Can you evolve spiritually when you work and or study a lot?

[PurpleTree]

Obviously you can but is it much harder to "evolve spiritually" when you work and or study a lot?

Or does it depend on the field etc., do you have some hacks to stay present while doing a lot of work or learning?

I had a lot of time during this pandemic and i think that's the main reason which brought me back to spirituality, just having the time to try things, read some books etc.

But it looks like it can't be like that forever and i'm going to and have to do quite a lot of working and studying to do in the soon-ish future.

With spirituality here i mean mostly staying present, doing the work, having insights, reading books watching videos on the subject to a lesser degree etc.

[blackchair]

yes u can, every moment in your life is a teaching moment

Edited December 5, 2020 by blackchair

[No Self]

Access to audiobooks is the key in my experience.

[PurpleTree]

8 minutes ago, No Self said:

Access to audiobooks is the key in my experience.

when commuting?

because surely i can't listen to audiobooks while working and studying

31 minutes ago, blackchair said:

yes u can, every moment in your life is a teaching moment

because usually i feel like i regressed spiritually when life is very stressful. hope this time it's different.

 

Edited December 5, 2020 by PurpleTree

[Moksha]

The test of spiritual growth is being able to stay Consciously vigilant, through increasingly turbulent phenomena. Life is the ultimate practicing of the preach.

[James123]

2 hours ago, PurpleTree said:

Obviously you can but is it much harder to "evolve spiritually" when you work and or study a lot?

 

Definitely. Because meditation comes from non thoughts concentration. Additionally, when you concentrate a lot while you study, it will be actually spiritual work for you on your ego. Getting bored while you studying, or keep thinking that you studying and have no time for spirituality makes it worst. When you study if you decrease the process of thoughts as meditation, it will be not studying, it will be meditating. Such as driving working, walking, working out or every moment of your day. No thoughts will help you to be in meditative mode in entire day whatever you do, it dont matter.

[LfcCharlie4]

Life is the true test of Spiritual maturity. And. when you truly understand meditation it is not something you 'do' for X amount of time per day, it is what you are. Even when you understand that you may still partake in 'formal meditation' but your growth and integration is not limited by time spent meditating. 

The true marker of spiritual growth is living the understanding in all areas of life, Rupert Spira calls this the 'outward facing path', anyone can be peaceful all alone in the Himalayas, but then bringing that peace & living it in normal life is the true test!

See this as an opportunity to grow deeper than ever before. 

Spirituality cannot be compartmentalized in your life, True Spirituality is life.

Of course, this doesn't mean not listening tp teachers, inquiring into your experience & abiding / meditating formally, it just means don't think formal sadhana is the only way to grow spiritually

[seeking_brilliance]

If continuously focusing on Spirituality is important to you, then you should place yourself in a situation where work is not a distraction. I'm sure there are many jobs which are not conducive to being present and aware.  But no matter what you do, Spirituality isn't going anywhere, it's who you are.