What is Karma Yoga? This is why your attitude towards your practice is important.

In Yoga diaryIn the Archives series, we share a curated collection of articles originally published in back issues dating back to 1975. These stories offer a glimpse into how yoga has been interpreted, written about, and practiced over the years. This article first appeared in the May 1975 issue Yoga diary. You can find more of our archives here.

The elegant and profound system of Karma yoga (Kar from Krispiritual action, and Mon meaning the Divine Mother), recorded in the Bhagavad Gitais an important technique to control the mind and promote the student’s spiritual development. It should not be considered a secondary or minor path to the Supreme, but rather one of the most effective. This is true for several reasons.

Karma Yoga is about everyday actions

First, all life is by definition in a state of action. To become completely inactive is not to live. Action in the world is thus fundamental to life. And it can also become a powerful tool to help the seeker. The path that uses action in the world as a means of purification and self-development is called Karma yoga.

The Karma yogi cannot change his circumstances, that is, the necessity of his participation in action, but he can change his attitude towards that action. This is the core of the philosophy of Karma yoga. By surrendering to union with the Supreme, one becomes a conscious vehicle for the creation of life.

One’s necessary daily actions then become a meditation, a sacrifice (to make holy).

The act itself, whether it is meditation, practicing Hatha yoga asanas, preparing food, taking care of children, housework or office work, takes on new meaning. It is no longer done for self, nor to please others and thereby gain approval. The act is sanctified, regardless of its character. What then changes is the aspirant’s attitude toward action in the world. Every action becomes a vehicle for union with the Most High; suddenly there is no separation between action and worship.

Benefits of Embracing a Karma Yoga Perspective

The advantages of such a system are numerous. One is to remind the student that even though actions are being performed, he is not really the actor. Rather, they are the “servants of his soul” who carry out the task at hand. He is constantly reminded by action that he is the eternal Atman, and that the activity manifested through him is actually the unfolding of the universe.

When this is understood, the aspirant is no longer attached to the fruits of his labor, whether they be good or bad fruits. His capacities are then increased, for he is not disabled by pride or failure, and his inner attunement brings his actions into harmony with the invisible activities of others. By detaching himself from the fruits of his labor, the student processes the karma that still separates him from the Supreme.

Another benefit of the Karma yoga approach is its practicality. Anyone, regardless of their physical condition, mental acuity, profession, position in life or religion, can practice this yoga. Karma yoga is unique in that it can be part of every second of consciousness.

Another benefit of this system is that it tends to extend the meditative experience to all aspects of life. Thus, the attunement developed during the morning practice can be maintained while daily activities are allowed to take their course, rather than meditation becoming an isolated experience.

Finally, Karma yoga serves as a crucible in which the selfish desires are purified. Whether gross or subtle, it is the self-centered desires that act as the cloak that separates us from the Universal. As stated by Krishna in the Gita (11I, 9): “The world is bound to action, unless the action is devotion. Then let your actions be pure, free from the bonds of desire.” Thus it is that the very bonds of attachment to the world become the means of liberation, if we only realize their power.