Karma Yoga
Karma Yoga: The Path of Selfless Action
Karma Yoga is the path of selfless action. It is one of the four main paths of yoga outlined in the Bhagavad Gita, a foundational Hindu scripture. The word Karma literally means "action." Karma Yoga is the art of performing actions without being attached to the results or fruits of those actions.
Core Philosophy
Every action we perform creates a "karma," a ripple of cause and effect that binds us to the world and its cycles. The goal of Karma Yoga is to break free from this bondage by changing our inner attitude towards our work.
The central teaching, as articulated by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita, is: "You have a right to the work, but never to its fruits. Let not the fruits of action be your motive, nor let your attachment be to inaction."
This means performing your duties and actions to the best of your ability, offering them up to a higher power or for the good of the world, and then completely renouncing any claim to the outcome. You are not attached to success or failure, praise or blame.
The Four Principles of Karma Yoga
- Right Attitude: Work without ego.
- Right Motive: The motive should be duty and service, not personal gain.
- Do Your Best: Perform every action with full attention and excellence.
- Give Up the Results: Let go of attachment to the outcome.
Key Poses
- Karma Yoga is a practice of action and attitude in daily life, not of physical postures. The 'pose' of Karma Yoga is to perform any activity—washing dishes, writing an email, helping someone—with full mindfulness and without attachment to the result.