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“Karma” by H.H.S Swami Rama

A person performs actions and is remunerated. The fruits of the actions motivate him to perform actions again, and then again he is rewarded. It becomes a cycle: the fruit arises out of the action, and the action out of the fruit. From time immemorial, life has proceeded in this manner. This is called the wheel of karma.

The law of karma is equally applicable to all. Our past samskaras are deeply rooted in the unconscious. These latent samskaras, or impressions, create various bubbles of thoughts that express themselves through our speech and actions.

It is possible for the aspirant to get freedom from these samskaras. Those who can burn these samskaras in the fire of non-attachment or knowledge, are free from the bondage created by them. It is like a burnt rope that has lost its binding power, though it still looks like a rope.

When latent impressions, though still in the unconscious, are burned by the fire of knowledge, they lose the power of germination, and will never grow. They are like roasted coffee beans. You can use them to brew a cup of coffee, but they have no power to grow.

No one can live without performing actions. When you perform actions, therein you reap the fruits of your actions. “As you sow, so shall you reap.” Nobody can escape from this law.

When you reap the fruits of actions, those actions inspire you to perform more actions. Seemingly, there is no end. This creates a sense of helplessness. You cannot live without doing your duty, but when you do your duty, you find yourself caught in a whirlpool. You are not happy because duty makes you a slave.

The first thing you should learn is how to perform your actions, yet remain unaffected. Your duty should not give you stress and strain. It should not make you a slave.

You just need to change your attitude. Decide in the morning that you will do your duty lovingly, no matter what is expected.

If you think like that, you will find that you will not be tired at the end of the day as you usually are.

You have no alternative but to learn to love your duty. Then it becomes easy. If you do not love something, and yet you do it, it creates a division in your mind, and gives you stress. Learn to create love toward your duties. It can be done.

This is called human skill, human effort. Grace dawns when you have completed your human efforts. Therefore, do your human efforts with love. Learn to love.

It is possible to live perfectly on earth if one is able to work and to love—to work for what one loves, and to love what one is working at.

From “The Essence of Spiritual Life”,  pages 45-46.