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Yoga practice, as it is defined by function and purpose, is simply the process of using a proven system of self-discovery to attain the highest state of consciousness that you (and all other human beings) are capable of attaining during the one life that you are manifested into your unique and personal human expression throughout all of time and history, and becoming Liberated to/into your full joyful essence as a result of this.
And this is important to note because your focus on the “one” (from which all emerged, and the one expression that you are born into) should always be at the center of your practice although your current atoms are repurposed from the numerous atoms of many decayed “others” from the past, and your body is created using passed on and rearranged DNA and other forms of information that connects you to common human ancestors (and also to all related species from the past, present, and future, to all living things going back to the first unicellular organism, and even back to the very first elements that formed cells and all materials that exist within the whole of creation).
Yoga operates on the premise that everything that has happened up until this point in your (and everyone elses’ individual and historical) expression (if one observes the world from any given perspective) has led up to this moment in which “you” (and and everything else) exist(s) based on existence-wide collective Karma (WHICH SIMPLY–AND NEUTRALLY–MEANS ACTIONS THAT HAVE A CAUSE AND EFFECT IN THE WORLD).
Whether you are looking at the Karma of the Big Bang, the Karma of your cultural/historical context, or the Karma of something you did, said, or ate yesterday, Karma is not a judgment, or value, system. Karma is simply a word/process/phenomenon that refers to the interconnectedness of all things.
Even though the word, Karma, can sometimes be used casually, generally, superficially, ignorantly, and/or colloquially to explain why particular things occur when one seeks to find an answer to occurrences based on a personal desire to know due to any number of different mental attachments and emotional pulls, please always note that Karma is not some form of personal punishment from “God” nor a Cosmic Justice System (as it is often perceived to be by laypeople and some new Yoga practitioners since if a Justice System exists for humans, it is always a human-created, human-defined, and human-maintained social-system for which we are responsible for determining what is actually “just” based on our level of conscious understanding, and hopefully, compassion); Karma is an observable system that encompasses the inextricable and complex interconnectedness of all things, and it reflects the simple fact that everything has a “Source” (and infinite connecting parts) from which its manifestation can be explained and traced. This applies to all contexts of existence and is particularly notable within the sheer reality of all of creation itself, as well as to the existence of all of the suffering that we within (and beyond) the human species (both the more personal and broader collective “we”) know about, create, and co-create from the second noble truth, for example.
Everything that exists and occurs in/on the physical plane is a result of Karma because events and things (after emerging from the original Source) do not simply reproduce themselves out of thin air. Everything, except the pure Self, and Source, exists because of, and in relationship to everything else, whether past, present, and/or future.
Even your very personal body, reality, and perspective, as mentioned above, is the result of a complex series of events that led up to this point, and “you” will constantly be changing based on new and old Karmas (actions, thoughts, words, etc.–both yours and those of countless others’–that have a cause and effect in the world) until your body dies and is repurposed into basic elements, or you transcend attachment to/identification with Karma (that leads to–and comes from–suffering due to ignorance and/or ego) altogether through spiritual Liberation (which we will very briefly discuss more of in this post).
Inevitably, even after physical death, whether the Karma that reverberated around and/or through “you” is unconscious, intentional, or divinely inspired while your body was alive, “you” will leave behind Karma through your impact on/in relationship to the world that continues on without “you” based on everything that “you” “touched” on all levels, from how “you” impacted your environment, to how “you” impacted the people closest to “you” as well as those that exist in your broader society, to everything that “you” did that will inevitably leave and impact as a result of “your” thoughts, words, actions, and creations, etc. (which can generally be summarized as your Karma)…much of which will be connected to, influenced by, sustained by, impacted by, etc., things that “you” never even did directly, had anything to do with, nor even knew anything about. For starters, you can think of things like your historical context that is made up of seemly “insignificant” moments/factors that kept your ancestors alive, details that you have no idea about that shaped society, or even just contemplate the effect and cause of your very breath.
If you are walking under a tree and it falls on you, for example, technically, “you” somehow influenced the fact that you were under the tree to a certain extent (based on particular context), but arguably, everything (else), including even being where you were injured, or the tree’s size, is hardly something that “you” can personally take responsibility for. When it comes to personal Karma, it is almost as a courtesy that you take responsibility for what you fairly believe that you have control of, within reason…some of which, you only believe that you have control of to begin with, which is why understanding Karma is not a casual undertaking and requires a higher level of understanding and maturity.
What Does This Mean In Reference To Your Understanding Of Yoga?
When practicing Yoga (which simply refers to a process supporting the “union” of your body, mind, and spirit that creates the necessary opening to fully manifest your conscious/perceptual and experiential connection (that reflects your ever-present natural connection) with the divine Source and, therefore, connection with your True Universal, and all-encompassing, Self while embodied in physical form), always be mindful not to let your ego convince you that you should feel responsible for everything that is going wrong, or right, in your life or in the world because no individual personal body-mind, nor thing (except the Source of all things) could be responsible for all of the actions that lead to the innumerable effects of the past, present, future, or in the entire world (or within other beings in the world) on a larger scale (although certain personal and direct Karmic actions can sometimes be generally seen as causing a “direct” effect in some ways).
Certain chains of events simply have an apparent cause and effect within Maya that you are best served never going too deeply into analyzing for your own sake if you are not prepared to see things neutrally, honestly, and fully because your mind is still colored with “worldly” and personal distortions. Whether it be that someone got drunk (for reasons) and ran over your child (for reasons), or you woke up one day and won the lottery (because it exists where you live and you could afford to pay to play and had reasons upon reasons why you played) because you played the game that day (for reasons) and your selected lotto numbers, based on personal significance (for reasons) from living life, were selected from a random drawing (for reasons such as the numbers existed to be selected to begin with), etc…understanding Karma requires the ability to deeply and simply see without attachment (which often leads to a state of acceptance and empowerment based on a far greater Truth than can be known by the limitations of the mind).
This, however, is very hard for many, as their personal sense of identity is often bound to their attachments, fears, desires, and the judgments that their ignorance, dysregulations, and delusions make them feel that they are entitled to.
Many conditions (natural occurrences and processes, thoughts, words, actions, etc.) transpire to lead up to all points that exist (and may potentially exist in the future) and many things will unfold from any given point from the present moment into the future as well based on what occurs “today” and “before.” Only this explanation closely describes the cycle/system of Karma that is useful in everyday life and in your Yoga practice, even though your ego may desperately cling to mental attempts aimed at fabricating other types of imagined stories that create facsimiles of “meaning” that “explain” things, and beings, in the world.
Because “this” occurred, “that” occurred. But “this” and “that” are not singular, nor isolated, events nor that straightforward. All Karma (every single thing, from an ant crawling to a star collapsing) is interconnected, and outcomes are never clear cut unless you, again with clear and neutral seeing, wills and then manifests it to be so through intentional action, but only by creating the appropriate conditions that are conducive for a particular manifestation. This is why a basic understanding of Karma is vital for success in Yoga practice since it is because of this simple fact that Karma also guides Yogis to the attainment of the Self-Realization that they seek.
Again, if “this,” then “that” will occur.
Yoga’s systematic process toward Self-Realization states that even as everything interacts and interfaces with the constant motion of Karmic ramifications (actions that have a cause and effect) simultaneously in the world, as you navigate through life, if you use this R/reality to follow your Eight-Limbed Path (which is a personalized path not a fixed way) successfully, you will not only attain your goal of Self-Realization after Samadhi (and, if you are diligent, Asamprajnata Samadhi and beyond) you will naturally transcend your bondage to the Karmic cycle as well when you come into your True Self and merge back into the Reality of your oneness with the Source and all of creation. This is the essence of Kriya and other names for some types of Yoga practice activities.
A Yogi is, therefore, best served thinking of Karma as the interconnected ecosystem of all of life. Karma is the glue that binds and Liberates, based on one’s attachment, understanding, and orientation to it. Once this knowledge is integrated, then a Yogi can begin using his/her insights to consciously shape desired outcomes in his/her life/practice in a non-binding way (until he/she transcends the personal and collective karmic system of that creates suffering altogether when merged/dissolve back into the Source/Self and the meaning of OM/AUM).
If you do “this” thing, then intended, or unintended, results will most likely occur based on certain realities, possibilities, and conditions. This is Karma.
And to become your True Self is to become free from this cycle of Karma that fuels the Four Noble Truths altogether since at the highest level of awareness, you will then reside in the essence of your nature and simply just be pure potential and bliss, in its still tranquility, beyond desire, shape, or crystalized form (even while paradoxically existing in the Karmic vessel of a physical form on a very tangible level, which you can shape in intentional, but non-binding, ways as mentioned above in order to remain free).
When a devoted Yoga practitioner begins to neutrally, and fully, understand Karma from the grossest to the most subtle levels, he/she then has the basic foundations in place to gain control of his/her ego-self through thoughts, words, emotions, desires, and actions, and, therefore, has the necessary tools to free him/herself from unconscious Karmic entrapment that can lead to suffering and harm.
Yoga, in practice, is simply a system that gives humans the ability to fully wield the power of cause and effect in a more conscious way through self-awareness on the deepest and purest possible levels. And, it is specifically because of its function in and of itself that Yoga serves (being a roadmap of deliberate Karma to Self-Realization) as much more than just the sum of its parts and should never be confined to any limiting context or expression for understanding, such as ideological and/or social/cultural mental frameworks.
What To Do With This Understanding:
Taken in only historical or even geographical context, for example, Yoga often loses its true undistorted meaning as it gets colored and defined by outdated, or outdating, cultural norms, perspectives, and ideas that are subject to change with time, based on the temperament and understanding of its seekers and teachers (which unless purely understood, only stimulates and reinforces ego-based mental distortions around the practice and phenomenon).
This is why, when setting out on your own personal Eight-Limbed Path and Yoga practice, it is important to, please, remember that the process of connecting with your True and higher self is beyond Karma, representing the pure undistorted existence of Truth that can not be owned, dictated, gatekept, and is most certainly not created by any human being. The concept of Karma is a Universal Truth, not an ideological value system (as stated before) that can be repurposed for moral, or ignorant, controlling, and judgmental psycho-social behaviors and sentiments to justify and make sense of things in societies and relationships (although understanding cause and effect/Karma at a neutral level can create the space for more clear observation skills and better personal decision-making in general, even though one can never 100% predict exact outcomes).
This process that we humans, from its introduction, call Yoga (Union), is simply a natural part of who we are as a species and as a creation because of what we are capable of knowing, seeing, and being. The process was encountered, explored, and mapped out by countless people through many years at varied experiential research levels, but, obviously, the Union of the mind, body, and spirit, and with the Source and True-Self, is a Universal Truth that we can all spontaneously, or intentionally, recognize.
It is for this reason that I invite you to wipe Yoga clean of any distorted context except that of the core Truth of existence itself in order to free it (and yourself) from “worldly-thinking” altogether (based on history and so forth). Once you do this, you are left with a purer Truth that: it is primarily through your selected karma of walking/allowing your Eight-Limbed path (or any other named path that connects to the same outcomes, principles, and/or purpose) that you can merge back to the Source and be Liberated from the cycle of Karma altogether, flowing through OM/all that is to recognize that everything came from the initial Karma of creation and that this is what connects you and all that exists, as one being(ness), back to the Source.
Humans are fortunate enough to have systemized this capacity to connect back to the Truth in a Scientific way through thousands of books written by dedicated Teachers from all over the world starting as far back as thousands of years ago (discovering a Karmic roadmap that transcends Karma itself), but no one can take credit for (or own the Karma), or anything else in reality (though many delusionally think that they do or that they can).
Only the “Creator” itself, for bringing all into existence, can take credit for Karma, and our ability to use it to merge back into our purest essence by transcending our most binding Karmic expression (Maya). The “Creator’s” Karma of bringing creation into existence is what connects us all back to the Truth through our own conscious actions and inactions. And no one has more rights than any other to this inbuilt birthright which is why all who apply effort can gain Liberation.
IMPORTANT STUDY TIP! As a devoted Yogi, developing discernment is an important aspect of your advancement, since you need to have the ability to sift through the noises of the world and clearly see Truth through direct experience/pure perception in order to then understand and operate within it.
Even without any definitive structural context, all human beings can find their way back to the Source in the same way that anyone can connect to “God” without a formal religion. Yoga simply provides a clear roadmap to help those who need some reassurance, reinforcement, and guidance along the way (which is arguably everyone), to search within themselves to find their way back to conscious awareness and full embodiment of the True Self safely.
In the same way that you should never read religious texts without first understanding the contexts in which humans wrote and translated them (since I am sure that you know that the sacred can often be muddled and tainted by the desires, hatreds, and fantasies of humans, as is evident throughout human history), it is important that you never become overly attached to any “teachings” in Yoga that stray far from the ever-present/constant Truth of what binds us all together back to the Truth of our Source/Self and creation. This bond to the Source that begins with the first act of Karma of creation itself, bring us all the gift of life. Rising out of the silence of pure potential, Karma gives birth to all of Creation. From the Karma of pure “will” itself, existence was set into ecstatic motion, never separating (not even for a moment) from the Source from which it emerged. Each of us is connected to this Truth.
Free from the distortions of ego-fabricated “reality” (Maya) that is steeped in social norms, ideology, opinions, belief systems, or cultist reverence for particular human beings, thoughts, and/or groups that is subject to change with time, is our True and purest connection to all that is through the Karmic reality of our sheer existence.
The sage Patanjali (fortunately) has clearly (although even his clear teachings can sometimes be subject to numerous human distortions if not objectively and experientially interpreted without deformity) set the foundation for understanding the Truth of how Yoga, or anything else, can be misunderstood when he discusses the 5 Types of Mental Distortions that affect humans on their path to Self-Realization. We must always remember that the concept of Karma has not escaped the fate of distortion through a misunderstanding over historical time as it is filtered through human minds, fears, and desires.
What To Remember As You Move Forward:
The most important thing to note here is that when things are translated through humans within different Karmic contexts due to cultural and other histories, it is critical to stick closely to the core Truth being expressed by using your inner discernment to prevent yourself from straying too far from unchanging Reality and getting caught up in the fantasies, delusions, and inaccuracies of hu”man” (s) within a historical and social context.
I invite you to, therefore, free your understanding of Karma from all distorted contexts of existence and to look at it for what it truly is: a sign that points you back to where you came from and who you truly are, not just in the world, but beyond it.
The Truth, the path, and the knowledge that allows you to see all that Yoga was structured for you to see are within you if you simply clear out everything that gets in the way, including the cloud of your ego’s and humanity’s Karma (and your understanding of it) that creates psycho-social-perceptive (and other levels of) experiential distance between you and the Source of all Creation.
If you choose to listen to another’s, or even my, explanation of this Truth, be sure that you always question, neutrally observe, and verify these perspectives against your own knowledge obtained from walking your own inwardly focused path that draws knowledge from a pure and connected state of consciousness that sees beyond your ego-mind distortions.
If you are not yet at a point on your Yogic journey where The Truth of your connection is indisputably clear to you, just keep working on removing the obstacles within you that prevent you from seeing and continue to take in all externally gathered information neutrally for now.
When looking through the texts and teaching of the past, or present, always aim to see where there is a commonality in only the neutral, unchanging, aspects of Truth presented that you can test and verify for yourself, and categorize every other distraction/distortion that you may encounter into the context of the author’s history and personal self-expression…making sure to also do the same thing for this article.
Never create too many barriers within, or outside of yourself, to the constant, and ever-present, Source of all knowledge that you possess. Look beyond the lower/and more minor forms of Karma in action in the world to see what greater understandings everything around you reflects.
Focus your attention on seeing/knowing The Truth, and the Truth of who you are (within you) and look at all stories and other expressions, experiences, and events as messengers, indirect reflections, but not the message itself, of the Truth that exists beneath form and can only be experienced/known in/as essential spirit.
Always remember that the Truth of Yoga, and Karma, and anything else for that matter, can only be found within you once all distortions have been removed. When you remove the distortions, then you will inevitably be able to see all things neutrally and clearly, and that all roads lead back to the Source, especially the roads that guide you inward and upward on the Eight-Limbed Path.
Thank you for reading.
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Investigating multi-dimensional holistic wellness as an inter-disciplinary artist and Yoga-Meditation writer, thinker, and practitioner. Doing experientially-based self-agency work grounded in research, reflection, and practice.