Traditional Medicine in Asia

Traditional Medicine in Asia
Karma Yoga
Karma Yoga is the ‘yoga of action’. We
are always in action even when we are
apparently doing nothing. At least our
minds are in action, and at some level we
still affect the objects or people about
whom we are thinking. Even when asleep
we dream, and even in deep sleep we are
interacting at some level. The yogis say
that if we are always in action we had better
do it the right way. The right way is karma
yoga, in which we are functioning in the
world but our inner attitude to that action
is of a special kind. It is the yoga of
dynamic action – interaction with the world
and normal daily situations, but with
meditative awareness and continuous flow
of energy. It aims to increase the level of
our awareness of our internal reactions
such as our expectations.
The word karma means ‘action’, but
in some respects also the results of our
actions – we reap what we sow. The
actions can be physical ones, but they can
occur in all dimensions of our being, or at
any level of consciousness. However, the
important thing is to develop the ability to
act with the inner attitude which has the
following qualities:
Efficiency – This needs full concentration
and awareness of the Self, of the
mind. It is necessary to be one pointed
and not distracted. You must be able to
observe the whole event to become
efficient, to have the ‘big picture’.
Equanimity – The mind should remain
balanced in success and in failure. In order
to maintain mental balance, it is easiest if
one practises the other yogas as well, and
abandons the desire of attachment, the
desire of result and the desire of
achievement.
Absence of Expectation – The
Bhagavad Gita says, “It is not possible for
104
embodied beings to renounce action, but
it is possible to renounce the results of the
action”. People often answer this by saying,
“but surely I can expect to be paid for my
work”. Karma yoga says, “yes, but make
your contracts for payment, then get on
with doing the job for its own sake and with
all your attention”. Many people who
embark on the road of karma yoga find
that they start to receive abundant payment
because the people they work for
appreciate their efforts. This is part of the
natural law of karma; we do indeed reap
what we sow.
Lack of Ego – The Gita also says, “He
who is free from the feeling of ego and who
is not swayed by the feeling of good and
bad, walks the path of righteousness and
righteous action”. Egolessness also implies
that one has to be simple (uncomplicated),
sincere and desireless. Our actions
become unselfish with no ego motive, done
for others or the world. This lets us live in
harmony with nature, to give and keep on
giving.
Renunciation of limiting desires – Most
desires limit us, such as the desire to
accumulate more and more possessions,
to soothe the insecurities caused by our
spiritual vacuum. These nagging desires
cause a vicious circle and take us even
further away from our spiritual goal.
Other desires, such as the desire to help
others without expectation, take us towards
it. The more we are able to limit our desires,
the less disappointed we will be and the
more calm and balanced our mind. We
also need to have the ability to discriminate
between our needs and our desires.
No identification with the work – Have
the attitude of only being the instrument,
not the doer, that you are not indispensable.
When this is working properly, it is a
wonderful feeling as the work flows along
as if ‘guided by a higher force’. Everything