12-5-10 Karma Yoga.
"Turn every action into yoga with the magic wand of right attitude." - Master Swami Sivananda
Karma yoga is meditation in action. Lead a dedicated life filled with selfless service. With karma yoga, everything you do is for the sake of others greater harmony and good for all. We can apply this to our daily jobs, activities, or possessions. Whatever you do, dedicate the benefits of any action to God. There is no selfishness in God or God's creation. Look to the apple tree. Every year it produces fruit for all to enjoy, but does the tree ever eat any of its own fruit? All religions teach the same idea of SACRIFICE. The ten commandments teach us not to be selfish and to love thy neighbor. Lord Buddha granted us with ten virtues, five for laymen and five more for monks, similar to the ten commandments. In yoga, we have the yama and niyama system which is the code to keep the mind clean free from egoism, also similar to the ten commandments. In Islam, we learn universal friendship, as they call eachother brothers and sisters. Also, in grade school, we were taught the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Love thy neighbor as thy self.
This is a teaching for human beings. We can look to nature at plants and animals and follow their example, as they are already living sacrifical lives. And for who? Us! Again, consider the apple tree. Think of a flower, whose blossom's teach us about sacrifice. A tree sacrificed the flower. The flower sacrifices its fragrance. The coulds give us rain. The sun gives us light and warmth. We are indebted to nature, which is really called God. It's all God. It's all good.
In karma yoga, we are turning our actions and intentions from selfish to selfless. We can pray to God and ask for help in this practice, for peace and calmness. Say to yourself, "Everything belongs to you, nothing belongs to me. Take the selfishness away from me. Make me happy and peaceful." Dedication and selfless service are essential to all religions. We can understand that we are all doing the same thing with different labels. Make some kind of offering, choose whatever you like, but do it! Opportunities to serve are precious and invaluable occassions to refine and strengthen our minds and purify our hearts. Practice the virtue of generosity, giving without selfish expectation. There is joy in serving, not from serving.
Sequence: Savasana (corpse pose), 3 OM's in Sukhasana (easy seat pose), Nadi Suddhi (alternate nostril breathing), shoulder rolls, half spinal twist, Urdhva Baddhangulyisasana (upward bound palms pose), eye movements. Tadasana (mountain pose), Urdhva Hastasana (upward facing palms pose), Uttanasana (standing forward bend). Surya Namasakara (sun salutations) with lunge and Ashtangasana (eight pointed pose) variation 4x. Leg lifts: 6x single leg each side, 6x double leg, 6x single wind (knee to chest), and 6x double wind. Bhujangasana (cobra pose), Dhanurasana (bow pose), Balasana (child's pose). Salamaba Sarvangasana (supported shoulder stand). Dandasana (staff pose), Paschimottanasana (west back stretch), Janu Sirsasana (head to knee pose), Savasana with guided relaxation. Played Mulandara Chakra crystal bowl (base - red - C) coming out of Savasana.
"A completely renounced person has no want at all. And the minute you stop wanting anything, you have your Self. Thats why scriptures say to become poor. Either you renounce completely, or you lose everything. Both are the same. If you don't renounce and you are a sincere seeker, probably the world will temporarily take all away from you.
"That's another reason why people who are really after God suffer so much and seem to lose everything one by one. Don't think that by wanting God, you will have everything. No, if you really want God, be ready to lose everything. God will take it away because God wants you totally. God doesn't want you to run after other things. You could say that God is one hundred percent possessive with all devotees. When you are a little beautiful and you go near God, God thinks, 'Here are truly beautiful devotees. I want them, so let Me have them.' If God decides to have you, God will not allow you to have anything else.
"If you want to see God, give everything. Sacrifice everything."
- Master Sri Swami Satchidananda, To Know Your Self, p.32
No comments:
Post a Comment