Karma means action. Any action performed in thought, word or deed will
have a reaction. This is called the law of karma, or the law of
cause and effect.
The ancient rishis 1 went into detailed investigation
of this law and discovered that the whole of creation is bound
by this law of cause and effect. In fact, our very embodiment
and existence is an effect of karma.
Lord Jesus declared very clearly that whatever you sow you shall
reap. You cannot want to sow corn and reap wheat. So whatever
action you perform in thought, word or deed, you will reap its
fruits. Karma is action – it can either be good, bad or mixed – and
in order to reap its fruits, you have to embody.
Through countless embodiments we have accumulated a vast storehouse
of karmas and this is called Sanchita Karma. In each embodiment
we come to work out a portion of this storehouse of karma and
this is called Prarabdha Karma. In the process of working
out this karma, we are creating additional karma and this is called
Agami Karma. Thus we are caught in an endless process of
birth and death and this is referred to as samsara, or
bondage.
The goal of life is to be free from this process by realizing
that we are spirit or soul. In order to reach this state of realization,
all the karmas have to be worked out or burnt up so that there
can be no more cause for further embodiment.
As embodied beings, we experience this world through our senses
and interpret it through our mind and intellect. The very nature
of the senses is limiting, and depending on the state of the mind,
that is how we perceive things. By disciplining the senses and
purifying the mind, the mind becomes still and we are able to
reach a fourth state of consciousness called samadhi, where
we will experience our divinity.
Yoga is the technology that is used to achieve this state of
purity and stillness of mind. Every effort that leads us closer
to this goal is called Karma Yoga. Every effort that creates a
disturbance in the mind will take us away from the goal and this
is called karma.
Actions that promote lust, anger, greed, hatred, jealousy, envy
and fear pollute the mind and lead to unhappi-ness. Actions that
promote the opposite qualities of love, compassion, mercy, generosity,
forgiveness, etc. will purify the mind and lead to happiness,
freedom and liberation. Thus our very actions can bind us or liberate
us. When the action is done to free us, it is called Karma Yoga.
All actions are motivated by desires. When the action is motivated
by egocentric desires it becomes karma. Actions that are not motivated
by egocentric desires will not create karma, and thus take us
closer to the goal of liberation.
If we act in the spirit of Karma Yoga or selfless service, we
will experience expansiveness and freedom, which are followed
by peace and happiness. We can relate to our actions as service
in different ways, depending on our station in life. As a family
person, we do our duty as service to our family and society. As
a sage or a yogi, we perform our duty by serving the world at
large. To us the world is our home and all the people our family.
Every selfless act that we perform expands our heart and consciousness
a little more. When we taste this sweetness of selfless service,
we will want to repeat it over and over again until it becomes
our nature to serve. In this way we are transforming ourselves.
When we want to see what we look like, we look in the mirror.
To know and become aware of our mind, we observe it through our
actions. Did I do my job well today to the best of my ability?
Did I stick to it until it was completed or did I procrastinate
and make excuses to put it off? Did I experience dislike and disgust
or did I love what I was doing? Did I experience greed and anger
or love and selflessness? Thus in quiet moments we can reflect
on our day and be aware of our mind and predominating personality.
We become aware of what is beautiful and noble and we can promote
more of that. Whatever is undesirable, we can make the effort
to eradicate it.
So in order to cultivate a strong will and beautiful personality,
act selflessly without constantly being stressed by the results.
We should focus all our attention on doing our duty. In this way
we will reach perfection in action and that is Yoga.
Through serving, loving and giving, your heart becomes purified,
then you are able to meditate and realize your divinity.
1 Rishis are seers, holy ones or teachers who lived in ancient times
and divined yoga from the universe.
