 Shannon Brophy, Yoga.com Staff
7/31/2006After much planning, the dream of Karma Yoga Journeys is manifesting. Karma Yoga Journeys combine volunteer service, yoga, and tourism in an exotic location. Our first trip will be from October 10-21, 2006 in Northeastern Thailand. It will be a journey to provide help in an orphanage for boys.
This article explains the idea of karma yoga.
What is it?
Karma Yoga is a kind of giving of self that transcends volunteer service. It is work without attachment to our giving from a place of non-ego. The head, the heart and the hands all work harmoniously to help others. We find that any action we do becomes a way of nourishing the universe that nourishes us. As we give, we receive. Karma yoga is defined as the "yoga of action" which has the potential of self-realization or "waking up." Karma yoga transforms us and it can be done in our everyday lives.
Karma yoga is done as a spiritual practice, as a way to help others and thus help ourselves. We bring our compassion in this process . Compassion can be defined as being present with suffering. When giving to others, Karma yoga isn't necessarily "fixing" a situation. It is more in the act of being human and present with another.
Karma Yoga can assist in people becoming "be-ers" instead of "doers," in realizing they are instruments of divine instead of responsible for fixing another. Suffering is likely to continue in the world. We cannot stop that. We can, however, offer our lovingkindness, our smile and our hand to somebody who may need it.
Coming from a culture of abundance in material things it seems right to share ourselves with those who have less. As we come less from a place of being concerned with our own welfare and satisfaction of our wants, we can create more harmony in the world. We find a greater personal harmony in ourselves.
Karma yoga isn't about deprivation for ourselves, but about noticing what is needed for others and experiencing their suffering as our own and as something we can help mitigate in a small way.
The Tao Te Ching, full of ancient wisdom, speaks of the importance of blending-in when faced with challenges. We respond from a place of seeing what is needed with our awake awareness, naturally. Karma Yoga is this sort of action that isn't passive yet it isn't about imposing our agenda. It is about responding to need in any given situation and knowing that our first gift to another is our attention to them.
Who has done Karma Yoga?
Many religions advocate some sort of Karma Yoga done in service to others though it isn't always called by that name.
Neem Karoli Baba, an Indian spiritual teacher, gave a short instruction to his devotees: "Love everyone, serve everyone, remember God." Spiritual masters and others including Mother Teresa learned to see the God in everyone and love them.
Mahatma Gandhi was another person whe exemplefied Karma Yoga. He said "My life is my message." He also said to be the change you wish to be in the world.
Everyday people around the world contribute to the lives of others.
The vision for Karma Yoga Journeys is for people to have an opportunity to contribute to the lives of boys in Thailand. Some of these boys were found in the garbage, dumped because nobody wanted to take care of them. Others come from families that are too poor to support them. Many of the parents have died of AIDs, leaving the children behind. Not only were the children stigmatized by the disease, but the long illness also ate up all family savings, leaving the boys starving.
What will we be doing?
We may work on their home, making small repairs and renovations. We will bring each person's creativity in playing with the children. We will make music, do some dancing, games, drawing and art projects with them. We will do yoga with them.
The group will go in the spirit of Karma Yoga, to see what is needed and blend into a different culture from our own. We will bring ourselves and our presence. We will not be there to convert anyone to our religion or way of thinking, but more to learn and share our human condition and loving presence with other human beings.
Planners of the journey expect that the trip will be enriching for the boys and for ourselves in a way that may be life changing and eye opening which we will carry in our hearts back home.
Find out more about the Karma Yoga Journey trip to Thailand and stay tuned for other trips to exotic locations for karma yoga, yoga on the mat, and exploration.
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