Roger Walsh, M.D., professor of psychiatry, philosophy, and anthropology at the University of California at Irvine and one of the founding teachers at the Integral Spiritual Center offered a Karma Yoga Seminar in Boulder where he outlined 9 steps for practicing Karma Yoga.
Karma Yoga is the yoga of work and action and service in the world where daily activities are transformed into a contemplative practice. The essence of Karma Yoga is: 1) dedicating whatever you’re doing to a higher goal (traditionally offering it to God); and 2) while simultaneously relinquishing attachment to the outcome.
1. Stopping what you are doing
2. Coming into the present moment
3. Setting your intention & dedicating the activity
4. Doing the activity as impeccably as you can (committing to impeccability – giving yourself 100% to the activity)
5. Bringing as much awareness at you can to your experience and monitoring all the reactions that come up
6. Consciously working with those reactions
7. Attempting to release attachment to how things are going (i.e., to results)
8. Taking time to reflect and learn about the whole process
9. Offering or dedicating the benefits
A point that Roger makes throughout his presentation is that one can practice karma yoga in all of life’s activities – at work, doing the dishes, through service work, in relationships, etc. This is an important mind shift for me as it’s much easier to be conscious of doing karma yoga when involved in meaningful service types of activities versus when I’m cleaning the house!
In 5 short video clips, Roger goes into more depth on each of these points. In order to view them, you need to be a member of Integral Naked ($10 per month, cancel anytime and the first month is free).
The Karma Yogini Journals explores contemplative service (aka karma yoga, seva, engaged spirituality) from an interspiritual perspective.
wow… this is one deeply soulful and large heart-minded man… this whole concept given in video is for us perhaps just like the breath of fresh air/light he received/tuned into the day he came upon pottery arts… this (all of his and his center’s activities) is a living continuing transforming manifestation in action of that Light… I am blown away (and humbled) by the strength and largeness of this man and the Vision that is being enacted here.
Comment by wmersy — January 28, 2008 @ 9:22 am
Hi William – good to see you over here! Your comment ended up under the 9 steps of karma post but I see you are referring to Bill Strickland (make the impossible possible post). Yes – he is amazing. The day after I saw this video I happened to be at Barnes and Noble and came upon his book called Make the Impossible Possible (didn’t know it existed). It’s quite good and of course goes into more detail about his story. As mentioned, this really isn’t about the arts (although it could be seen through that frame) so is relevant to all of us who are out to change or heal the world in whatever way.
Comment by viriditasspiritualcenter — January 28, 2008 @ 10:46 am
I actually watched the Roger Walsh presentation on Integral Naked last night and liked it very much. Wow, you talk about an impressively intelligent guy. I learn about such things as Roger’s 9 Steps of Karma Yoga, or Genpo Roshi’s Big Mind Process, and being a lawyer, cannot help but to think how beneficial taking up one of these practices would not only be positively transformative personally, but would assist the lawyer in bringing a renewed vigor and joy to legal practice, which is often a depressing endeavor. Three years ago I was ready to hang it up and try my hand at something different. Finding that I was wholly unqualified to do anything but practice law, I turned to seeking to understand the world and my relation to it. If it were not for psychotherapeutic and contemplative practices I would probably be very bitter and drunk.
Comment by Collin — February 5, 2008 @ 4:35 pm
Hi Colin. Thanks for the comment. I quite enjoyed Roger’s presentation and only wished that there was more. Do you participate in any types of service? I will tell you that practicing karma yoga on a daily and intentional basis while doing something aligned with your passion, your heart and soul – is definitely transformative. Needless to say, it’s a path I resonate with! I’m an active sort and a workaholic as well – to weave my spiritual path into that is just what works for me. If you were here in Boise, I’d invite you to come down to the shelter to volunteer. Many blessings to you… Jayne.
Comment by viriditasspiritualcenter — February 6, 2008 @ 1:51 am
Thank you for the invite. I am in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I have established an Integral Life Practice consisting of Big Mind, shadow work, resistance training (with dumbbells), plenty of reading and thinking, and as of today a little karma yoga (I sincerely enjoyed the task I employed it with). I am fond of the particular step to not fret over the result of the particular task. In law practice I discovered a long time ago that one should do their best without worrying about the outcome. That seems to relieve a lot of angst associated with the result orientation of law practice. I’m sorry, but I don’t quite know what you mean by “types of service.” I have heard Boise is a very lovely city.
Warm regards, Collin.
Comment by Collin — February 6, 2008 @ 4:08 pm
Delighted to get your comment. I should have contacted you anyway to thank you for the great info on your blog. As part of my growing understanding of karma yoga I have resolved to pass on as much gratitude and feedback as I can. I have a bad habit of skimming through other peoples hard work, enjoying it, and moving on. Maybe I should set myself the task of writing to every site i visit, no matter how much i like it or not. Anyway, you should know that I googled ‘karma yoga’ for about an hour and all the best bits I found were on your site. Thats a great acheivement!
In gratitude, Ryan
Comment by ryan — May 23, 2008 @ 3:17 pm