I took a yoga class last evening and afterward as I swept the floor of the studio the subject of karma yoga came up.


Karma yoga or Buddhi yoga is basically the act of performing duties in a selfless manner; detached from the reward of recognition or other rewards.  It is thought in Hinduism to be a path to self-realization, union with that which is larger than yourself or the love of God. 
 
Selfless action, being detached from the fruits of your duties purifies the mind and makes one fit to understand the value of reason, increases the intuitive power of acquiring knowledge  and is a way to transcend the mind itself.


As I swept the floor, I thought about service.  Service, rooted in love, is found in most cultures and religious belief systems.  In Christianity Jesus served mankind. When he saw someone in need, he was there.  He did not need to be told what to do; He knew what to do and he did it.  


In the West, one of the major forms of service is charity. Charity means love; Unlimited loving-kindness towards others.  Nowadays it seems to take on a largely monetary form.  We give to church, charities, etc. Giving monetarily is wonderful but we must remember that giving can mean more than just money.  


Giving money to help feed or clothe the hungry is greatly needed, but even more so is the need for rising above the misery of poverty. Bread alone will not accomplish this. Think about giving your time and expertise to help teach others how to help themselves into better situations.  


We know what needs to be done; Let's do it.  Think about what needs to be done in any situation you are in and do it with love.  Let us not simply "do our job" but let us do our job well and find little extra things we can do to help others with or without them knowing it.  Make the tea in the morning; wipe the bathroom counters at work or your local yoga studio; bring a favorite snack food to your next book club meeting; take the newspaper to the front door of your elderly neighbor; offer to walk the dog of someone you know that has trouble getting around; give loving hugs to people everyday, it massages their heart and yours!


Selfless action demonstrates your love of mankind and of that which is larger than yourself. There are so many ways
to express loving-kindness, charity, service to others; Let us count the ways!


Be the light,
Kirsten