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So our daily worship of God is not really the process of gradual acquisition of him, but the daily process of surrendering ourselves, removing all obstacles to union and extending our consciousness of him in devotion and service, in goodness and in love.... Thus to be conscious of being absolutely enveloped by Brahma is not an act of mere concentration of mind. It must be the aim of the whole of our life. In all our thoughts and deeds we must be conscious of the infinite.

Rabindranath Tagore#117

SpiritualityTagoreInfiniteDevotionSurrenderWorship

About this quote

What does it mean?
Worship is about surrender and removing barriers to divine connection, not acquiring God. True consciousness of the infinite requires living it in all thoughts and deeds.
In plain terms
Prayer is surrendering yourself to God in everything you do, not just concentrating.
What can you take from it?
Live your devotion in every action and thought.

Where it applies

  • religious practice
  • daily living
  • spiritual growth

Putting it to work

  • acts of service
  • mindful prayer
  • ethical living

Questions to consider

  • How do you surrender in daily life?
  • Where do you feel most connected to something larger?

Another view

It may overlook structured rituals that help some people connect.

More from Rabindranath Tagore

  1. Science urges us to occupy by our mind the immensity of the knowable world; our spiritual teacher enjoins us to comprehend by our soul the infinite spirit whic…

    Permalink to quote #116
  2. Taking shelter in the dead is death itself, and only taking all the risk of life to the fullest extent is living.

    Permalink to quote #118
  3. Religion, like poetry, is not a mere idea, it is expression. The self-expression of God is in the endless variety of creation; and our attitude toward the Infi…

    Permalink to quote #115

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