Introducing our Palmetto Yoga Karma Korner!

"Every act of kindness and compassion plants the seeds for more love in the world." - Unknown

What exactly is Karma? "Karma" is not an unfamiliar term in our society. We refer to it regularly through various quotes and idioms, often with ominous or even threatening undertones - “You reap what you sow,” "You get what you give," "They're going to get what's coming to them," "What goes around comes around," and of course the infamous "Karma's a..." well, you know the rest. The general idea of karma, as most of us think of it, speaks to the Law of Attraction, where what you put out into the world you receive back. Karma in regards to the yoga philosophy, as well as parallel concepts throughout religious texts, is a little bit different. It's less about doing good in order to receive good. It's more about doing good because it's the right thing to do.

Karma yoga is a spiritual practice that encourages selfless action while emphasizing performing those actions without attachment to the outcome. Releasing attachment to the outcome means conducing acts of service, or giving of yourself (whether it’s time, treasure, or talents), without any expectation of recognition or reciprocation. Did you just find yourself making a bit of a guilty “uh-oh” face? Me too. This concept is not always an easy one for us. Think about how times we have gotten annoyed that we didn’t receive a “thank you” from someone for something we gave or did. Or times when our feelings were hurt because someone accidentally forgot our name when listing people to thank on a project, or for contributing to some effort. Or God forbid, if someone else got credit for an idea or an act that YOU did. Your blood might be starting to boil just thinking about it! The good news about not being great at something, such as releasing attachment to outcome, is that it leaves lots of room for us to grow as we continue to work on it. We can remind ourselves that we don't give things because of what we will receive. We give things because we have it and others don't. We give because we have something that someone else needs. We give because we have something that could help someone else.

Now while the purpose of karma may be to give and serve without any attachment to the results, that's not to say that we don't benefit from acts of karma. Buddha says, “If you light a lamp for someone else it will also brighten your path.” Contributing to the well-being of others through selfless service helps us to connect more deeply to the Divine. In other words, doing good acts brings us closer to God, Source, the Universe, our higher power - as well as to each other and the universal “One.” This happens when you simply take actions you do everyday, and find ways to turn them into offerings. Constantly looking for ways to serve others, or to offer up work and actions, starts to become a lifestyle - an attitude. And when you embrace that attitude, you find a deeper meaning to all that you do, and see the good that you’re putting out into the world. This can only lead to increasing inner peace, your sense of dharma (or life’s purpose), and eternal salvation - the ultimate rewards.

The idea of being called to serve others and present offerings is a universal one. In the ancient Hindu text, the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna tells Arjuna, “Do what you do, but offer the fruits of it to me.” In the Bible, Jesus repeatedly preaches about service, while aligning them to offerings to God -"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25: 35-40). Another example from Acts 25:35, where Luke states, “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’" Shared between both the Bible's Old Testament and the Jewish Torah, you'll find the command, "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18). The sacred Quran of Islam, states, "You are the best people ever raised for the good of mankind because you have been raised to serve others" (Quran 3:111). And again, “Do good to your parents, to near of kin, to orphans, and to the needy, and to the neighbor who is of kin and to the neighbor who is a stranger..." (Quran 4:36). Buddha also offers several powerful quotes including,“If you knew what I know about the power of giving, you would not let a single meal pass without sharing it in some way.”

One of my favorite quotes that speaks to karma and service is from Martin Luther King, Jr. - "We are inevitably our brother's keeper because we are our brother's brother. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly." It is in this spirit that Palmetto Yoga & Wellness is proud to present our ongoing philanthropic project, "The Palmetto Yoga Karma Korner." During the year, our studio will sponsor or support various charity drives, projects, events, and other efforts throughout our community. We will have a designated area in the lobby of our studio where we will collect donations, offer volunteer sign-ups, and provide information about various organizations and the good works that they are doing, as well as how we can support them. As a studio, we (unofficially) kicked off our Karma Korner this past summer, when we collected over 700 items and over $400 in support of EMS Closet, a local charity that provides clothing and other critical items to children in need within our surrounding school districts. This fall, we will start our next project by working with another local organization called "Families Helping Families" to provide support to those in need during this holiday season. We look forward to the many ways we can practice karma through works of service in our community in the years ahead. And we thank you for being such a special part of it.

"A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity." - Buddha

References:

"What Is Karma Yoga and How Can We Take Right Action?" Ram Dass, www.ramdass.org/what-is-karma-yoga-how-can-we-take-right-action/. Accessed 30 Sept. 2025.