The word “Karma” means “to do, to act”. Any mental or physical act is called Karma. Karma is also the word used to describe the consequence of this act, thus the word also refers to the Universal Law of Cause and Effect.

Everything we do, say or think, gives rise to an effect, which in due time will return to us, in full accordance with this law of consequence. What we call “luck” is the result of our earlier good actions, and what appears to us as misfortune is merely the repercussion of past negative actions.

Therefore, the events of our future do not arise coincidentally, but are actually caused by the effects of our previous and present actions. In this way our destiny is predetermined by our Karma. Just as the destination of an arrow released from its bow is fixed and predictable, unless its course is diverted, or corrected by another event. In the practice of “Yoga in Daily Life”, positive thinking, wisdom and selfless service, we can lessen and alter the outcome of our Karmas and gradually guide our destiny towards the positive.

Our present situation is a result of our past deeds and our present actions will determine our future. Once we understand this, we can no longer blame anybody else for what happens to us, but rather accept responsibility for ourselves.

There are two types of Karma

• Sakama Karma - selfless actions
• Nishkama Karma - selfless actions

Selfish thoughts and actions deepen the duality between “mine” and “yours”. Being selfless however, leads us above and beyond the limit of our little ego, to the unity of all beings. Sakama Karma binds us to Chorasi ka Chakra (the Wheel of Death and Rebirth). Nishkama Karma frees us from this.

In India, the rain, the tree, the river and the Saint are all regarded as symbols of selflessness. Rain comes for the benefit of all - humans, nature and animals equally. The tree offers its shade to all that seek shelter and yields its sweet fruit even to those who hurl stones at the tree to knock the fruit down. The river is also there for everyone. The deer quenches its thirst in the same river as the tiger and a Saint gives his blessing to all without distinction.

Nishkama Karma is the way to avoid creating new Karma and may even resolve earlier Karma. To offer understanding, forgiveness and help are the selfless actions that liberate us from the cycle of Karma.

Bhakti means love and devotion to God, to His Creation, we respect and care for all living beings and all of nature. The path of Bhakti Yoga leads us safely and directly to the goal.

Bhakti Yoga also includes the worship of a form of God. God is everywhere. God dwells within us and all around us. It is as though we are connected to God by a fine thread - the thread of love. God is Universal love. Love and Divine Grace surround us and flow through us, but we are not conscious of this. The moment this consciousness, this Divine love, has been experienced, one never desires anything more. We then know the meaning of true love for God.

A person without Bhakti is like a fish out of water, a bird without wings, a night without the moon and stars. All beings need love. Through it we feel protected and happy just like a child in the arms of it's mother or a traveller at the end of a long, arduous journey.

There are two types of Bhakti

• Apara Bhakti - Love based on desire and ego
• Para Bhakti - Universal love for all, equally

A Bhakta accepts everything that happens to him as a gift of God. There is no desire or expectation, there is simply complete surrender to the will of God. This Bhakta accepts each life situation as placed before him by destiny. There is no resentment, his only Prayer is: “Let Thy will be done”.

However, prior to reaching this level of supreme love for God, our Bhakti is intermingled with egoistic thoughts. This means that we do in fact love God, but also expect something from God. Many people turn to God for help when they are troubled or in pain. Others pray for material objects, money, glory, career promotion. Yet we should always be mindful that when we depart from this earth, we must leave behind all possessions and that is why nothing here has any real or lasting value. Spiritual seekers pray for wisdom and God-Realisation. However, often we create an inner picture of God - what God is like from our point of view, how God should act - and because of this, we are not open and ready for a Divine revelation.

In the Bhakti Sutras, Sage Narada describes nine elements of Bhakti Yoga:

There is no spiritual path without Bhakti. If a school student dislikes a subject of study, he is barely able to complete the course. In the same way, it is only when there is love and devotion for our practice, firm adherence to our path and ever mindful of our goal, that we are able to overcome all obstacles. We cannot attain union with God, without LOVE for all living beings and devotion to God.

Raja means King. A king acts with independence, self-confidence and assurance. Likewise, a Raja Yogi is autonomous, independent and fearless. Raja Yoga is the path of self-discipline and practice.

Raja Yoga is also known as Ashtanga Yoga (Eight Limbs of Yoga), because it is organised in eight parts:

The eight steps of Raja Yoga provide systematic instruction to attain inner peace, clarity, self-control and Realisation.

Yama - Self-Control

consists of five principles:

• Ahimsa - Non-Violence

Ahimsa means not to cause pain or harm to any living being by thought, word or deed. Non-violence also means not to kill. Consumption of meat requires the death of an animal. It is due to this principle that Yogis are Vegetarian. Animals have a keen instinct, which heightens their awareness of impending death. They sense when they are to be slaughtered and are in mortal fear. Fear and stress hormones are released throughout their body. These hormones remain in the flesh of the slaughtered animal and are eaten by unsuspecting people. Many apparently groundless fears, neuroses and psychoses have their origin in this food.

• Satya - Truthfulness

To always speak the truth is good and correct, but more important is how we convey the truth. We have the capacity to hurl truth at someone like a knife, but we are also capable of clothing that same truth in loving words. In order not to violate the principle of Ahimsa as mentioned above, we should heed the advice of Mahaprabhuji, who said: “Each of your words should fall like flowers from your lips”.

To be truthful also means not to hide your feelings, not to be evasive or make excuses. Perhaps for some time we can hide our true face from the eyes of others, but there is at least one person knows our inner truth - our own self. Our own consciousness is a witness.

• Asteya - Non-Stealing

Asteya means that you should never take anything that rightfully belongs to another. This means not only material objects, but also the stealing of mental property, to rob someone of an opportunity, hope or joy. The exploitation of nature and destruction of the environment also fall into this category.

• Brahmacharya - Pure Way of Life

Brahmacharya is often translated as sexual abstinence. But it actually consists of much more. Brahmacharya means that our thoughts should always be turned towards God. This doesn’t imply that we should neglect our duties in this world. On the contrary, we should fulfil these responsibilities with great care, but always with the awareness: “I am not the doer, God alone is the doer”.

• Aparigraha - Non-Accumulation of Possessions

We should not accumulate goods, but only acquire and use what we need to live. One who has many possessions, also has many worries. We are born without belongings and when we again depart from this world, we leave all behind. Nonaccumulation also means to grant other people their freedom - not to hold onto others. In letting go, we also free ourselves. Therefore, to give freedom means to also to be free one’s self.

Niyama - Discipline

consists of five principles:

• Shauca - Purity

Not only external purity, but more importantly, inner purity. Our clothing, our body, as well as our thoughts and feelings should be pure. The same holds true for the people we associate with. For our spiritual development it is of great benefit to keep good company of people who impart a good influence upon us, who are spiritual and support us with their wisdom.

• Santosh - Contentment

Contentment is the greatest wealth we are able to possess. The Indian poet Tulsidas, said: “You may possess mines of gold and precious stone, but inner discontent destroys all wealth”. We can attain contentment only when we recognise that all worldly goods bring disappointment and that inner wealth provides more happiness than material possessions.

• Tapa - Self-Control, Self-Discipline

In life, when we encounter adversity and obstacles, we should never give up. Rather we should continue on our chosen path with firm determination. To continue to practice, with self-discipline, patience and perseverance - this is the key to success.

• Svadhyaya - Study of the Holy Scriptures

As Yoga aspirants we ought to acquaint ourselves with the traditional scriptures of Yoga philosophy, such as the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, etc. These scriptures impart valuable knowledge and provide great assistance on our Yoga path.

• Ishvara Pranidhana - Devotion to God

Hand over all that you do to the Divine Self with pure devotion. God protects all who surrender with trust and faith.

Asana - Physical Exercises  and  Pranayama - Breath Exercises

In the process of controlling the body and breath, Raja Yogis also achieve control of the mind. This leads to an awakening of those inner powers which will continue to give guidance on the spiritual path.

Pratyahara - Withdrawal of Senses

Yogis are in the position of being able to direct their mind and senses at will, either inward or outward. Just like a tortoise can withdraw its limbs and head under its shell and extend them out again. Once there is controlled Pratyahara there is gained an independence from external conditions. One can immediately withdraw the senses from external objects and also, when desired, use the senses consciously, with full awareness.

In the first stages of meditation we practice Pratyahara, keeping the body motionless, the eyes closed, the mind quiet and the attention directed inward. There are special techniques through which we can practice Pratyahara. One meditation exercise initially directs attention to external sounds, their nature, distance, etc. - simply observing the sound. Gradually awareness is withdrawn to one’s “inner space” to the sounds within the body (heartbeat, blood circulation, etc.). It is only when one has mastered the step of Pratyahara that we can progress to concentration.

Dhyana - Meditation

All meditation techniques are only preliminary exercises for true meditation. One cannot learn to meditate, just as we cannot “learn” to sleep. Sleep just happens when our body becomes relaxed and quiet. Meditation happens when the mind is quiet. In meditation there is no imagination, because imagination arises from the intellect. We can compare the human brain to a powerful computer that has enormous storage capacity. All the data of the Universe may be stored there, but this “computer” is also limited. Our human brain can only reproduce what has been fed into it. But in meditation, we experience pure being. The moment the intellect is still and the individual ego ceases to exist, Divine light shines within the heart and we are one with it.

Samadhi - Complete Realisation

Samadhi is where the knower, knowledge and object of knowledge unite. The knower (i.e. the person practicing), knowledge (i.e. what is God) and the object of knowledge (i.e. God) become one. This means that one unites with the Divine consciousness. Those who attain Samadhi see a heavenly, radiant light, hear a heavenly sound and feel within themselves an infinite expanse. When Samadhi is attained, we are like a river that finally flows into the sea after a long and difficult journey. All obstacles are overcome and the river is, for all of time, united with the ocean. In the same way, a Yogi arrives at the end of the path and becomes one with the Supreme Consciousness.

The Yogi's consciousness finds eternal quiet, peace and bliss - the Yogi is liberated. This experience cannot be conveyed in words, because:

In this state all duality is dissolved. There is neither day or night, neither darkness or light, no qualities or colour. Everything is one in the Supreme Self. This union of the individual soul with the Cosmic soul is the goal of Yoga.

Gyana means knowledge. Gyana Yoga is the path where reality is discovered through insight, practice and knowledge. Gyana Yoga has four principles:

Viveka is the purest form of knowledge. It can also be described as the supreme authority of our conscience. Our conscience tells us what is right and what is wrong. Mostly we know very well what we should do, however, our egoistic desires generally show themselves as stronger and drown the voice of conscience within us.

This principle of Gyana Yoga comprises six principles:

• Shama - withdrawal of the senses and the mind.
• Dama - control of the senses and the mind. To restrain oneself from negative actions, such as stealing, lying and negative thoughts.
• Uparati - to stand above things.
• Titiksha - to be steadfast, disciplined. To endure through and overcome all difficulties.
• Shraddha - faith and trust in the Holy Scriptures and the words of the Master.
• Samadhana - to have determination and purpose. Whatever may come, our aspirations should always be directed solely towards our goal. Nothing should ever be able to dissuade us from this.
  
  

Mumukshtva is the burning desire in the heart to realise God and unite with God. The Supreme and Eternal Knowledge is Atma Gyana, the Realisation of our true Self. Self-Realisation is the experience that we are not separate from God, but are one with God and all of life. When this Realisation dawns, the boundaries of the intellect are opened and absolute. All encompassing love fills our heart. It also becomes clear that whatever harms others, ultimately harms us. So finally we understand and obey the Universal precept of Ahimsa, non-violence. In this way the path of Gyana Yoga unites with the principles of Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga and Raja Yoga.