KARMA YOGA

In modern society the richest 20% makes 150x the amount of money that the poorest 20% makes. This is absurd.  Those, who are luckiest to be in the top 20% financially, must share better.  Enlightenment is seeing things as they are.  The French revolution, the assassination of Julius Caesar in Rome, and so many other revolutions have been created by bad karma produced by selfishness at the top.  If one is lucky enough to be in the top 20% financially, consider a focus on Karma yoga.  We each have only one stomach. There is a limit to how much we can eat. We only have 8 fingers and 2 thumbs. We have no need for 100 rings.  Thinking of oneself breads insecurity, fear, and distrust.  The most fulfilling use of wealth is philanthropic giving.  Trying to find joy via sensory satisfaction is like trying to quench thirst via saltwater.  Be a pie baker, not a pie eater.  Everyone just wants to be happy, and those who engage in karma can help fulfill others dreams.  Consider a life of less adjectives, more verbs.  Yogis prefer good to pleasant.  The yogi uses all his resources—physical, emotional, mental, and moral to relieve the suffering of others.  Attachment and holding onto things cause suffering.  Remove desire, aversion, and delusion.  They are bad for the bod, mind, and spirit.  If one take one step towards God, God will take 1,000,000 towards one.

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Spiritual practices benefit our physical and mental health.  The more we practice the more we benefit.  A high sense of purpose lowers the chances of death by 1/4th.  We are most happy when we focus on others suffering and give them our joy.  Temporary joy comes from bullying, but true joy comes from healing others.  Suffering develops our sense of compassion.  Fasting helps us develop compassion.  Compassion has all the other virtues within it.  Compassion is also within our self-interest.   Compassion increases oxytocin, which reduces inflammation.  Generosity is the natural outgrowth of compassion.  Suffering comes from clinging or grasping.

 

Giving benefits the giver as much as the receiver, especially when done without any expectation of reward. Humility should not be confused with lack of confidence.  The first step to overcome anxiety is to shift the attention away from the self and toward others, as the scale of our problems diminish.  The magic of seva is that it takes the focus away from our own problems.  When helping others don’t become attached to the thought that one are a helper.  Relinquish one’s envy, let go of one’s desire to triumph over others. Instead, try to benefit them, and one will benefit.

 

Karama does not come about overnight but is born of many lifetimes.  Plant many seeds.  Just like a fine wine is not enjoyed the same day (or even same century in some cases) the vine is planted, Karma takes time.  Karma is one’s roots.  We can end suffering via nirvana, breaking samsara of karma.  Karama cones from intention.  Joy is always bigger than happiness (satisfaction).  From weakness we discover joy.  Joy comes from much good karma.  Invoke reciprocity. Give with joy. Give early. Give unexpectedly. 

 

Intentions become deeds, deeds become habits, habits become reality.   Karma comes from seva or service.  We each have a duty to serve all sentient beings in every universe. If we see an opportunity to benefit others, a karma yogi will take it over an ability to benefit her narrow interests. A karma yogi understands that they a desire to be happy and so does everyone else.  What we think, say, do, desire, and omit creates karma.  Pay things forward.  Make the rest of one’s life as meaningful as possible. Little by little, step by step, one will gradually reorder one’s habits and attitudes. Service reminds us of the oneness of the human family.  There are two things—suffering and ending suffering.  See peace and joy. We are all birds in cages that seek to be free. Dharma is not about words but a path. Dhrama is a noble wealth that cannot be stolen. 

 

One cannot give Dharma to others—one can only give upaya, skillful means.  Listening is easy.  Doing is difficult.  Can one learn about anger from a text or via experiencing it?  One cannot do the work for others. Let go of that idea.  Just conquer within and don’t have lofty thoughts.  The best I can do to is to try to help others by sharing in their suffering.  We all desire to be happy and to avoid suffering. Those in developed countries are less satisfied, less happy, and to some extent suffer more.

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Try to take other’s anger and fear and give them one’s love and forgiveness.  Bodhivista is an evolved human who helps others.  Don’t’ ask too many questions.  Just do it.   

 

One powerful type of karma yoga is represented by the Prison Yoga Projected, founded by James Fox and directed by Bill Brown.  The Prison Yoga Project is founded on the idea that the prison system should restore individuals and reduce recidivism, rather than just punish people.  We all want good future neighbors.  Most prisoners are just like us, people who have been traumatized.  They hurt others because they have been hurt.  Yoga can help them heal their trauma and stop the cycle of hurt.  The below prisoner whose letter I opened deserves better!