The Four Obstacle obstructing your karma— REVIEW

Ill health, self-doubt, boredom and apathy, and scattered or careless behavior are the first four characteristics that keep us trapped in the perpetual cycle of karma. Overcoming these requires awareness, calmness, and shifting our mindset toward contentment and peace. It is difficult to find contentment when life hands you illness, restlessness, self-doubt, and distraction. However, karma reminds us that these challenges arise so we can work through them and experience true peace. If we never faced them, we would never learn how to accept life's struggles and joys. No one gets through life without encountering these four obstacles and many others. How we work through them is how we work through our karma. Today, let's focus on awareness, contentment, and peace. Ego and the Path to Peace EGO: Flip your palms up and extend your index finger—representing the ego. The ego often asks, “Why is this happening to me?” It forgets that obstacles are simply part of life’s experience. The ego can easily slip into believing it is the center of the universe when, in reality, it is just a tiny part of the vast, interconnected whole. Now, pull your index finger in and place your thumb on top. Take a deep breath and surrender to the soul. The soul understands that we are here to experience all of life—the sadness and joy. The soul observes, experiences, and then chooses the best path toward peace and contentment. The ego gets in the way and gets us stuck in the obstacles. So, we are reminded to be aware, be still, observe, and then choose the path that leads to peace and contentment. That is how we work our karma. Namaste~ may you walk the path of life with health, happiness, and peace. Doctor Lynn For books, classes, consultations, and more, http://www.doctorlynn.com

The Fourth Obstacle—Distractions and Carelessness

When we are distracted, we are often careless, leading to mistakes, injuries, and poor judgment. Success in life requires focused effort and a careful approach. Without focus, the mind becomes scattered, and a scattered mind is precisely what karma yoga teaches us needs to be tamed. If you are trying to master something, you must give it your focused attention; otherwise, nothing gets completed. We must also be careful with our energy; otherwise, we waste time and effort, and nothing gets accomplished. Wasting time and effort can harm the health of the body, mind, and soul. Yoga reminds us to be present, aware, and careful about what we think, say, and do. This requires conscious awareness, which is what it means to work your karma. If you know the things that distract you and scatter your energy, you will be more careful about how you use your energy. Use it for the right purpose, at the right time, with the right amount of focus, and you will succeed. Emotions, feelings, desires, and cravings scatter the life force, and it isn't easy to find peace and tranquility when it is scattered. Tranquility, of course, takes work, which is what it means to work your karma. END: Life will always present us with obstacles to overcome. Awareness of these obstacles and the valuable lessons they teach us is working your karma. It is easy in today's world to get distracted by all that is happening around you. That is why karma reminds us to still the mind and focus on the important things: your health, joy, enthusiasm, self-knowledge, and self-worth. Master these and be like the warrior; focus on your energy and then carefully use it at the right time, with the right amount of force, for the right purpose, and you will succeed. EGO: Flip your palms up and extend the index finger—your ego. The ego is always looking here and there in the outside world for its worth, validation, and enthusiasm. The ego is constantly distracted in its quest to survive and thrive. It forgets that we need focus and caution to survive in the world. Distractions and carelessness can lead to stress, ill health, lack of enthusiasm, and self-doubt. Pull your index finger in and place your thumb on top. This is the symbol of the soul. Take a breath and surrender to the calmness of your soul. The soul reminds us to stop and think before speaking and acting. When the mind is focused, we can direct our energy to create a more carefully directed life for ourselves and the world. To do this, remove distractions. Stay focused on what is important and be careful where and how you direct your energy. In this, you will work your karma and prosper. Namaste~ may you walk the path of life with health, happiness, and peace. Doctor Lynn For books, classes, consultation and more http://www.doctorlynn.com