There is no contradiction between being vigorously active here and recognising that here is the shadowland, the examination hall.
What matters is how the Examiner reviews the paper. It’s the performance of activities here that counts, not the activities themselves.
To treat the activities as important in themselves, particularly in as far as they appear to provide security (to the body), to satisfy ambitions (in the world’s sense), to bolster income or assets (to what end?), to generate an image in my (self-esteem) or others’ (pride) minds ... to do this is to deny the reality of the Higher Realm.
The Higher Realm is, after all, the venue that generated this realm.
Love, reason, value, purpose, fairness, justice do not emerge from this realm. Where are they found in nature or in ‘natural man’ (man literally hellbent on pursuing ends of this realm), except, in the latter case, when guided consciously or unconsciously by Higher Forces?
Love does not emerge from loveless atoms. Reason does not emerge from reasonless chemical reactions. And so on. Love and reason thus conditioned would be no more meaningful than hiccoughs or static electricity.
If they do not emerge from here, where do they come from, so persistently?
From That which this world seeks to conceal under its layers of activity and verbiage.
Without a continual if not continuous unpeeling of the coverings (which seems constantly to be re-covering, like thick-falling leaves or snow), the Higher Realm can be lost entirely to sight.
Yet it is only by consciously dwelling there (whilst acting here) does the relationship with the Higher Power subsist in any meaningful way.