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Self-Dedication to the Divine Through Work · Sri Aurobindo Studies

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  The ECO personality almost always interprets external
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  activity work by an arbitrary measure of value, in many cases
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  monetary, but in some cases based on the benefits provided
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  to the society. Religious and spiritual
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  institutions frequently take up work that is considered to be
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  charitable in nature, such as feeding large numbers of people
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  or treating people for their health conditions, founding
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  hospitals, and providing refuge to people who are suffering.
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  These things are then seen as a representation of selfless work,
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  a form of karma yoga. While it is true these things
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  may actually be a form of conscious karma yoga, these
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  outward activities are not in and of themselves definitive.
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  What appears to be selfless work benefiting others may actually
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  be undertaken as a form of vanity, A seeking for approval
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  of self by others, et cetera. At the same time, people who
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  carry out seemingly small or humble functions are frequently
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  looked down upon and devalued both as to their existence and
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  their spiritual potential. Both of these approaches miss
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  the essential nature of spiritual development, namely
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  that it takes place inwardly, unseen, unheard, unannounced and
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  without fanfare. In his book The Mother, Srioro
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  Bindo describes the qualities of one who aspires to be a true
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  doer of divine works. At no point does he refer to the
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  actual external function or work product of the individual.
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  All the descriptions are related to the inner attitude, the
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  dedication, the aspiration, the consecration of the individual,
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  the non attachment to the results or fruits of the effort
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  in whatever form of work they are doing.
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  Sri Krishna makes similar statements in answer to the
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  questions of Arjuna that arose in the Bhagavad Gita.
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  One cannot necessarily discern the liberated man from his
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  outward actions. The outward appearance does not
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  always nor completely reflect the inner status.
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  There was a sadak at the Srioro Bindo Ashram during the early
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  1970s who worked in the dining hall back area, drying and
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  polishing the stainless steel plates upon which meals were
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  served to the sadaks. It was unassuming work and he
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  quietly went about this activity with a calm and happy demeanour.
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  Prior to joining the Sri Arubindo Ashram, he was an
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  ardent spiritual seeker and as a result of his deep sense of
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  peace and inner ease, he had attracted a number of devoted
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  followers and friends. He could have become a teacher
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  and leader of a spiritual community in his own right, yet
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  he chose to dry plates at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in pursuit
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  of his spiritual sadhna. Someone trying to judge him by
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  his outward activity and simple and unassuming manner would be
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  very much misled and it turned out that he became a beacon and
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  light for many who chance to come into his aura.
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  Sri Aurobindo writes quote, Self dedication does not depend on
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  the particular work you do, but on the spirit in which all work
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  of whatever kind it may be, is done.
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  Any work done well and carefully as a sacrifice to the Divine,
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  without desire or egoism, with equality of mind and calm,
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  tranquillity and good or bad fortune, for the sake of the
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  Divine and not for the sake of any personal gain, reward or
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  result, with the consciousness that it is the Divine power to
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  which all work belongs, is a means of self dedication through
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  karma. End Quote Reference Srioro Bindu
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  and the Mother looking from within, Chapter 3.
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  Action and Work, page 63.