In the tradition of Advaita Vedanta, the world is not something to escape from but to understand more deeply. The solution is not necessarily found in renouncing the world outwardly but in renouncing ignorance inwardly. Here’s a way to reframe your experience and move forward:
You don’t have to go to the mountains to awaken. The world itself—chaotic, noisy, and flawed—is the perfect field for sadhana (spiritual practice).
- When you feel anger, fear, or grief, see it as a pointer to your attachments, assumptions, and identifications.
- Each moment is an opportunity to disidentify from the body-mind and abide as the witness.
“The world is not in the way; your resistance to it is.”
See the World as It Is—Not as You Imagine It to Be
Advaita teaches that the world (jagat) is mithya—not unreal, but relatively real, like a dream or a mirage. It’s experienced, but not ultimately true. The Self (Atman), which is Brahman, is the only absolute reality.
So when you say “our current climate,” what’s being disturbed is the mind, not the Self.
Practice: Notice who is disturbed. Who feels overwhelmed? There is always awareness of the disturbance. That awareness is you.
Turn Reaction Into Reflection
In difficult moments:
- Pause.
- Breathe.
- Ask, “Is this disturbance in me, or am I the awareness of it?”
- Train the mind to respond with viveka (discernment) and vairagya (dispassion).
The mind becomes calm not by suppressing emotions, but by realizing they are not you.
Live a Life of Karma Yoga
Stay engaged with the world, but offer all actions to the Self. Work, love, and serve without attachment to outcomes.
Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita:
“Yogasthaḥ kuru karmāṇi…” — “Established in yoga, perform action.”
This transforms daily life into a sadhana rather than a burden.
Remember: It’s Not About Changing the World, But Seeing It Clearly
The dream doesn’t have to be fixed to wake up from it. Your clarity wakes you up.
As Ramana Maharshi said:
“The world is a school. It’s not the world that binds you—it’s your attitude towards it.”