“Yogastha kuru karmani – Establish oneself in yoga, then perform action.”

 

This beautiful verse is taken from the Bhagavad Gita, the revered ancient text said to have been written as a love poem to the Divine. To me, this quote sums up the meaning of the path of karma yoga.

 

The word karma comes from the ancient language of Sanskrit and means action. The law of karma states that for every action, there is a reaction. For every cause, there is an effect. When we apply the law of karma to our own actions, it is true that every single choice we make has a consequence. Using this principle, we can develop a practice of karma yoga by becoming more aware of our thoughts, words and actions.

 

Awareness, accountability and responsibility for all we think, say and do, help us to discern between those actions that serve our ego and senses, and those that lead us to expanding our consciousness and, ultimately, to serving the higher good of all.  How I choose to show up in this world is a direct correlation of how the world shows up for me.

 

I was just having this conversation with a friend of mine saying that if you want, need or expect the messy world around you to change, then you’ve got to clean up your own mess. And, when you do, the world you experience will reflect that.

 

10 signs you may be Living Yoga* through action.

 

1. You choose forgiveness. Remember, that forgiveness is not about justifying another’s actions, but it’s about your choice for peace.

2. You Apologize. You take responsibility for your own actions. You can only control your behavior, no one else’s.

3. You show compassion. When we consider another’s story, see another’s pain, we can more easily act with compassion.

4. You think before you act. You consider the consequences before you proceed.   Will your actions bring peace and harmony to all involved? At the very least, will you make a choice that doesn’t harm anyone?

5. You make nourishing food choices and reap the rewards. Developing a conscious eating practice brings better digestion, awareness of your internal hunger gauge, and sustained energy, vitality and wellbeing throughout your day.

6. You contribute. You lend a helping hand. How can you offer service to the benefit of all?

7. You practice gratitude. The quickest way out of a bad day is to list a few things for which you are grateful.

8. You are authentic. Imagine if we all dropped our masks and revealed our true glorious natures!

9. You offer a smile to a stranger. That gesture, while seemingly insignificant to you, may transform someone’s world.

10. You are conscious of your breath and aware of the space between each breath.

 

One moment of yoga, in the form of a breath, a stretch, a silent pause can begin to alter your experience of life. Sometimes the shifts are subtle, other times they create a greater and faster impact. Yoga has done that for me and it continues to do so every day. However, I do admit that I still struggle with being a karma yogi in the moment when I notice someone’s left the park without picking up his/her dog’s poop! But, I know the beauty of yoga allows me to keep re-orienting my compass and occasionally I reach down and pick it up – just because.

 

Comment below to add your karma yoga ways to the list!

 

I’m in gratitude…in love…in yoga!

The Yoga Scribe

 

* “Living Yoga” exercises found throughout my book, GOING BEYOND THE POSE, offer easy and practical ways to integrate the principles of yoga into our daily lives.