Karma Yoga

Karma means action, including all acts done by individual from birth to death. Karma is not only action; a thought or feeling is also karma. Karma Yoga is path of doing right actions. if we consider the theory of cause and effect to be the correct definition of karma, then we are one step closer to understanding the nature of karma, because an effect is the result of an interaction, of a cause which is action. An effect cannot exist without action or without cause. There is a continuous cycle of cause and effect of karma which is happening in the world, and in the cosmos. If we consider karma to be action and interaction, then it is being performed by us at all levels of human personality

Different type of Karmas: 

There are various types of karma. Some we call daily karmas. They have practically no relevance to one's inner life; they are mechanical and routine. Perhaps the only influence they exert on you would be monotony and tiredness. Another form of karma is known as motivated karma. It is performed with a particular motive in mind, and it creates seeds. These seeds form mental impressions and they influence the whole personality, the mind, body and emotions. For example, let's suppose I start a business. If the business is successful, I am happy; if it is not, I am very unhappy. Therefore, my state of mind is not due to the outcome of the business, but to my motivation. In other words, according to the basis of our motivation, the consequences ensue.

Are animals bound by Karma in the same way as Human ? 

Each and every being in this world, including those of the mineral and vegetable kingdom, is moving in accordance with the definite predetermined laws of nature. As long as man is incompetent and mentally and physically weak, he is also subject to the laws of destiny. But as he develops greater awareness, he gradually transcends the dictates of destiny and karma and is able to create a new law and order for himself. When a being incarnates as a human, he brings with him a higher form of awareness called gyanam, which no other being is endowed with. Gyanam is the awareness of one's own existence in relation to time and space. 'I know I am; I know that I know I am', this is gyanam.

If a man does something wrong, he will suffer because he knows he has done something wrong. If he kills someone, he is going to suffer, maybe not legally, but definitely mentally. If he steals or does something which he believes to be wrong, he will suffer mental agony. Why? Because of his awareness. On the other hand, a dog has no guilt. So, if he bites someone, he will not suffer or have any problem. Animals may bite you or serve you, but nature will not reward or punish them. Their actions do not bring about reactions.

Are there any techniques we can use for getting rid of, or controlling karma? 

It is not easy to get rid of karma, and every man is subject to it. Each action has a reaction which is equal and opposite. This is the first law in science, the first law of Newton. The more you push a pendulum to the right, the more it will swing to the left, then again to the right- action and reaction. No action in life goes unpaid and you can't hide anything from yourself. You are your own witness and observer. You know what you think, feel and do and you know your real intentions. By observing yourself, you can control your karma.

To rid yourself of karma there are several ways. The shortest is through penance and austerity, but it is very difficult. Meditation is an easy method, or there is an easier way still. Seek an evolved guru and receive a mantra from him. Live with him for a considerable period of time and gradually the karmas will start to fall away.

Are we victims of our parents karma? 

We inherit the karmas of our parents, whether they are good or bad. If they are good karmas, they make us progress in life; if they are bad, we are victimised. Therefore, every parent must be very careful, for each child has to fight to rid himself of the karmas the parents have created.

Does destiny exists or do we control our own fate ? 

Destiny does exist. If you want to go country, that is your destination; it is your destiny. Destiny is based on the law of action and reaction. Every action, every karma has a reaction. Just as you throw a pebble into a lake, and that creates ripples, in the same way, when you make karma, you are creating ripples in the cosmos.

Karma means movement. Wherever there is mobility, there is karma. Every karma causes ripples or vibrations and these keep on moving in a chain reaction. Each action creates a reaction; and the reaction makes another reaction. In the course of time, this chain reaction is multiplied into a million-fold reactionary forces in life, and that creates destiny. Destiny is a law of nature and you can't ignore it. All animals, in fact the entire universe, are under the law of destiny.

Difference between choice & karma: 

Choice is also karma. There are two forces in the universe, one is called karma- action and reaction, and the other is called free will. Free will is not karma; you will and it happens, the will is independent of karma. But the emergence of willpower takes time in spiritual life. As a human being evolves and becomes master of his own mind, he is able to exert his will.

When the mind becomes powerful, sometimes it is able to give shape to the events of your life, but that is also a part of the chain of karma. If you think strongly, 'I am going to do that' and it happens, this is not an outcome of will, but of a strong mental choice you have made. There is a big difference between willpower and mental choice. Willpower is a mighty force, and when you have developed it fully, you can transcend the gravity of karma. Then your evolution is complete and you become a co-creator, a junior god.

Desire: the first potential

If you don't have any desire, you definitely will not make any karma. If desire were to be eliminated, then man's psycho-spiritual evolution would come to a halt. Therefore, desires must not be curbed. You should either fulfil them or realize their uselessness.

By curbing your desires, you are killing your opportunity to act. Say, you have a desire to have a child. To fulfil this, you need to have a wife or husband, a home, a job, shop or business, and then so many things follow. These things are what keep this untrained mind busy all the time. This is how karma keeps the devil beat. Mind is a great force, a supramental force, and if this force is not properly utilized, it will feed the wrong centres in the mental personality and perhaps become very destructive. Therefore, nature has created karma.

In the Bhagavad Gita it says that every action produces threefold reactions - desire, aversion and a mixture of both. If you receive something which you want very much, that makes you happy. However, if you receive something which you don't want, that makes you very unhappy. If you receive something which you like and dislike, you will be happy and unhappy both. When the mind is affected by negative reactions, it often becomes depressed or deranged, thereby allowing such diseases as asthma, cancer, blood pressure or diabetes to take hold. At these times one may even commit suicide or divorce his wife. Anything can happen because the karma affects the personality and the behaviour. So we have to find a way of creating karma whereby the consequences do not affect us. That path is known as karma yoga.

Different Stages of Mind: 

In our day to day lives, our attitudes towards karma have become purely materialistic. Every time we think about spiritual life, we think in terms of renouncing karma. In the ashrams also, if you ask anyone to do some work, they invariably refuse on the basis that all actions are maya, and by this man is bound. But it is not true; karma can never be a cause for bondage. Nature has created karma as a scheme for man to evolve and to know the behaviour and deeper stages of the mind, and through the mind, to achieve spiritual awareness.

Mind and spiritual awareness are not two different things. At one stage there is milk, at another stage the milk becomes curd, at a third stage the curd is churned into butter, at the fourth stage it is clarified into ghee, and finally at the fifth stage it becomes part of your curry. In the same way, at one stage there is the gross body, at another stage the vasanas or passions, at the third stage the psychic experiences, and at the fourth stage the supreme reality.

Atma, or the supreme reality, manifests itself at different stages. The mind is one of these stages, and you cannot obliterate the mind. You can only purify the mind and remove the dross, the samskaras. Then, at the very nucleus or basis of the mind, atma or Chaitanya will be revealed. Therefore, karma yoga is any action which is done with higher awareness, for the sake of the work, because work keeps the mind and body occupied. Even if the work does not pay you in terms of money, still you do it.

Nature's Expressions of Karma: 

Nature expresses karma through the elements. The heat of fire is the karma of fire. Expansiveness of space is the karma of space. The movement of the wind is the karma of air. The liquid nature of water is the karma of water. The solidity of earth is the karma of soil. Desires, expectations and thoughts are karmas of the mind. The expressions of the senses are karmas of the body. In fact, we are homogeneous karma. The whole world is homogeneous karma, the whole of creation is homogeneous karma.

Understand that karma is not only cause and effect, not only action. Karma is a subtle ripple-like movement affecting all dimensions of creation. Karma is movement that happens in the body via the senses and in the mind via the mental projections and experiences. If you practise asana, you are altering the karma of the body. If you practise pranayama, you are altering the karma of vitality and the brain. If you practise meditation, you are altering the karma of the subtle mind and of the spirit. This is the way to manage the karmas which influence us in either a positive or negative way. Karma is awareness of the movement of life. It is not hard work, it is not service, it is not cause and effect, it is an understanding of how we interact with ourselves and with our environment.

There are 5 components of Karma Yoga: 

1. Becoming Aware: 

The first component is awareness. Becoming aware begins with the body when we practise asana. The awareness becomes part of the practice of asana and the physical movement. If you have to move a finger, you are aware of the movement of the finger, and also the pull of the muscles and the movement of the joints. The emerging awareness dissects the finger into bones, muscles and nerves. The muscles and bones move differently, the nerves and ligaments pull differently and the awareness continues to become more acute, more subtle. What you observed before is one experience, later you see it in its various components and forms. The aim of asana is to make you aware of your body and how it expresses itself in normal situations. Awareness in asana will lead to comfort and stability.                                                                                            

In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali defines asana as a posture in which you are comfortable and stable. You have been sitting here for the last twenty minutes. Are you stable and comfortable? Some of you are, some are not, and those who are at present comfortable will become uncomfortable after ten minutes. At present we are not connected with the body. We sit but we are not aware of sitting. We walk but we are not aware of walking. We move our body but we are not aware of the body's movement. The purpose of asana is to lead you to a state of comfort and stability. Recognition of comfort and stability will only come when you become aware.

2. Observing the reaction: 

The second component of karma yoga is mental, observing your reactions and inner behaviour. Someone says, “You are very beautiful and a great and wonderful person.” Someone else says, “You are hopeless.” These sentences affect your sensitivity and create a reaction. That reaction dominates your preconceptions, beliefs and ideas. You either feel elated or depressed. The mood changes. A single sentence has the force to alter one's mood. The first component of karma yoga is being aware, the second is observing your reaction.   

Patanjali states in the third sutra, “The seer becomes established in his own nature.” Who is this seer, the observer? What is the role of that observer or seer? The first stage the seer has to experience is how the person is responding and reacting to people, situations and circumstances. This is one of the aims of meditation as well. Through meditation experience and observe the changes in the moods, consciousness and mind. When we are aware of the manifesting mental expressions, then we are able to direct and guide our mental expressions. Even meditation becomes a process of realizing the mental, psychological, subtle, emotional movement or karma.

3. Developing Immunity: 

The third component is developing immunity from the things that affect you. How do you develop immunity from situations or influences? By coming out of the self-centred perceptions in which other people or objects don't exist and only you are the centre and focus of your life. When you are able to move beyond the self-focused, self-centred awareness, then you begin to develop immunity to situations, events and ideas.

4. Managing emotional expression: 

The fourth component of karma yoga is releasing the emotional blockages. Emotions are very slippery things. Intellect is a straight path, a linear path. Through logic you can go from point A to point B to point C to point D, a continuous route, right to the end. Logic or intellect is a straight horizontal path, but the emotions are an inclined path, at least 45 degrees. It is difficult to climb up but it is easy to slide down. It is difficult to develop a positive and happy emotional identity, and it is very easy to fall or slide into the negative emotions. We have never been taught how to hate or how to be angry or jealous or aggressive. It has come naturally. But when we try to teach how to love, how to be compassionate and positive it doesn't come naturally. Therefore, emotions are a sloping path; we slide down most of the time and moving up is a big struggle and a long journey.

Becoming aware of how you are able to manage your emotional expressions is the fourth component. Can you maintain your serenity in success or failure? If you can do it you will have a very balanced personality. However, you need to have trust, faith and belief in yourself, and at the same time you need to believe or have faith and trust in some higher cosmic nature which guides your life.             

5. Letting of the Obsessions: 

The fifth component of karma yoga is letting go of the personal hang-ups, letting go of the obsessions we create within ourselves. This is known as surrender. Don't think of surrender in terms of philosophical or religious definitions, but as overcoming and releasing the obsessions and becoming free. The moment you are able to let go of your obsessions you become creative. Our obsessions do not allow the creative nature to come forth. Creativity does not only mean artistic expression. Creativity means mind and emotions in full bloom. This creativity is attained when we are able to release our obsessions and complexes. The next stage then becomes selfless action, which is spontaneous and natural. For something to become selfless, there is no desire, no attachment, no association with what is happening. Otherwise we all try to convert water into wine the first chance we get. Not because it helps us in any way, but because it boosts our ego. The selfish nature is usually the predominant one. To become selfless is one of the hardest things in life.

Selfless service, the selfless act, is the final culmination of karma yoga. If you relate karma yoga to the other yogas, then you will see its relevance. Hatha yoga without karma yoga has no meaning. You also have to be aware that we are not talking about karma but about karma yoga. When the word yoga is added to karma, it means harmony in all the movements of life, harmony in all the expressions of the body, mind and emotions. This is the concept of karma yoga – internalizing the awareness, becoming aware and freeing oneself from obsessions and negativity.

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The Rishis of the past have defined human interactions as taking place in five different dimensions simultaneously, whether consciously, subconsciously or unconsciously. These five dimensions represent the progression of life from the manifest to the subtle to the transcendental plane, and each level of interaction is a state of higher awareness. We do not live only on the material plane, but at a deeper level also interact with the subtle levels of life, and have the inbuilt capacity to realize the transcendental nature of life. To understand and appreciate the theory of karma and destiny, we need to be able to see these three aspects together.

1. Dimension of Matter: 

The first level of human interaction is the material dimension, or the dimension of matter, in which our body and senses become the tool to interact in the world of name, form and idea. Only in the manifest dimension do we have the ability to recognize a form, to give it a name, and to interact with other objects in our environment. These objects are different forms of matter, and can be animate or inanimate.

2. Dimension of Mind: 

The dimension of mind is the next subtle level after matter. What is mind? Many different ideas have been conveyed, both in the East and West, to describe the process and condition of the mind, but they are all incomplete. The subject of the mind is not only confined to the experience or realization of the conscious, subconscious and unconscious faculties. It incorporates the aspects, manifestations and interactions of ego; the understanding and experience of intellect and emotions, aspects of rationality and also irrationality. It is a force which can interact with the manifest world as well as the unmanifest dimension. It can recognize symbols, and can also feel the non-existent conditions of life. It creates thoughts, desires and ambitions.

The different mental creations act differently when combined with our life and, even more so, with our lifestyle. The mode of mental expression is through mental conditioning. The mind is conditioned to act according to the education it receives from society, the family and the culture, and functions within specific parameters defined by this conditioning. So, in the ancient traditions a lot of thought has been given to the functioning and the nature of the mind. In broad terms, four aspects have been identified: (i) ego, (ii) intellect and rationality, (iii) emotions and feelings, and (iv) cognition. The behavior of these four aspects of mind changes in different circumstances, and this change within the mental frame is known in normal language as moods of mind.

In brief, this is the mental dimension in which we interact regularly. An imbalance or overload in the mental structure can affect the entire personality. At the time of overload there is mental breakdown which is experienced in the form of tension, stress, anxiety and an unclear mind. These limiting conditions of mind also restrict our creativity. But at the same time the mind has an immense potential to evolve and is in a process of continuous evolution.

3. Dimension of subtle energy: 

The third dimension of human personality is the dimension of energy. This aspect needs more recognition because we interact more at the energy level than at the rational or conscious levels. The energy experiences are translated by the second dimension of the mind in the form of sensations, subtle feelings of attainment, happiness and contentment. Any disturbance in the energy structure can also be felt by an individual. If somebody feels frightened or is aggressive, that fear or aggression can be felt. If someone is at peace, that peaceful feeling can be felt. This happens at a non-rational, non-intellectual level where we communicate with the subtle aspect and nature of energy. There is a continuous interaction with the dimension of energy, but we are not conscious of this process.

4. Dimension of wisdom & joy: 

The fourth dimension of interaction is the dimension of wisdom. This is an even more subtle level than body, mind or energy. Wisdom is not to be linked with knowledge. Knowledge can be a conditioned factor. It can also provide the mind with a definite vision. We very rarely utilize our knowledge; more often we utilize instinctive interaction, and the aspect of knowledge simply remains an intellectual process. Therefore, this dimension, where knowledge is applied in life and becomes a living experience, is known as wisdom. Here the faculty of discrimination is most active and there is total harmony in the human nature. In this dimension one lives the knowledge every moment and for this one needs to train oneself.

5. Dimension of Fulfillment:

The fifth dimension of human personality is the dimension of fulfillment, contentment, joy and happiness. At this level a totally positive and creative expression of human nature takes place. One experiences inner freedom beyond the conditioning of mind and life, total creativity, perfection and fulfillment.

Effects of Karma:

We are looking for self-satisfaction. The main drive in life is the search for fulfillment, happiness and joy. It is a self-oriented search, and also a form of karma. When this karma interacts with the unmanifest areas of human nature, certain impressions are created in the deeper mind, which create another conditioning. After all, actions are static. The action which I perform today, here and now, will remain today, here and now. I cannot repeat today's actions tomorrow. But the result of that action can be felt even ten years in the future.

For example, karma is a static force, like a rose in the garden. The effect of that karma is the continuing force, like the smell of the rose. Depending on which way the wind is blowing, you can smell the rose quite far away. You do not have to stick your nose in the rose, you can just get a whiff from the wind. Smell is the quality of a rose. In the same way karma is a static event and the effect of the karma is a moving experience which can leave its impressions on the human mind for a long time.

Cleaning the mental blackboard:

In order to remove this impression it becomes necessary to wipe clean the mental blackboard. But who has the ability to do this? In my opinion a true human being must have that ability to clear out the impressions of the karmas so that they do not affect our nature in a negative way. This quality can turn a human being into a superhuman being.

If you want to be aware of something in relation to karma, then observe the effect of an action in normal life and try to manage it. If you can handle the effects of karma in normal life, then it will be much easier to make life happier and more harmonious. But one has to understand that the depth of that karma can be felt at the conscious, subconscious and unconscious levels. When it is felt at the conscious level, it changes the behavior pattern. If I like somebody, I like that person. If I don't like somebody, I totally dislike that person. At the conscious level there is an immediate reaction to the karma which manifests in the form of attraction and repulsion. At the subconscious level the effect of karma changes the attributes of life, which are mental clarity, proper utilization of our strengths and proper understanding of life's situations. In my opinion these are the three main attributes of human life, provided we use them for self-development.

The effect of a karma at the unconscious level affects the ego dimension. When the ego is touched by a karma, then it becomes very difficult to handle that karma. That is the detrimental side of the karmic effect, the law of cause and effect. That state is similar to the roots of a tree being eaten by parasites, making the tree totally weak. We must avoid this at all costs. It is possible to avoid the negative effects of the karmas through the process of meditation, in which we first observe ourselves, our reactions, tendencies or strengths and weaknesses, and manage them properly.

Strengths & weaknesses: 

There is a concept of human strength, weakness, ambition and need. We all have certain strengths. Whatever form they take externally does not matter. The strength can be willpower, clear thinking, love and compassion, anything that can be applied positively and constructively in life to support our own growth and the growth of others.

These strengths are sometimes overshadowed by our weaknesses which can take many different forms, such as lack of willpower, lack of mental clarity, inferiority complex, loss of self-image, nervousness, tension and an inability to manage stress levels. These weaknesses overshadow our strengths or positive qualities. Most of the time we are influenced by these weaknesses, struggle against them and try to hide them. We do not want to be weak, but at the same time we do not have an awareness of our strengths, and if we do then it is philosophical or intellectual only. Very rarely do we actually apply them constructively to overcome our weaknesses. If we try to apply them without proper knowledge, then it takes the form of aggression and stubbornness.

Now, when we perform karmas, depending on their nature, they influence either our strengths or our weaknesses. If a weakness is affected then it is very difficult to remove that impression from the mind. It touches the deepest core of our personality. But if a strength is touched by the karmas, then we move through them with a very positive attitude.

Ambitions and needs:

The third aspect is ambition. We all have aspirations and ambitions in life for status, external security, etc. Ambitions can be of any kind. They can also be unrealistic. Ambitions are the driving force of our actions. If we separate ambitions from karma, then karma will always have a positive influence. But if the ambitions are linked with karmas, then there is going to be a negative reaction also, because in ambition there is very little understanding of a proper interaction between two people. I do not have to define negative ambitions. Definitely we can make an effort to change them into positive ones, and in that way learn to manage our karmas in a better way.

The fourth aspect is human need. The body has certain needs such as food. The family has certain needs. There are certain social needs, certain mental, personal and emotional needs which we try to fulfil to the best of our ability. Actions which we perform daily through the senses, mind and emotions move in these four different areas of strength, weakness, ambition and need. Depending on which area of personality or human nature they come into contact with, they create an impression in our psyche. I have used the word psyche, not mind. Psyche is the deeper aspect of human mind which interacts at a non-rational level.

Understanding Destiny: 

Karma is sometimes confused with destiny. I do not know what destiny is. I have come across statements which say, on the one hand, that a person can make his own destiny and, on the other hand, that there is no control over human destiny. Why is there this contradiction? I cannot understand it because I come from a tradition that believes one can create one's own destiny. Of course, one has to work very hard to do that. It is a process of educating the self. You cannot get a degree or diploma just by thinking about it. You have to study, work hard, pass and then you get the degree or diploma. In the same way, one cannot change destiny just by thinking about it. One has to work very, very hard and pass the exam. We have to understand destiny in this context.

Destiny has two forms: one which is controlled by a human being, and another which is controlled by a superior, non-human force. In life we control our own destiny. It is the destiny of our life with which we are concerned, but there is also a process beyond life. One cannot control one's birth or death. There is no concept of when one is going to die; it can happen at any time, in one year or in one hundred years.

However, the destiny of the visible aspect of life which we live every day can be controlled. Take the example of a goat tied to a ten meter rope which is tied to a post in the ground. That goat can move ten meters, five meters or one meter from the centre of the post and tie itself up more and more. But if it tries to go beyond the ten meters, then it is also going to kill itself because the rope will not allow more space than has been assigned. Here we see the two aspects of destiny. The pole is the superior force of life. Some people may call it God, others may call it the cosmic force. I like to call it Ishwara, which means the undecaying, unchanging, real principle that is the transcendental nature of life.

In the world of matter we encounter the changing, decaying principle. Beyond the world of matter we encounter the unchanging principle. The bridge between the changing and the unchanging principle is destiny. Destiny is the law that governs every aspect of creation. The growth of the body from birth till death is destiny. The maturity of the mind is destiny. The expression of human nature is destiny. Destiny here means a process over which there is no conscious or human control, but which goes on nevertheless. Can you stop your body from growing? Can you stop a fire from burning? Can you stop the wind from blowing? Destiny should not be taken as something beyond human comprehension. Rather it should be understood as the essence of the normal process of human evolution.

Changing Destiny through Karma:

There is a statement in the Upanishads which says that through karma one can change one's destiny, meaning that through proper performance of action in life, through the harmonious expression of action in life, it is possible to change the quality of nature. Once the quality of nature changes, the expression of that nature is different. Was it the destiny of a river to be converted into a dam where hydroelectric power is generated? No. The nature or the destiny of the river is to flow from the highest to the lowest point. In between there may be some barriers, some dams, some man-made lakes, but the river continues on its course.

When through action, through karma, we are trying to channel the forces of our life, then destiny is definitely transformed. There can be no question about it. And this transformation of destiny leads to attainment of perfection in life. There is another beautiful statement in the Ishavasya Upanishad which says that in the beginning there was fullness, there was fullness always, and if you remove the full from the full, the full alone remains. The person who does not understand this is a real fool. If you convert it to a mathematical calculation, then whether you add, subtract, multiply or divide two zeros the answer will always be zero. This is the concept of attainment, perfection and fulfillment in life.

Experiencing the evolutionary process: 

We are always complete and have the potential to express that complete nature, but due to our conditioning we are never able to express our complete nature. We consider this limitation to be our destiny, when in reality our destiny is to experience the completeness, the fullness of life. It is the realization of that plenitude which is the aim of life and the aim of destiny. So, if the word destiny means that a human being has no control over situations, then the definition must change. The proper meaning of destiny is to experience the essence of life as an evolutionary process, and this should be the aim of karma. Karma leads to the experience and understanding of destiny provided one is able to awaken that kind of awareness and consciousness. One has to awaken human consciousness, and when it develops, the forces that are within will also awaken. It is the awakening of human consciousness and human potential which is the aim of human life, and also the aim of yoga.

Results of Past actions:

Karmas are not blessings or punishments meted out by God. The law of karma says that if I drink ten glasses of whisky then I will suffer a hangover and a lack of mental clarity. God did not make me suffer. Perhaps he presented me with a choice of whisky or water, but the decision was mine.

As long as we keep the discussion on a gross level, the law of karma receives approval from the logical mind. It is only when we move into the more fascinating and unknown areas of ethics, morality and meritorious and sinful actions that understanding the law of karma becomes more difficult, simply because we do not know much about the subtle aspects of our universe and our personality.

According to the law of karma, everything we have achieved is due to efforts made in the past. Those who give support get support, those who trust are trusted. Friendship and faith will surround a person who has good karma. Such a person is not just lucky, for good karma is the meritorious reward for proper action. It is quite clear: as we sow, so shall we reap.

Our state of mind is the result of our past actions. A seed sown in the soil becomes a vigorous plant competing with others for nutrients and sunshine. In the same way we can plant a seed in the mind and fertilize it by liking or hating the idea, and even further by keeping company with those who either like or hate the same idea. Our state of mind is our karma and there is no action that does not result in the necessity for further action.

There is confusion regarding karma and karma yoga. Some understand it as physical work and not mental work. Many people tell me they do all their karma yoga at home. They have vast gardens to maintain and these take up all their time. Of course the result of acquiring large gardens is their maintenance. This is the karma of acquiring a garden; it may be a pleasant, rewarding activity in terms of health and happiness, but maintenance of one's own garden is not karma yoga.

Others confuse karma with kama. Kama means desire, not action. Getting kama is a matter of choice. Fulfilling kama is an endless task, similar to feeding a fire with wood in the hope that the fire will become satisfied and not want any more wood.

Interaction & Reaction: 

Karma yoga is defined as any action performed with meditative awareness. Not only must the actions be observed consciously but also the attitude to the actions. Is the karma ego-centred as 99% of our actions are? In interactions with people this question becomes almost impossible to answer unless we look at the purpose of our interaction. For example, you are innocently doing your karma yoga work, peacefully and happily. Your heart is full of love and someone with a very disturbing angry vibration, but using politically correct and polite words, comes over and moves you to another location because of so many fantastic reasons. Your ego does not like humiliation, your work and peace of mind get disturbed. You acquiesce but to no avail, now you are like a pressure cooker about to go off and you cannot work.

What is the solution? Your intellect understands that the disturber's mood is off and the best solution is to walk away, but somehow you have accessed your own anger and you feel you have to give it back. As karma yogis, we have to act according to the dictates of our personality, providing the work does not suffer. Each person should study their own reactions look at the whole problem, pray for a solution and learn from their mistakes.

It is true that if we retire to a pleasant place away from prying eyes, busybodies, and pushy competitive types, life can be very pleasant and for some time we will have escaped the effects of samskaras that are unpleasant. Retreating to a monastery has long been known as the ultimate escape from the woes of the world. By taking hold of the highest spiritual ideals aspirants like to forget responsibilities of the past. You can practise meditation and read holy books, and you may have very pleasant experiences, but you won't purify and exhaust samskaras. Ultimately you will have to meet your inner experiences or spiritually stagnate.

The practice of karma yoga becomes part and parcel of every spiritual aspirant's life. Our reactions to different objects, people, vibrations, jobs and interactions is a fascinating area of study. If our work is successful we become proud, or happy, if our work fails we have another reaction. The Bhagavad Gita says three main things about karma yoga:

1. Work for the sake of the action not for the fruits. Or be equal in success and failure.
2. Work with perfection and with efficiency. Or do the best job possible as fast as possible, but without too much obsession.
3. Renounce attachment and doership. Or after you have finished the job leave it and understand that any success was God's doing and not yours. The same goes for failure because any failure is God's.

These are the classical guidelines to karma yoga and no doubt we aspire to emulate these. However, on reflection we discover samskaras, thoughts and feelings, and reactions. In the ashram we may be given grass raking, or pot cleaning, or potato peeling for our karma yoga. Whatever the activity usually we become aware of another aspect of the personality. We may encounter thoughts such as “I want to do something important, I want to be heard, I want to be influential.” This is a process of awareness of karmas and their different aspects. It is not the surface reactions that are important, rather it is the subtle reactions which need to be observed.

Service for Others: 

To find relief from the burden of karma accumulated until now is the desire of every spiritual aspirant. In chapter five of the Bhagavad Gita it says karma yoga, the yoga of action, is superior to non-action, and by performing actions selflessly the sadhaka can become detached from the fruits of action. This is sannyasa. Renunciation by the quality of detachment is not a decision, it is a point in the evolution of the personality from which the sadhaka can live without the fetters of attachment. The tool for removing these fetters is karma yoga.

The simplest form of karma yoga is to donate to worthy causes, to give your own money, which you are attached to, for the service of those whom you do not even know. After that you can collect money from others in order that the poor can find relief. After that you can perform some service yourself, giving not only your money but also your time, effort, energy and mind. Ultimately the highest form of karma yoga is to give your hopes and ambitions, your wants and your desires so that when others receive what they want and need you become satisfied and your needs are met in this way without creating ongoing or subsequent karma in you.

The most frequent failure of karma yoga is due to the overwhelming need of those we serve. There are so few serving those who need it that the demands often completely drain the karma yogi, who can see no other way but to give up.

Correct Attitude: 

Why are you bored with your work? It is due to your attitude. If the attitude is correct, you can go on doing the same work for fifty years. When you consider your work as a duty, a way of serving others, it never becomes dull. It is only when you think of it in terms of your own development or pleasure that work becomes intolerable and monotonous.

It is actually far easier and more motivating to work for others than for yourself. This is the secret of karma yoga which few understand and are able to apply. This is the difference between karma and karma yoga. You create karma when you act with yourself in mind, with your personal desires and problems as a motivation. When you act, not for yourselves but as a service, an offering to others, the mind is freed and you experience the benefits of karma yoga.

Actually, karma yoga can be practised anywhere at any time. It is not necessary to live in an ashram to practise it. But few understand the basic principle behind it and the necessity of it being performed with the correct attitude. In the ashram you learn how to practise karma yoga and this is very important. Otherwise, you may spend your whole life working for yourself and increasing your suffering, rather than working for others and ending your suffering along with theirs.

So karma yoga is a necessary part of life. It is as necessary as eating, talking or walking. For you must go on creating karma as long as you are alive. You cannot live without action. Therefore, let your actions be performed as a service to the evolution of all beings and you will enjoy a life of utter freedom, simplicity and bliss. All your needs will be bestowed on you as if blessings from God. You will never be lonely or suffer any ills. When the mind is at peace with itself, the body attains health. People are drawn to such a person like bees to nectar. It is impossible to keep them away.

So, in hatha yoga and in raja yoga, association of karma yoga leads to deepened awareness. In relation to bhakti yoga, karma yoga leads to balancing of the emotions. In relation to intellect and jnana yoga, karma yoga leads to greater knowledge, perception, observation and wisdom. How does a perfect being walk, eat, live, sleep? Think about it. Even in kriya yoga and kundalini yoga, karma yoga has to be added. The experience you have with awakening of the subtle forces, the subtle energies, the psychic centres, has to be harmonized by letting of the negative tendencies and pulls of those centres.