Karma Yoga Conditioning

A fourth state is called active meditation, or 'Karma Yoga Conditioning'. The difference between active meditation and action is that in active meditation, actions occur with a simultaneous state of awareness, due to which action is not peformed mechanically based on past patterns or motives of attaining desired results. The actions are guided by awareness, real time. The guiding force for action is not our will, motivation, or past conditioning, but awareness that we are receiving 'REAL TIME' that relates to the action that we are currently performing. We retain the high level of awareness even while performing actions physically, which is typically attainable only during meditation while not performing any actions physically.

Karma Yoga conditioning is a form of exercise that we undertake in order to provide us with sufficient force to carry us throughout the day while performing only inspired actions, without falling prey to the 'inertia' of actions that are mechanical and devoid of insipration and creativity.

When we condition ourselves through active meditation, we open ourselves up to the fifth state of 'Karma Yoga' itself.

Action, Inaction, and Passive Awareness

Most of us are familiar with the states of action and inaction. During the state of action, we are usually absorbed with the task in hand, not for the sake of the action itself, but for the sake of obtaining a desired result. Typically, our actions are programmed either by past patterns or impressions, or by motivations of future rewards and fulfillment of our desires. Most of our actions may be mechanical (e.g., eating, performing other daily tasks and chores).

During the state of inaction, we are usually in a state of rest physically, but we are thinking thoughts dwelling on past patterns, or creating new desires. 'Thinking" implies that the thoughts do not occur on their own, but are created by us consciously. For example, we may be worrying about our health, or we may be thinking of eating ice cream. This may be compared to the process of sending emails ourselves with requests.

A third state is one of a Passive awareness. Those of us who have engaged in meditation may be familiar with this state, in which we may be physically inactive, but we are in control of our thoughts. Control does not imply that we do not have any thoughts. On the contrary, in the state of awareness our thoughts wander without being acted upon by our will. The thoughts occur naturally, but not consciously. In this state, we are not dwelling on past impressions, or creating new desires. This may be compared to the process of automatically receiving emails from other sources. In this state, the thoughts that occur lead to an improved level of awareness. They may be ideas we get based on the earlier requests (sent emails) and solutions to problems that we may have contemplated previously. This is a state of inspiration. When we are in state of awareness, we are receiving guidance towards inspired and creative action.

Passive awareness gives us a sense of purpose and guidance. It helps our proritize our goals and tasks in a broad, high level fashion, without telling us exactly what and when to do.

When (subsequent) action is guided by inspiration and creativity obtained due to passive awareness, and not due to past conditioning or motivation of future fulfillment of desires, it is not mechanical, but driven by a higher purpose or calling.