595 – Karma

We all use the word, karma freely and frankly. It is used world over and can be considered part of 21st century vocabulary.

What is karma? Want is what we call desire, and when we wish for something, it becomes the first step of thinking how to progress on this path. Then we act on it and this act has a thought behind it. Every thought has a desire and an act behind it. Action, thought and desire are the three threads which form the Karma cord. Our actions make people around us happy or unhappy. Now let us examine what we have done. We have sown a seed of happiness or unhappiness. Both will reflect upon us and our acts come around full circle. This is our Karma. Continue reading

550 – 11 advices how to live our lives

According to the Bhagavad Gita.

  1. Whatever you do in a daily life, do not bother about the results. Krishna says that we should focus on our karma (actions).
  2. Be objective in every action.
  3. Embrace love, compassion and faith in life.
  4. Have faith in yourself and take simple steps daily.
  5. Accept change, it is a part of life.
  6. Meditate for five minutes at least daily.
  7. Try to understand your food habits and change them if needed.
  8. Practice self-observation.
  9. Identify your fears, let them go and just focus on karma.
  10. Focus on the fact that we are equal.
  11. Connect with nature, people and the whole universe.

Continue reading

460 – What Christmas gift will you gift yourself?

There are so many proverbs and sayings and they all say the same thing. However, are we paying attention to the wisdom and the ultimate truth. We are too involved with ourselves and our thoughts. Our thoughts are governing us, and they do not allow us to look beyond our nose. Continue reading

409 – Two Brothers

Karma and Yoga are brothers. When they unite, they form a very powerful relationship. Through this relationship it is possible to lead a spiritual life for an ordinary individual. None of us can avoid the actions of our karma. It is not the objective of Yoga to send us on a road, where one neglects one’s karma in the form of our daily responsibilities and duties. Continue reading

334 – What Yoga should I practice?

According to Swami Satyananda, in order to understand what kind of Yoga Sadhana is to be practiced, one has to know what is going in with oneself. If one is physically unwell, one has to take up asanas and pranayamas. If one is depressed, consumed with anxiety, blood pressure and insomnia, one must practice meditation. If one is suffering from mental exhaustion, one must practice pranayama. Continue reading

124 – Me, myself and my Prana

I remember when I was a child, the word Prana was used very frequently. My mother would call us her prana, or say my prana left me when she was concerned. The saying in English would be my heart was in my mouth. Also another saying was my prana dried like the desert. It means that I was so hungry or thirsty, and that I had no energy left. Continue reading

122 – What is in our heart

Our heart harbours our feelings and emotions. The phrases are all there and we have used them all. Let us start with we all said, when we were in school. Cross my heart and hope to die. It means I will never give up the secret. To lose heart, to feel a sense of hopelessness. To make the heart bleed, it can be taken sarcastically or feeling very touched by some distressing episode. Continue reading

087 – What is the purpose of Karma Yoga

The objective of Karma Yoga is to create a stable base for the mind. In meditation, the mind has to remain constantly on one object. However if one practices without purifying the mind, then feelings of tamasa (laziness, self-indulgence and self-absorption) dominate. Karma Yoga is an essential and vital part of one’s spiritual growth, because one is governed by one’s passions and desires. If one’s desires were eliminated one’s development would be obstructed. Desires must not be suppressed. One has to fulfil them or realize their emptiness. By curbing one’s desire, one is stunting one’s growth. Continue reading

080 – Work

How do we view work? I remember as a child when I was asked to do work, I felt that I was being treated like a slave. I read a lot and I could never stop reading once I started. So for me when I was told to clean my room, iron my uniform, I felt that I was being exploited like the slaves of Sparta. My father said that it was important for us to learn how to work as one never knew where life would take us. Continue reading