An Earth, Wind and Fire song says, ?Through devotion blessed are the children. Praise the teachers who bring the light to many. Your devotion opens the life treasures and delivers from the fruits of evil.?
I think this song is very meaningful when it comes to Karmic Yoga, because the whole concept of Karmic Yoga, though it may not seem to be sometimes, is devotion to a higher power as well as other human beings. Through devotion we help all of humanity. We raise our own consciousness while we are helping others raise theirs. The truth is that when we truly live a devotional life, we are engaged in Karmic Yoga where we are. When we are devoted to anything positive or neutral (but not anything negative) we are doing Karmic Yoga. You may wonder why I am saying this. I will give you an example.
I once knew a man who played the top of a Bic pen. I would consider this very neutral. He could play rock and roll, classical music, jazz, anything, on the cap of this Bic pen. He had even done classical concerts on it. I met him working as a volunteer at a drop in center for mental health out patients. He was one of the counselors. My job was to help get people involved in activities like singing, dancing, and so on each week to enjoy themselves. One night we decided to have a talent show. One friend played the guitar, I sang and this man offered to play the Bic pen cap.
What the heck? I thought to myself. We began to perform and we were so good that everybody quickly joined in and had a good time. Later he participated in many performances at the drop in center. During later talks I found that his man had done the talk show tour all over the United States playing the Bic pen cap. His devotion to playing the Bic pen cap had led him all over the country. Now these outpatients were benefiting because this young man had been dedicated to playing the Bic pen top. Very interesting.
Playing the Bic pen top doesn?t seem like much, but one can even do service in the world and help those in need, by being devoted to learning how to do that. How much more can one effect the world by being devoted to art, music, writing, reading, teaching, alternative health, any of the activities in which humans engage daily? This type of devotion leads to action. It benefits the human family when one has perfected his or her gifts and shares them freely with others. When we do this we are engaged in Karmic Yoga.
Your devotion to ?following your bliss,? as Joseph Campbell called it, and sharing that bliss with others, helps lift their spirits and helps make the world a better place. The world is in need of people who are happy and joyful. Your gift can be helping people to become joyful and to see the best parts of themselves. If you are working at a soup kitchen, feeding the hungry, digging wells for poor people in Africa, whatever, the element that is most necessary during these activities is to help people see the best parts of themselves. That can begin a climb from the deepest emotional and economic depths. To do this, however, firstly you must see the best of yourself. Following your bliss can help you do that.
Are you following your bliss? If you want to start doing Karmic Yoga it is important to dedicate yourself to doing so. It is important to dedicate yourself to become the most alive, vibrant, joyful person that you can possibly be, and that alive, vibrant, joyful person with others through your actions of service. For this is truly what we need in the world, people who are fully alive.
As you partake in your life of service, remember that just doing things for others isn?t enough. It is necessary to hone yourself so that you can be that beautiful spark of the Divine that you experiences in the most intimate moments. It is important to channel the creative nature of the Divine so all may partake of it. It is important to work from a center of being. Doing the work and service because you are a reflection of the embodiment of love that goes by many names is your objective. Through your devotion to this ideal and to other people, you will open the life treasures and deliver from the fruits of evil. This is the secret of Karmic Yoga?working on the self by working in the world and working in the world by working on the self.
Dr. J. W. Gilmore is a Writer, Spiritual Director, Anti-oppression Consultant and Wellness Consultant. He is a Certified Massage Therapist and Reflexologist, a Reiki Master Teacher, a Martial Arts Instructor and a Spiritual Coach living in Costa Rica. For more article like this or similar information visit: http://www.dswellness.com Recommended book, A Return to Being Human Religiously, Dr. John W. Gilmore. | |
