The Spirit Of Spirituality: Karma Yoga In Action

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Karma Yoga In Action

This is one of the articles in a book I have written on spirituality. The book is available on Amazon.com.

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I have covered earlier the true meaning of Action and how it should be performed. In brief, one of the ways a spiritual aspirant can prepare for the journey to attain salvation is to go on the path of Karma Yoga. This posits that one has to do any action based on an obligation and that it has to be done. Any action done in a spirit of non-attachment to the fruits of the action with the sole focus being that it is an action that has to be done is the path of Karma Yoga. As I pondered about the concept, I tried to analyze various actions which I am aware of that would qualify to be called as Karma Yoga and am listing them below.

A blanket of warm love

Couple of years back, we along with some family friends had gone on a trip to an island near Boston. As part of the trip, my wife and I chose to get on a cruise. It was a beautiful sunny day and we were dressed for a typical summer day. We got into the cruise and soon it set sail. We were thoroughly enjoying the scene and slowly the wind started blowing as the boat picked up speed. The blowing wind soon turned very cold and with the type of dress we were wearing, both of us were shivering. I can manage cold better than my wife whose hands starting turning white as she shivered and held me tight.

I noticed a co-passenger get up and walk over to a place where she had kept her suitcase. She opened it and took out a blanket. I was thinking how well planned this tourist was when she came over to us and gave the blanket to my wife to cover herself. Now this lady was an absolute stranger and had no reason to do what she did. She just felt that was the right thing to do at that time and without any material expectation from us, just gave the blanket to my wife. This I felt was one of the greatest acts of Karma Yoga in action.

Here is a dollar bill

Sometime back I needed a government document and I went over to the records office. I stood in line and when my turn came asked for the document. She said it would cost a dollar and 50 cents. I said fine and gave my credit card. She said they take only cash. Luckily I found a $5 bill and gave her. She then pointed me to a notice that said, only exact change accepted. I did not have a smaller bill or change. I did not want to waste time again coming back for this. As I was looking helplessly, a man behind me offered me the exact cash. He did not seem well to do at all and appeared more like a ruffian one sees on the streets. I accepted his cash, paid and took my document. I gave him the $5 bill which he refused saying he did not have change. Here again, though the amount is very small, the sheer act of doing something to help a fellow human being in need without any expectations was an excellent act of Karma Yoga.

Saving a street child

Recently I was listening to a news item that made me wonder whether such angels really exist. This news is about a run-down town in USA. Apparently one night this lady, who I am referring to looked out of the window and saw kids playing. As they were playing, tempers flared and soon gun shots were being fired. Whatever came over, she rushed down, started pulling kids away to safety and in the process was shot. Luckily, she survived. These kids, she was trying to save were not her’s. But she just felt the need to do the right thing and save innocent lives. What better example can we get of Karma Yoga?

I made a difference to this…

This is not something I experienced, but saw in a motivational video. The scene is of a beach in which due to the tide, several star fishes have been washed on to the beach.. Mind you, star fishes can survive on land for some time. But beyond a point, they will die of dehydration. There is one man who is walking on the beach, picking up one star fish at a time and throwing it back into the water. A passer-by looks at him and says, “There are so many star fishes around. You cannot make a difference.” To this, our man picks up another starfish and as he throws it into the ocean says, “I made a difference to this one.”

I see such a high level of Karma Yoga where the man just feels it is the right thing to ensure that the star fish lives. There is no reward that he is expecting, just an obligation to do the right thing.

I encourage readers to send me their life experiences of Karma Yoga and I will surely publish.

As readers may be aware, 3 of my books on spirituality are available on Amazon.com.

I invite readers of my blog to try any of the books and give me feedback so that I can make changes in the next edition.

1. My Humble Understanding Of Spirituality

My Humble Understanding Of Spirituality