If we act with kindness and without focusing on ourselves, happiness will arise naturally, like a flower opening in the sun.
Some people think that yoga means stretching, bending and twisting like a pretzel, or sitting crossed-legged with our eyes closed and chanting "Om." But if that is all we did we would be of no use to anyone. We spent our honeymoon in India and lived at the Bihar School of Yoga, where the foundation of our training was karma yoga. This was brilliant, as it gave us the opportunity to deepen our understanding of what it really is.
Many great yoga masters have said that the greatest path of yoga is karma yoga, as it is the one that asks us to be the least me-centered. The teaching is very explicit regarding karma yoga, which is described as the path of action and selfless service, to renounce our own selfish pursuits and not to reap the fruits of our actions. Brad Pitt's selfless work building houses in New Orleans, or yoga teacher and activist Seane Corn's work with YouthAIDS are expressions of karma yoga. "I realized that whether my yoga practice was 15 minutes or four hours was irrelevant because it was not about how yoga can change me," says Seane in our book, Be The Change, "but how I, through this practice, can begin to change the world. What I really felt was how dare I not step into the world and hold that space?"
Start by practicing selfless service for a day, giving in whatever way you can by offering kindness. How does it feel? Just one day of this can be transforming, so try doing it once a week. It doesn't mean you have to deny or ignore your own needs -- you are just as important as everyone else. But just for this time, let it not be about you.
Tai chi teacher Arthur Rosenfield was in the drive-through line at Starbucks. The man in line behind him was getting impatient and angry, leaning on his horn and shouting insults at both Arthur and the Starbucks workers. Keeping his cool, Arthur paid for the man's coffee and drove away. When he got home later that day, he discovered that he had created a chain of giving that had not only continued all day but had been highlighted on NBC News. Within 24 hours, it had spread around the world on the Internet.
"Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve," said Martin Luther King. "You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love."
Karma yoga is creating goodness in the world. Do you treat your world with kindness or with aggression? Giving without any thought of getting is the most powerful act of generosity as it is unconditional, unattached, free to land wherever it will. But generosity can also raise fears about not having enough. Watch where resentment creeps in and remember that selfless action is just that: selfless.
On our morning walk through the alleys near our house, we came across a backyard filled with used bicycles. Finally we met the owner. He had a bicycle shop in town and was collecting all these used bikes, repairing them, and then donating them to an Indian reservation in Montana. His goal was that everyone at the reservation, young and old, should have a bicycle of their own.
We see it in author Marc Barasch, founder of Green World Campaign. He decided that, "Instead of cutting down trees to put words on a page, I wanted to plant some actual trees in the ground." This year the nonprofit will plant millions of trees throughout the developing world, revitalizing barren land, helping sustain poor villages, and combating climate change. The slogan is, "It's amazing what one seed can grow."
And there is Aileen, a friend from England. In the last 10 years, she has created a farm in rural India. She sent us a photo showing her planting "flame of the forest" tree seeds into starter pots. When these seeds become saplings they will be distributed to local school children so that each child will have their own tree to grow and tend.
Serving enables us to step beyond our own desires and to release any sense of separation. It takes us out of selfishness and neediness, and in the process we see our own self-centeredness in greater perspective. We discover that in giving we do not have any less. Rather, we gain so much. Let everything we do be of benefit to others.
Does it feel better to give or to receive? Do comment below. You can receive notice of our blogs every Thursday by checking Become a Fan at the top.
See our award-winning book: BE THE CHANGE, How Meditation Can Transform You and the World, forewords by the Dalai Lama and Robert Thurman, with contributors Jack Kornfield, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Byron Katie and many others.
Deb is the author of the award-winning YOUR BODY SPEAKS YOUR MIND, Decoding the Emotional, Psychological, and Spiritual Messages That Underlie Illness.
Our three meditation CDs: Metta -- Loving kindness and Forgiveness; Samadhi -- Breath Awareness and Insight; and Yoga Nidra -- Inner Conscious Relaxation, are available at: www.EdandDebShapiro.com
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Stephanie Brookes: Lotus Position Optional
Karma yoga - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I used to think "what use is helping somebody, there is so much suffering, its only a drop in the ocean". Now I feel that the most important act is the least 'consequential', lightest, most loving, least attached act of kindness out of the heart. We must not be trapped in viewing our acts from the materialist viewpoint - acts of love are measured in spirit not in pounds or dollars. That's why Jesus talked about the poor woman who had given more than the rich man - the 'measurement' cannot be seen by the eyes.
I *look* for these people. That lady has a lovely sweater... a smile for that older couple, and pick up the item they dropped... grin at that baby and tell his mother he's cute... ohmygosh, what a *gorgeous* sari that woman has on!
Just a few words. People always seem to enjoy it; I've been told many times that I've brightened someone's day. And I get such a kick out of it, I can't describe it! :)
It's not always just fun. Occasionally you spot someone who is hurting, and then the exchange is different. But usually I just enjoy seeing how many people I can find who brighten my day with something lovely or interesting or amusing, and whose day I can brighten by complimenting them.
Whether this would count as Karma Yoga, I don't know. I do know that it feels good!
I have to honestly say -
I do the same thing as you - wherever I go I smile play, have fun & tell cute jokes to kids-
Deb & I are in a book (that just came out) about what you say -
specifically with fun jokes I tell kids wherever I go - shopping malls / farmers markets etc.
book is called"
WABI SABI LOVE
by Arielle Ford
all people should read this-
fanned & fav'd
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Peace-Initiative/379630298723811.
vairagya - dispassion - happens to you - it is a natural letting go of this illusion - of grasping to this world!
It is being in the world but not of it!
it is a release of attachment - yes - but comes from deep within - a calling from within to what is real & a release of what is unreal!
I trained in India at the Bihar School of Yoga over 44 years ago -
I was initiated Swami Brahmananda by Paramahansa Swami Satyananda
May all beings be happy!
Ed Shapiro (Swami B)
True vairagya can never bring about complacency and carelessness.
It would not be vairagya -
Treasure yourself -
we have written a few books on meditation-
Our award winning meditation book:
BE THE CHANGE
forewords by
HH the Dalai Lama & Prof Robert Thurman
with contributors Jon Kabat-Zinn, Jack Kornfield, HH the Karmapa & others
is quite a read!
And yes they bought what they needed,
friends, furniture, neighbors
though not the knowers of real
or did they buy the homeless,
the street workers or junkies
living for the next fix
though they bought the priest
of their local church, the money machine
of feel good till next time
and Cecilia, living at the time
a sleeping room at the hospits
gently smiles good morning
on her way to deliver a few clothes
to freetex, the second hand store
by chanel
would you be with today
for a tour till Skar
I have packed a picnic lunch
and we can pick flowers
coming back for the gathering room
and we can have Cliff with,
his wheel chair is not heavy
I'd love to Cecilia, thank you
and we can collect Cliff at 9
on the way to the bus stop.
Rolf KrogsætherC.2012
Luvluv your poetic inspiration-
blessing you!
Rolf
Ahhhhhh
of an age old way. The path.
Rolf
thank you for being you!
Life is a precious jewel -
you shine!
After learning them I began to share my findings with people but that didn't seem to do anything to bring about change so I have taken it to the government itself with
http://signon.org/sign/eliminate-capitalistic?source=c.fwd.in&r_by=4033819 intended to get the message to all government officials how to govern this nation. Should they find heart enough to do what's constitutionally required to get this nation out of the uncaring state this government is in we will witness the first world peace since a very long time in our lifetime.
this is powerful stuff!
khanti -
May all beings be happy & free from suffering!
Thanks for this important blog.
Namaste
You are a blessing!
" Let everything we do be of benefit to others."
Many Blessings......
To be sure, we can't all be like the Brad Pitt's of this world but we can all find a place to give for the joy of giving.
I, too had never heard of karma yoga.. Thank you so much for sharing this information.
Many Blessings..
love what you say here:
"I especially like those acts of kindness that are done anonymously. They don't have to be huge ... simple things like leaving a coffee on a colleague's desk, slipping an envelope with $20 in someone's mailbox when you are aware they are in need, donating to food banks, helping an elderly person cross the street, etc."
well of course giving us more pleasurable, always have been for me - it goes with my generous nature. of course initially it was over-generous because of screwed up childhood messages.
giving makes me feel absolutely great - whether it's a drink or a meal to someone hungry or just a few minutes chatting with someone who looks like they need it just then, a good hug and squeeze. it's all good and it all works because lifts the receiver and I think that is what counts.
cherrio
catherine
luvluv what you ay here:
"giving makes me feel absolutely great - whether it's a drink or a meal to someone hungry or just a few minutes chatting with someone who looks like they need it just then, a good hug and squeeze. it's all good and it all works because lifts the receiver and I think that is what counts."
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
The goal of life is God, not everything else we aspire to. You've had many lives and many partners. This life and this chance, do it right, do karma yog, fulfill your duty without expectation of reward and your reward for that is God, every soul's ultimate soulmate.
I saw this in action with my grandfather who stood up for what was right, spoke the truth to power even when it caused much problems for him and gave to charity anonomously. The person never knew who the benefactor was. This is true karma yog.
I remembered him and his lesson of karma yog when watching this newly married woman giving gifts cash checks for thousands of dollars($2000 $5000 $10000) to people not in need but she's met in last 3-4 months so they will owe her, sing her praises, buying friendships, having them cover for her when she is with her lover, using them to bully 80 year old woman not giving her mother in law even $100 to give to charity, putting stuff in way so she'll fall, feeding her husband food that is over 3 weeks old. If anyone calls her out on it she targets them with bad food, harassment by these paid off "friends". walk on eggshells as you never know. So you never really know why the person is doing it and whether you are helping them in bullying of seniors or those who are in bad circumstances. The contrast was so striking, I realized karma yog in front of me. India has changed so much, frightning.
Independence was only in 1948 so it hasn't been long since India has been under its own rule. It will take a bit longer yet for India to rediscover and even reinvent its own identity. If India can just purge itself of the malignancy that has metastasized in its culture they will regain much of their former glory. I'm not holding my breath in the meantime :)