Applying Ashtavakra Gita’s non-dual wisdom boils down to recognizing the ever-present witness beneath the day-to-day hustle. Start small. In the middle of a chaotic email inbox or during a coffee break, pause for a breath and notice the space that holds the thought “I’m busy.” That silent “you” — the seer untouched by deadlines — is the essence of Advaita.

Strip away the fluff of overthinking by practicing self-inquiry on the go. When a stressful message pings, ask silently, “To whom does this anger belong?” Spotting how emotions arise only in the mind reveals their dream-like nature. It’s a bit like discovering that the horror in a thriller movie stays safely on screen.

Modern life teems with distractions—social media, endless Zoom calls, breaking news alerts. Turning off notifications becomes a mini-retreat, letting the mind rest in its own natural rhythm. Think of it as a digital detox weekend, but miniaturized: ten seconds of phone lockdown to feel the body settle and remember it isn’t the mind.

Another trick borrowed from street-wise yogis: practice “bare attention” while doing mundane tasks. Washing dishes or checking out at the grocery line becomes a laboratory for presence. Notice the water’s warmth, the barcode scanner’s beep, and the silent witness that watches these experiences without buying into stories about “rush hour stress.”

Cultural moments, like last month’s viral climate-vigil art installations, can be an invitation to rest in silence within the collective buzz. Amid the crowd, awareness remains unmoved—like an ocean unaffected by passing waves.

In daily conversations, listen more deeply. Hearing another’s words without plotting your next reply reveals the same non-duality the Gita celebrates: there’s just one flow of consciousness, manifesting as both speaker and listener. Over time, shifting from “doing” to simply “being” doesn’t demand hours in a cave—just honest attention to rich, ordinary moments.