Do Yoga, Skip the Rest. ™
Practice Karma Yoga
What exactly is Karma Yoga and what does it mean in today’s busy world?
As a yoga teacher at Carlsbad Village Yoga Co-op, I am exploring Karma yoga meaning for myself and as a teacher for this wonderful yoga studio in the heart of Carlsbad’s Village. Carlsbad as a city itself is large city in terms of neighboring communities, but the Village centers the locals with flair, delicious food options, and accessibility to the beach; don’t forget to shop or support your local community by becoming a regular customer at the local businesses in Carlsbad Village.
What does this have to do with Karma Yoga?
Karma Yoga meaning, according to Yogapedia, “The intention when practicing karma yoga is to give selflessly for the good of others without thought of one’s self or attachment to the results of one’s actions. Acting in this way is considered the right way to approach service and it is said to purify the mind.”
If we apply Karma yoga to our life today, one easy way I incorporate Karma Yoga is by supporting a local business. When you make a concerted effort to support a smaller business in your own community, you are giving back by placing the energy circle of money back into local shops that provide services and goods, while these shops also provide employment for locals in the area.
Karma Yoga is all about giving of self that gives without looking for something in return.
Besides supporting a local business, other examples include:
- *Volunteering at local shelter to help support animals in need.
- *Beach cleanup at local beaches. Park cleanup.
- *Lending a giving ear to your friends or loved ones that may need extra support.
- *Donating extra clothes to charity consignment shops like the Coastal Humane Society Thrift Shop in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, a favorite of mine. Proceeds to these consignment shops provide employment to locals, while donating a percentage of profits to help others in need. Click Here to see a list of local shops you can support. The month of October is also cancer awareness month. There are a couple of shops located on this map that support charities that donate money to cancer research.
Another example of Karma Yoga is to let go of your own desires and focus on serving others with love and openness. This could be a simple as working on improving your mood. How could this count? When we work on being our best self and drop the flow of reactive emotional behavior, those around us experience a better day because of our own concerted effort to practice Karma Yoga. Also, just by being more present for those around you is an easy act that can begin your own practice of Karma Yoga.
Which brings me to yoga. Do you practice yoga? I am not quite sure where I would be without the inner tool of understanding the power of my breath and how it’s interconnected to my body and spirit. As a midlife woman that knows growing older is part of her future, instead of dreading midlife and beyond, I welcome this chapter with open arms.
Yoga helps me find my center, grounding me deeper into a place of love and happiness. Ultimately this why I became a yoga teacher. In teaching yoga, I hope that others will experience the benefits of yoga, which include:
Reduce Stress
Lose Weight
Improve mood
Breathe better
Increase flexibility
Boosting self-confidence
Increase life span, plus many other benefits.
So breathe deep reader. Practice Karma Yoga this month.
Namaste,
Machel (sounds like Ma-shel)
