context in which the workshop currently is.
I then compile these ways as a plan and explain it to various employees and machines.
To convey the plan to people by creating 2D and 3D documentation with annotations and talk to them and explain it.
To convey the plan to machines by creating programs to be executed on milling machines for specific parts and electrodes for EDM treatment that I also design.
There is a lot of theoretical, physical, knowledge involved in this process, and the process itself is mostly planning.
I a sense I defer all of the responsibility to other employees they are concerned with execution of what I developed.

In the practical terms, my job consists 100% of technical knowledge how to physically manufacture things. I have to understand the optimal ways to do certain things and this knowledge is not conveyed in textbooks. Even though I work on a computer, there are a lot of technical details on how to operate the programs I work with. They are directly linked to the way the manufacturing is performed, so I need to work in a way that makes other people's lives easier. I have to know how they work and what is difficult for them so the we cooperate smoothly and efficiently.
In a sense, I have to imaginatively perform every action that a further employee has to do physically when implementing the plan.
From this perspective, my job is 100% practical.

As funny as I sounds, I now think about my job neither as practical, nor abstract. I just work.
I think by performing practical steps to describe the plan. In a sense, I don't think at all. 
The thinking and the doing became intertwined. Just like in martial arts.
I think that it has to do with mastery of skills required for the job.
I've been doing this for about 10 years, 3 of which in the current company.

2 hours ago, Rajat Bhatia said:

Do you find yourself obsessing over some theoretical problem when not at work?

I used to do that.

I was worried about the plans that were implemented when I was at home. The company works 3 shifts, 6 days per week.
The problem with obsessive worrying came from the fact that I was over-emphasizing the abstract perspective on my work.
I used to worry that I will not deliver the results, so I created elaborate plans.
Then I used to worry that my elaborate plans would not be accepted, so I defended them fiercely.
Then, I used to worry that they would not be implemented the way I wanted, so I controlled everybody.

It all changed once my expertise became high enough so that I understood that there is no correct way to do things.
All plans have their ups and downs that always balance each out evenly.
Any irregularity in balancing caused by not looking hard enough, so instead of creating a single, long, plan I explore different options up to certain point and have them on a standby. The work became much more chaotic, but paradoxically - I'm much calmer and have better results.
It also is related to the fact that I'm not thinking of myself as highly as before. I'm just a piece of this company and as I understood that thinking is practical - I became much more trusting in other people's ingenuity when things go wrong.

2 hours ago, Rajat Bhatia said:

If yes, does it degrade your meditation/ self-inquiry in any way? 

Things started to get better as I started meditation, actually. When I was willing to apply the spiritual teachings in my everyday life.
It may have something to do with the fact that I'm an engineer. I apply theory to solve practical problems. Spirituality is a great tool for solving all problems.

Now, that I mostly don't worry at all at home - I have a lot of free time to learn spirituality.
It's been of great help to me.

Do you have any more questions? Perhaps something related to your specific problems?

Edited May 27, 2018 by tsuki