Karma Yog – 2 : Preparing oneself for Karma Yog.

Understanding spirituality is very logical and simple, but we like complicated stuff, so we make it difficult. Preparing for Karma Yog is basically understanding the structure of things right. It is about gaining the control of your life and assuming self-responsibility…

Ideally, ‘self’ (You with Y capital) should be the boss calling the shots.

You –> ‘buddhi/intellect’–> ‘mind’–> controlling ‘Indiriya’ (senses).

In our day-to-day life it’s the opposite that happens and Self is being driven by the mind and the senses.

Try resisting what is pleasurable or try accepting what is not…anger and frustration happens as if ‘our individuality’ is being challenged… No argument here as we experience it day in and day out.

Shri Krishna gives direction on how to prepare oneself for Karma Yog along with right motivation for it in 2.14 and 2.15.

He says, “Beware of contact between objects of senses and the senses – it’s the starting point. Know that experiences (pleasure or pain) generated because of it, are temporary and transient…so instead of getting reactive or carried away, be stable strong and learn to ‘bear’ it and “rise above” it. Only way to really grow, is to rise above it.”

Why so much of importance is given to mind and senses for real growth? Say, You are the horse rider with rein in your hand, you drive the horse in the direction of your choice. But, what happens if you don’t have the control over the horse and it runs here and there, you sitting on it become clueless and helpless and yell that life is unfair to you because it’s the horse that has gone mad… Don’t we usually say, “my mind is running here and there and is creating trouble ?”

The best part of Karma Yog is that the Growth here is NOT rejecting or negating worldly success, Its achieving it ( It was imparted to Arjuna to win the battle of this very world) and then going beyond (moksha).

Just this much on this page. Next page / post about the next step…