Editor’s Note: This is a guest post by Lexi Yoga. Her yoga website can be found at www.lexiyoga.com.
Karma yoga dates back from the Hinduism philosophies based on reincarnation (samsara). This means that we were born with both positive and negative tendencies from our previous lives, which push forward into our present life. It is up to us to continue in a positive path to attain pure liberation (to achieve a zero balance, no karma remaining.)
The word karma means “to do,” action without any intention for reward. Living life with non-selfish intentions in order to help others is what good karma is all about. The theory is that past action brings consequences, and therefore affects a persons position and progress in their current life. The Western world believes that the main purpose of life is to live and enjoy personal pleasures, and that achieving happiness for oneself is the goal. Eastern philosophies believe that the ultimate purpose and goal in life is not for pleasure, but for knowledge, and that knowledge is fully reached through the “wheel of karma.”
The practice of karma yoga includes service to the world using your mind and body. Enormous wealth is not needed. Helping people with your time and positive energy. An example would be if you came across a homeless person, instead of just giving money, you would give them food, your jacket, if it’s a cold day, you’d carry them to the hospital if they were sick. God is more pleased with this type of service compared to those who just give monetary gifts. Helping someone from your heart and soul is the key to good karma.
A karma yogi should not have any expectations for his/her actions and no desire for fame, fortune, admiration and gratitude. Being absolutely free from jealousy, greed, anger, egoism, fear, meanness and selfishness is the way to become a good karma yogi.
The goal of karma yoga is to reach a spiritual state of bliss and avoid the fear of rebirth. By changing your lifestyle and not living for wealth and materialism, you can attain happiness and good karma.
“Some consider personalities such as the Buddha to have been karma yogis. Buddha is the ideal karma yogi… acting entirely without motive, and the history of humanity shows him to have been the greatest man ever born, beyond compare, the greatest combination of Head & Heart that ever existed.” — Swami Vivekananda
See 101 Karma Quotes.
Written by: Lexiyoga
