A seeker intent on liberation within the present lifetime faces a very difficult battle and must be very careful regarding his thoughts, actions, and indeed, company. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna states that the yogi seeking freedom from karma must understand that he or she is not the real actor or performer of action(s). As the ego or sense of individuality is false, it is really the Lord who does everything. One?s destiny (for lack of a better word) is determined by one?s past actions which manifest as the karmas to be worked out in the present incarnation. One who is engaged in yogic practices aimed at accelerating spiritual evolution will notice that the effects of his actions in the present life manifest and rebound rapidly. In fact, the final incarnation of a seeker who feels the intense longing for God and becomes intent on finding Him is often one beset with extreme trials and difficulties.
As a rocket accelerates through earth?s lower atmosphere shortly after lifting off, the aerodynamic forces on the vehicle are at their greatest. This generates a tremendous amount stress due to the density of the oxygen at lower altitudes, and results in a great deal of shaking and buffeting. As a result, the engine throttles are reduced to help maintain optimum aerodynamic loads. This period, referred to as ?Max Q,? is a veritable war between the thrust produced by the rocket?s engines and the earth?s gravitational pull.
The intense battle between the sadhak?s (spiritual practitioner) present spiritual efforts and his past karmas (attachments, desires, etc.) can be thought of as the Max Q of his soul?s development. The force of maya seeks to keep him in the cycle of reincarnation while the thrust of his spiritual sadhana (practice) and desire for liberation move him toward freedom. Some yogis have even referred to it as an ?inner nuclear war.?
While the law of Karma is often attributed to Eastern religions, it is also supported by Western science and religious philosophy. Newton?s Third Law which states that ?For every action there is an opposite and equal reaction,? and several biblical references such as ?An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,? (Exodus 21:24) and Galatians 6: 7-8, ??for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap?? are also verily expressions of the law of Karma. Whatever a man puts out into the world in the way of thoughts and actions returns to him in kind. No one is exempt from this law.
There are essentially three classifications of Karma:
1.) Agami Karma ? Karma being accumulated in the present lifetime that will be expressed in future births
2.) Prarabdha Karma ? This refers to Karma accumulated in previous births which is due to be worked out in the present incarnation
3.) Sanchita Karma ? The totality of Karmas accumulated from previous births.
So how can one desirous of liberation be freed from karma and ensure victory in this war?
Knowledge of the law of Karma is vital for any seeker. Action performed without the notion ?I do? and without the desire for the fruit of that action (the results) is tantamount to non-action, and non-action produces no Karma. It is Karma that keeps us bound to the wheel of reincarnation. Spiritual practices such as pranayama and meditation help greatly in this process as they work to dissolve the ego. Mind and ego are nothing more than a bundle of thoughts (I am the body, I am tall, young, old, etc.), and yogic practices help to still the mind so that one can rest in one?s true Nature.
Some yogic practices which utilize pranayama and meditation are so dynamic that years of spiritual evolution literally transpire in mere seconds during practice. Paramahamsa Yogananda stated that a half-minute of even the beginning stage of Kriya Yoga accomplishes one year of spiritual unfoldment. In the higher Kriyas, the rate of accelerated evolution increases exponentially.
The rapid expansion of consciousness from spiritual disciplines is accompanied by a kind of Karmic spring cleaning as Karmas accumulated from previous births rush to be worked out. A storehouse of previously unexpressed anxieties, phobias, and neuroses accumulated from countless incarnations may rise to the surface and can test the very strength and sanity of a seeker. It is for this reason that one should be very careful not to haphazardly experiment with yogic techniques without thorough research, and that having a spiritually evolved teacher who has already traversed this path is essential. There may well be times when the seeker is just hanging on.
It is most unfortunate that because Western psychology is still in its early stages in the recognition and understanding of the hallmarks of spiritual awakening, that all too often these signs lead to misdiagnosis. Because the symptoms can be similar, or even identical, a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, psychosis, or schizophrenia is often made when in fact the individual in question may be experiencing a kind of spiritual crisis and simply needs help processing and assimilating what is happening to them. As a result, a prime opportunity for spiritual transformation can be missed or greatly reduced due to the consequent prescription of mind-numbing medications, the effect of which can be tantamount to a chemical lobotomy. That is not to question the validity or existence of such psychiatric disorders, for they certainly exist, but rather to say that differentiating between classical pathology and spiritual awakening can be very tricky indeed, and the right diagnosis will at times be missed due to a lack of training and understanding in areas spiritual. Regardless, many powerful medications which are at present prescribed liberally should in fact be used as a last resort. It is vital that doctors in the West gain a thorough understanding of the classic symptoms of spiritual awakening. It is encouraging, however, that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual ( DSM) of Mental Disorders will, for the first time, be amended to include a new category to be referred to as ?Religious or Spiritual Problems,? to address cases of spiritual emergencies with the publication of DSM IV in May of 2012. The reason for this inclusion is the increasing prevalence of cases presenting with symptoms of a religious or spiritual nature that fall outside the parameters of classically recognized and diagnosed pathology. In any event, one?s ishta devata, or chosen spiritual deity, such as Christ, Krishna, Kali, etc., along with the support of friends, family, and a spiritual guide who has himself traversed this path are indispensable in helping one successfully emerge from difficult crises such as these.
The spiritual path is not an easy journey. In the same way that one would adequately arm oneself prior to engaging in battle, he must do the same when preparing for the war he will encounter of the spiritual path. In reality, the enemy does not exist outside of oneself, but the battle is with one?s own inner demons in the form of attachments, fears, weaknesses, desires, etc.
Advanced yogis (both those still incarnate as well as those who have left the body) are always present when a seeker engages in his sadhana (spiritual disciplines). Many are unaware of this subtle truth. Lahiri Mahasaya once stated, ?I remain ever present near one who practices Kriya.? The saint, yogi, or messiah that one worships will be present to guide anyone who seeks to know God, regardless of his particular method. One should have no doubt about this, nor should one fear. In the same way that backup is summoned when needed, or reinforcements are called into battle as the fighting increases in intensity, the Lord sends his messengers and angels to assist the struggling soul engaged in the spiritual war. Fight on?no amount of effort is ever lost.
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Source: vasthayogi.wordpress.com
