Malas – Karmamala Meditation

Karmamala is connected to the body and how the ego identifies itself as “I am what I do”, my behaviour, my actions. This is the investment in the doership of life. This Mala is the stain over the lens of perceiving that we are the limitation to our actions as our self-worth tied to what you do and what we are not doing. This distorted view point gives rise to an inability to trust, connect and surrender as we are locked in a Karmic cycle of behaviour that is coloured by the other two Malas. As long as the other two Malas are actively distorted, stained and contaminated with feeling unworthy or not enough and the thoughts keep one separated, biased, prejudiced, you will see yourself as limited. This leads to actions that entangle our egotism to destructive ignorance, attachment and aversion to continue at any cost, we call this bondage to Karmic repercussions.

Attachment is primarily the limited belief that we need something outside ourselves to be fulfilled. A partner, a family, a car, more material things, money, fame, success, approval, power…that Yoga Pose will fill that void and show our worth.

Aversion is like the same just in reverse, it is what we resist, how we avoid what we don’t want or like, what we want to push away or eliminate as we see them as bad, painful or may lead to feel suffering. 

When we are driven by our own ignorance, stuck in this cycle of attachment and aversion we act out in ways that have a stained intention to ourselves and other.  The more we are invested in our attachments and aversions the more extreme the actions. As they say what we resist, persists or the definition of insanity, is doing the same thing, expecting different results. 

Action in sanskrit is Karma. Karma carries the notion that the fruit of your actions, comes back to you, you can’t escape the consequence of your actions. There is a cause and effect. Every action has a reaction, every choice has a consequence. The cause behind your current situation is your past Karma. Your’e a sum total of all your choices and actions. That your current life is a continuation of the past. So if you don’t like where you are, start by looking at what motivates your actions, the other Malas. 

The solutions of Karmamala is to look at the roots of your actions that are causing suffering. A endless cycle of Ignorance, Attachment and Aversion that keeps us locked in this limited Self – Unhealthy Egotism and Fear. Vichara practice of an honest, raw and intimate self-inquiry which you reclaim your humanity (dark and light) and practice Pratipaksa Bhavana YS 2.33 cultivating the opposite, positive thought every time a negative thought enters. To change the perspective of seeing things from the other side. Life is not just happening to you, it is happening for you. If you take care of your Karma, Karma will take care of you. The courage to turn ignorance, attachment and aversion into sincere gratitude, trust and forgiveness to what is and how you can learn, grow and love with great respect for what is, as it is a ‘teacher’.

Our opportunity in any given moment is to be mindful of what is (Cit Shakti) listen to our innate wisdom (Jnana Shakti), tap into the resource of energy we have (Iccha Shakti) to make better choices (Kriya Shakti) to serve our intention, purpose, desires that lead us closer to spirit, our truth and lasting fulfilment (Ananda Shakti) in our lived experience and it is said to have an impact on the quality of our future and future lives.

Therefore clearing the Karmamala and changing the way we feel and think is key.

When our Malas are clear we can be creative, dynamic in our selfless actions, gaining greater ability to spontaneously manoeuvre without hesitation to take make things happen. We have to embrace life, not be afraid of Karma. One of the simple definitions of Yoga is, Yoga is skill in Action (Karma) with Loving awareness. This approach is to refine our actions to accomplish our Dharma/Purpose of embodiment with humility, effort and a devotion to our practices that bring lasting fulfilment, contentment and true liberation.