Actions that Liberate: Doing Our Best [Karma Yoga]

In any situation, it seems the best option is to DO OUR BEST. Whatever it may be.

A situation we like – do our best.

A situation we don’t like – do our best.

Over time it does not matter whether we like or we don’t like the situation. We just do our best.

This helps us get over our likes and dislikes. Crucial for spiritual sadhakas.

Instead of doing our best. We could also do our worst. And if we can consistently do our worst in situations we like and dislike equally, it would still be a tool to get over our likes and dislikes. But the worst actions will have that kind of consequence in the outside world. It might lead to much anger or negativity in us that our body may break.

So better we do our BEST. The consequences of our best may be more conducive for us to do our sadhana. Plus, it easily leads to compassion and positivity in our system. 🙂

Situations of Conflict

In firefighting situations, or situations of conflict which lead to tension and stress. I have found freedom in doing EVERYTHING. What causes our stress is when we hold back. There is pent up energy within us and holding back causes problems within us. So better to spend it in doing everything we can to solve the problem.

To explain it a bit better, when we come across such a conflict situation there is an instant response in us to do something about it. We quickly think about options to tackle it. But then another instinct stops us. And we try to protect ourselves or just stay away and not stick our necks out. I guess it is the primal flight-or-fight response that humans had in the wild. There is an upsurge of energy in the system to help us fight or fly.

This upsurge of energy in the body causes tension and stress. We have to fight or fly – to unwind the tension.

And that’s the point –> do everything you can! Need not be fight or flight but constructive activity!

When a matter agitates us, if we don’t respond to it, it keeps bothering and niggling at the back of the mind for a very long time. And the increased energy in the system to tackle it causes many problems unless channelled properly. Compared to that, the moment something bothers us if we are quick to take action then it gets resolved – either by an actual change in the external situation or within ourselves we are able to relax because we did everything we could about it.

When people are not very balanced in their mind / emotions, the sudden increase of energy in the body (to tackle the problem) may lead to panic, anger or senseless actions. These actions can very often increase the problem. And that is why a lot of people feel its better to not respond right away. They will choose to remain mute spectators at times. But with rigorous sadhana it brings better balance in our minds and emotions, so the increase in energy should allow us to remain clear and sensible. And then we can do many constructive ACTIONS to help the situation and this helps channelize the energy well. So it doesn’t cause any trouble in our system.

And once we are used to doing our best no matter what situation, we will max our best in conflict situations. We will do better than we imagined possible. We can excel.

And what better time to excel than in conflict situations!

My concern with doing my best isn’t with regards the external rewards that we get for it. Sometimes we may not even get any reward or recognition. But the action itself becomes liberating – this I have seen.

With external rewards so many people get tied up to it. They lust, get attached, start identifying with it and what not. Or if they don’t get the reward next time it causes misery, disappointment, jealousy and what not. It is pointless.

The true prize is inner freedom and liberation.

To be free of the need for external rewards. But more than that freedom from our likes and dislikes. And we can get this by simply doing our best. Completely. Fully. Whatever the situation.

I didn’t read this somewhere and imbibe it in my life. I absorbed it from my Guru. He kept saying, writing it all the time. Do your best. Live 100%. Full involvement. Your Responsibility (ability to respond). Let everything happen to you. And over time, I absorbed it.

Over time, when situations came the natural response was to do my best. And when conflicts happened instead of trying to protect myself or withdrawing into the shell, I just gave it my 100%. And the results were in front of me. The results are brilliant. It changes completely the quality of life.

So the crux of the post isn’t ‘Do your Best’, that’s only a facade. The crux is always about the Guru.

😀

Can We Really Do “EVERYTHING”?

It may seem exaggerated to you when I say “do everything”.

Can we ever really do “everything” about a matter.

Well, we can do everything as demanded by our karmic situation.

There are somethings we feel strongly about, there are somethings that we won’t think much about – it’s our karma. And as per this, we need to do everything we can about problems.

Then this way or that, I have found that it gets sorted. Either the external problematic situation resolves itself. Or we manage to accept it and move on lighter (not by becoming bitter or resentful). And we channel the increased energy better, thus it doesn’t cause problems within the system.

And actions that liberate are a form of yoga – karma yoga.

“..in Karma Yoga the main aim is not social good, but the rubbing away of the persons ego and individual personality.” (read more)

What is my “Best”?

For a long time since I heard Sadhguru saying “Do your best”, I muddled over it. What is my best? How do I know what my best response is in a given situation? I have muddled over it for many years. And that’s the best thing to do… keep muddling around it. Self – enquiry. Self – enquiry.

😀