The Third Characteristic of a Successful Life

Karma yoga views characteristics and qualities as ways to progress towards soulful growth and self-realization. (First, be calm, and second, self-disciplined) The third characteristic is the ability to withdraw and reflect. To withdraw means to remove oneself from a situation or to disengage from one's surroundings, both physically and mentally. Reflecting involves introspection and self-examination. It means reflecting upon one's thoughts, words, and actions to gain insight and understanding. In yoga, we call this sense withdrawal, which means turning inward to quiet the mind, creating a sense of inner calmness, and then making positive changes in our lives. Withdrawal and reflection allow us to get in touch with our feelings. Karma reminds us that one of the obstacles to a peaceful, successful, and happy life is blocking our feelings. When we block our feelings, we block our self-awareness. Let's work on withdrawal and self-reflection. END: Withdrawing and reflecting means controlling the senses. The senses are like a mirror. By themselves, they are pure and innocent. Turn them outward, and they reflect on the turbulent and chaotic world. Turn them inward, and the mirror reflects our state of being. The world is a battlefield. Looking outside, we must be prepared to fight against deceit, greed, anger, and pride. When we withdraw, reflect, and look inside, the battles of life will also challenge us, but if we practice calmness with self-discipline and inner reflection, we can find quietude, peace, and happiness. Look inward, withdraw, reflect, and create a state of being that reflects your ability to be calm and disciplined, and you will build strong and worthy characteristics. EGO: Flip your palms up and extend out the index fingers, the ego symbol. The ego easily deludes itself by comparing itself to others while believing it has control over itself, even while putting in minimal effort. But at any minute, there can be a slip-up, the mind can lose control, and the ego will find itself on the battlefield of life fighting for survival. Pull your fingers in and place your thumbs on top, take a breath, and surrender to the soul. The soul knows how to withdraw and reflect. Reflect upon your pure state of being, it's like a mirror turned inward, reminding us that if we find and cultivate the quality of peace within, we will find peace wherever we go. Good characteristics to have are calmness, self-discipline, and self-reflection. Namaste ~ may you walk the path of life with health, happiness, and peace. Doctor Lynn

The Second Characteristic for a successful life

The second characteristic to develop is self-discipline. Our world operates in a regulated and disciplined way. Without discipline, nothing is achieved. If everything were chaotic, life could not progress. If the sun, moon, and Earth did not rotate in a disciplined manner, we would not have the calculations to send rockets and satellites into space. Nature is disciplined; it does not try to be something it is not. Only humans think they can do anything they want without consequences, and this creates chaos. Self-discipline doesn’t mean living an austere life. It means knowing your limits and stopping before you cross over and lose your balance. Karma yoga is more than an exercise for the body. If you practice with self-discipline, you will find that it affects your entire body, mind, and soul. Self-discipline is needed when you are attempting to improve your life. Self-improvement begins by doing the best you can with what you have. Start where you are and watch your attitude; it is tied to self-discipline. END: Regular practice is required to achieve anything, and this requires self-discipline. Failing to continue any discipline or practice is one of the obstacles to success. You can’t succeed at anything unless you commit the time and energy to it, which takes discipline. When you practice discipline, you experience a greater sense of happiness, contentment, and wisdom. Self-discipline brings calmness, structure, and order to your life. Everything in the universe must be fed. If a dream or a goal is fed daily, eventually, it will become a reality. But we must have the self-discipline to feed it, or it will die. Everything born within the world carries the seed of (process) dissolution. If not fed, it will dissolve. So, if you hope to achieve anything in life, you need the quality of self-discipline. EGO: Flip up your palms and extend out your index finger, the ego symbol. The ego loves instant gratification. Sometimes, it thinks it is smarter than nature and doesn’t need to implement self-discipline. Sometimes, it takes pride in its false sense of discipline and believes nothing is left to improve. Bring your finger in and place the thumb on top. Take a breath and surrender to the soul. Self-improvement begins by doing the best you can with what you have. To achieve anything, you must have self-discipline. You are what you think, say, and do, so watch your attitude; it closely relates to your sense of self-worth and self-discipline. Self-discipline is a good quality to have. Even good deeds will bind you if you do without discipline and for egotistical gratification. Namaste~ may you walk the path of life with health, happiness, and peace. Doctor Lynn For more information: http://www.doctorlynn.com

To Overcome Obstacles -The First Characteristic

The first characteristic karma suggests we work to develop is the ability to be calm. Calmness refers to having tranquil and balanced energy in our body, mind, and soul. It involves being free from stress and anxiety, enabling one to think and act with clarity and composure. Calmness is considered an essential part of inner growth, clarity, and a quiet mind. It enables you to think and act more rationally, overcoming the obstacles of distraction and carelessness. Being calm helps you to make better decisions, solve problems, and handle stress more appropriately. With less tension, stress, and anxiety, we can connect more effectively with others and the world around us. Consider for a moment what it would be like if, all around you, there was chaos, stress, and overload, yet you could remain calm. This, of course, would require a lot of conscious effort, and that is karma: being aware of your thoughts, words, and actions and how they can influence an outcome. END: Developing the characteristic of calmness through yoga is a quality that helps us to overcome life’s obstacles without losing our balance. We are here to develop punja, or virtuous characteristics that enhance our lives. We have the power to choose who we want to be. We do this by building character and qualities such as calmness. As the body releases tension, the mind becomes quiet, and when we do this, we bring a sense of calmness to our lives. If we continue this practice, over time, it will have a profoundly positive impact on our daily lives, relationships, and overall well-being, both physically and mentally. Look for those moments where you encounter problems, chaos, and stress as opportunities to be calm, and when you do, you will be working on your karma, and you will prosper. Just remember, all of life is simply a process of making decisions and solving problems. Calmness allows us to do a better job at both. Calmness is a good characteristic to have. EGO: Flip your palms up and extend your index finger outward; this symbolizes your ego. The ego makes decisions based upon emotions rather than logic. It wants to be in control and always be correct. It also likes to feel superior or entitled. Pull your finger in and place your thumb on top. Take a breath and surrender to your soul. Free of agitation and disturbance, calmness is associated with inner peace, self-worth, and self-acceptance. On a soulful level, calmness is believed to be the result of connecting with a higher power and allowing the universe to take its course. It is a reminder to trust in ourselves, the path we are on, and be open to all the possibilities that come our way. Be calm, it will serve you well. Namaste~ may you walk the path of life with health, happiness, and peace. Doctor Lynn http://www.doctorlynn.com