Experiencing God in Everyday Life, A Spiritual Teacher’s Guide to Modern Devotion
In an age of distraction—where screens fragment attention, algorithms manipulate desire, and the noise of daily life drowns out the voice of the soul—the question of how to experience God remains as urgent as ever. For many, the Divine is an abstraction, a theological concept debated in scriptures but absent from lived experience. For others, God is a distant authority, invoked in moments of crisis but ignored in times of comfort. Yet, there is another way. A path of intimate, continuous, transformative devotion that brings the seeker into direct communion with the Divine.
In order to experience God, we must first learn some facts about God and His relationship with us. God has three main roles vis-à-vis us. The first is the continuation of creation based on dharma—the highest principles of cosmic order. The main feature here is the karmaphala principle: “What you sow is what you reap.” The second role is to help all those who turn to God, as appropriate. The third is to micromanage the lives of devotees in order to take them towards liberation. God uses His ichcha shakti (divine willpower) to accomplish all of this. This article explores the nature of God’s relationship with the soul, the mechanics of karma and liberation, and a practical, step-by-step method for establishing a direct, experiential connection with the Divine.
Part I: Understanding God’s Three Roles
Before one can experience God, one must understand what God does. This is not abstract theology; it is practical knowledge for the seeker.
First, God sustains creation based on dharma. The universe does not run on random chance or mechanical laws alone. It runs on principles—dharma—that reflect a moral and spiritual order. The most immediate expression of this order for the individual soul is the law of karma: what you sow, you reap. Not as punishment, but as a natural consequence. If you act with compassion, compassion returns to you. If you act with cruelty, cruelty returns. This is not God punishing or rewarding; it is God upholding the structure of reality itself.
Second, God helps all those who turn to Him. This help is not arbitrary. It is appropriate to the seeker’s situation, level of development, and sincerity. A person who turns to God in genuine need will receive help, but not necessarily in the form they expect. Sometimes the help is a solution to a problem; sometimes it is the strength to endure the problem. Sometimes it is a change in external circumstances; sometimes it is a change in internal perception.
Third, God micromanages the lives of devotees to take them towards liberation. This is the most intimate and most misunderstood of God’s roles. For a devotee—one who has established a conscious, loving relationship with the Divine—God does not merely respond to prayers or uphold cosmic order. God actively intervenes in the details of the devotee’s life to guide them toward the ultimate goal: liberation (moksha) from the cycle of birth and death. Every event, every challenge, every seemingly random encounter is orchestrated for the devotee’s spiritual growth.
God respects the free will of all souls—His parts, as the Bhagavad Gita (15.7) declares. Lord Krishna involved Arjuna in the Mahabharata war only after Arjuna agreed, stating that he would do what the Lord asked him to do: fight to uphold dharma. God does not override our choices. He responds to them. He adjusts His response according to what suits a particular devotee.
Part II: The Mechanics of Karma and Liberation
In my case, my Lord has much to reform in order to help me qualify for the privileged position of liberation. Only very advanced devotees, like Swami Vivekananda, attain liberation at a relatively young age. For most of us, the path is longer. The obstacles are greater. The nature (svabhava) that has been shaped by countless lifetimes must be transformed.
For others, kriyamana—what is presently being done—is crucial. We are not prisoners of our past. Every action we take now creates new karma, modifies existing karma, and shapes our future. This is why spiritual practice in the present moment is so important. Nothing is predetermined. God deletes the balance of karma (accumulated karmaphalas) prior to granting liberation, but only once the nature becomes acceptable. Liberation is not a gift given to the undeserving. It is a natural culmination of a nature that has become pure, loving, and aligned with dharma.
Part III: A Practical Method for Experiencing God
Now, about experiencing God. The first thing you need to do is to have His company 24×7. This is not about visiting a temple once a week for an hour. It is about continuous, unbroken awareness of the Divine presence. It is not practical to maintain this awareness in a temple—you cannot live there. But it is possible with a large photograph of an avatar (incarnation).
You must choose an avatar that resonates with your heart: Krishna, Rama, Chaitanya, Christ—any manifestation of the Divine that inspires devotion. The photograph must be large enough that the Lord’s eyes are painted in a way that they appear to follow you and see whatever you are doing. This is not superstition; it is a psychological and spiritual aid. The image reminds you that you are never alone, never unseen, never beyond the reach of Divine attention.
This photograph must be hung in the room where you spend most of your time. In my case, it is my bedroom, where I have also placed my worktable. Wherever you work, wherever you eat, wherever you rest—there the image should be. Become aware that God is watching you. He does, whether you realise it or not. Lord Krishna has clearly stated that His eyes are everywhere (Bhagavad Gita 13.14).
Part IV: Establishing Communication
This awareness—that God is watching—is a good start. But it is only a start. Now begin praying for whatever you need. Do not be abstract or general. Pray for specific needs, specific concerns, specific desires. But remember: God will not be pleased if your prayers are for anything even remotely against dharma. Do not pray for harm to others. Do not pray for unfair advantage. Do not pray for something that violates the moral order of the universe. Pray for what is right, for what is good, for what is in alignment with your highest self.
Simultaneously, start some spiritual practice. The simplest and most powerful is chanting God’s names. In your case, chant the name of the avatar you have chosen. This is not mechanical repetition; it is loving invocation. Each name carries the presence of the Named. By chanting, you invite that presence into your awareness.
Now a communication has been established between you and God. You are aware of His presence. You are praying. You are chanting. It is a good time to seek guidance and help in whatever you do. Ask: “What should I do now?” “How should I handle this situation?” “What is the right path?” God will respond because you have met all the necessary conditions for it.
Part V: Recognising God’s Response
You will be surprised at how God responds. He uses many mediums and ways to communicate. In my case, my Lord usually speaks to me early in the morning, when the mind is fresh and the world has not yet imposed its demands. Additionally, intuitions come regularly—sudden insights, unexpected solutions, a quiet knowing that arises from within.
The extent of my purity determines how receptive I am. This is not about moral perfection in the sense of never making mistakes. It is about sincerity, about intention, about the orientation of the heart. A pure heart is like a clear mirror; it reflects the Divine accurately. An impure heart is like a dusty mirror; the reflection is dim and distorted. The work of spiritual practice is to clean the mirror.
Life has taken a superb turn. I am able to experience and enjoy God’s company whenever I turn to Him. This is not a distant promise or a theological abstraction. It is a present reality. God is not hidden. God is not silent. God is not waiting for death to reveal Himself. God is here, now, watching, responding, guiding. The only question is whether we have the eyes to see, the ears to hear, and the heart to receive.
Conclusion: The Path Is Open
The path to experiencing God is not reserved for saints in caves or monks in monasteries. It is available to anyone with sincerity, persistence, and a willingness to transform. The tools are simple: a photograph with eyes that follow you, constant awareness of Divine presence, prayer for what is right, chanting of Divine names, and patient attention to the responses that come.
The obstacles are not external; they are internal. They are the patterns of thought, the habits of attention, the attachments of ego. But these can be addressed. Nature can change. Karma can be resolved. Liberation can be attained.
God is watching. The question is not whether He sees you. The question is whether you see Him.
5 Questions & Answers Based on the Article
Q1. According to the article, what are the three main roles of God in relation to human beings?
A1. The three main roles are: (1) The continuation of creation based on dharma—upholding the karmaphala principle that “what you sow is what you reap.” (2) Helping all those who turn to God—providing assistance appropriate to each seeker’s situation and level of development. (3) Micromanaging the lives of devotees to take them towards liberation—actively intervening in the details of a devotee’s life to guide them toward moksha, using His ichcha shakti (divine willpower). The article notes that God respects free will, as shown when Krishna involved Arjuna in the Mahabharata war only after Arjuna agreed.
Q2. What practical method does the article prescribe for establishing 24×7 awareness of God’s presence?
A2. The method involves four steps. First, obtain a large photograph of an avatar (an incarnation of God) whose eyes are painted in a way that they appear to follow you. Second, hang this photograph in the room where you spend most of your time (the author uses his bedroom, where he also has his worktable). Third, become aware that God is watching you—He does whether you realise it or not, as Lord Krishna states in the Bhagavad Gita (13.14) that His eyes are everywhere. Fourth, begin praying for your needs, ensuring your prayers are never against dharma.
Q3. What role does the chanting of God’s names play in establishing communication with the Divine?
A3. The article describes chanting God’s names (specifically the name of the chosen avatar) as a spiritual practice that, combined with constant awareness and prayer, establishes a communication channel between the seeker and God. Chanting is not presented as mechanical repetition but as a “loving invocation” through which each name carries the presence of the Named. Once a seeker has met the necessary conditions (awareness, prayer for dharma-aligned needs, and chanting), they can seek guidance and help in whatever they do, and God will respond.
Q4. How does the author describe the process of recognizing God’s responses?
A4. The author states that God uses “many mediums and ways to communicate.” In his personal experience, his Lord speaks to him early in the morning when the mind is fresh. Additionally, “intuitions come regularly”—sudden insights, unexpected solutions, and a quiet knowing that arises from within. The extent of the seeker’s purity determines how receptive they are; a pure heart reflects the Divine clearly like a clean mirror, while an impure heart is like a dusty mirror that gives a dim and distorted reflection. The work of spiritual practice is to clean the mirror.
Q5. What does the article say about Swami Vivekananda, and what is the significance of this reference?
A5. The article mentions that only very advanced devotees, like Swami Vivekananda, attain liberation (moksha) at a relatively young age. The author contrasts himself with Vivekananda, noting that “my Lord has much to reform in order to help me qualify for the privileged position of liberation.” This reference serves to illustrate that the path to liberation varies greatly among individuals. While exceptional souls may achieve it quickly, most seekers require longer, more gradual transformation. The article emphasises that God “deletes the balance of karma prior to granting liberation, but only once the nature becomes acceptable.” Liberation is not arbitrary grace; it is the natural culmination of a nature that has become pure, loving, and aligned with dharma.
