Due to the laws of nature, it is impossible to remain inactive. Therefore, it is necessary to do the right thing. Doing right thing means (1) doing things according to swabhava/nature (2) not doing something against your conscience. An empty mind can become devil’s workshop by doing wrong work. Or, an empty mind can be consumed by random thoughts draining vital energy compromising health. An attitude of doing natural work considering it as your need to do so is Karma-Yoga.
Who Says, “I Am That”
We Are THAT
Let us analyse the statement, “The moon is out there in front of me whethere I look at it or not.”
The light from the moon reaches eyes, and the signal from the eyes goes to the brain and mind interprets the signal as moon. It is just the signal that is reaching the brain that the mind reads as moon. Even if the moon is not out there but the signal is there, mind still labels it as moon. In dream for example there is no moon out there but it still appears to be moon. So, actually what is interpreted depends solely on the signal. If moon is experienced, we cannot infer that physical moon is necessarily out there. Hence, the statement is not necessarily correct. Moon may appear to be out there, but what appears need not necessarily be real.
If we go a step ahead then where is the moon for the inert stone. It is only due to the body instruments (senses, brain etc.) does the moon exist for us. An ammeter shows the current, the brain shows the moon. There is no experience in the absence of a suitable measuring instrument or signal.
Since one can see the moon even by closing eyes, it is clear that it is mind that takes the shape of the moon. The logic that is applied to sight can be applied to sound, taste, smell, touch as well. Since it is mind that takes various forms, all we can say with certainty is that everything is mind only. Consciousness and still mind are synonemous. We Are THAT.
Sense of Doership
Nothing happens
Saying , “drop the doership”
Like a parrot
Not even
By intellectual understanding
When the presence of doership in unconscious
And the stress caused by it
Is recognised
Does the doership really go away
Yoga* & Health Connection
Not in Yoga
Roaming Mind -> Stress and energy drainage as mind keeps on tuning into different things -> Weak Digestion -> Undigested Food/Ama (Toxins) -> Compromised Immune System
In Yoga
Still Mind -> Mind does not tune into different things -> Good Digestion -> No/Low Ama (Toxins) -> Normal Immune System
Note: Self abidance in Sanskrit language is called Swastha which also means good health.
*Yoga means still mind – not a physical posture.
Role of Watching Mind in Karma-yoga
To put it simply, Karma-yoga means accepting result completely. Unless we watch the mind and recognise thought patterns, this attitude can not be applied effectively. When we watch the mind we find that many times we blame ourselves and many times we blame others repeatedly. This inner blame game goes on unconsciously in the form of mental chatter even if we know what Karma-yoga attitude is. This happens due to the conditioning of the mind. The mind becomes conditioned to blame and all this happens unconsciously. When we start watching the mind, this inner game of blame is no longer hidden and then if Karma-yoga is applied it becomes highly potent and gives peace of mind. Blame after all means the denial or non-acceptance, whereas Karma-yoga is about acceptance. Blaming goes away when there is acceptance. Try to catch yourself when you blame yourself or when you blame others creating repetitive mental chatter (Madhyama Vaani).
How Karma-yoga Leads to Yoga
Karma-yoga means doing an act with an intention to serve/contribute just because it is one’s duty/nature/swadharma/swabhava/prakrati to do so (the creative potentiality hard wired in us can only be satisfied if it is expressed) without taking the ownership of the result and accepting the result as prasad. Since laws of nature control the outcome, this attitude frees oneself of the pride associated with success or guilt associated with failure and makes one accept any result with grace. Now, what makes Karma-yoga lead to yoga or union? When mind is free from agitations, yoga automatically happens. Mental agitations are primarily caused by inaction and by uncertainty over result of an action due to desire/aversion towards a particular outcome. Karma-yoga prompts one to act and with Karma-yoga attitude the uncertainty over result no longer agitates the mind since any result is accepted with evenness of mind. As mind gradually quitens, yoga happens.