"I Would Like To Speak to the Manager"

"Yoga is skillfulness in action."----Bhagavad Gita 2.50

To allpeople on the yogic path finding a way to transcend past negative karmic patterns is very important. Every thought, word, and deed that we have continues to plant karmic seeds in our mind that will later flower into actual experiences. We have the ability to make them positive, negative, or neutral. We need to think, act, and be skillful at all times.

Everything that occurs in your world is a chance for you to plant new seeds. If you live somewhere like New York City, you get more than your fair share of chances just walking to the subway!!! When you view something happening in front of you, it's your reaction to it that plants the seed. For example, you go into a crowded restaurant on Bleeker St. to have a nice dinner with a friend that you adore, and next to you, at a table that is too close for your comfort, is the world's rudest person. What should you do????? This person is sooooo rude that your server is in tears.... it's unbearable , really. The rude person also smells bad too. So, what do you do....you promised yourself to plant only good or neutral seeds.

That's Right!!!! Act with Compassion. Why......because everyone and everything has the potential to be your teacher. This is the planting of a great and powerful seed, the seed that can flower into you being a great teacher in the eyes of others.

Karma returns your efforts. And everything comes from your own mind.

When you view the actions of others, you get to glimpse the quality of that individual's mind. Someone that acts rudely and treats others poorly is in a lot of pain. You can see this pain because a seed in your store house of karmic seeds has flowered. To quit seeing things like this, don't plant the seed again by getting angry at this person. To plant a good seed, then be happy- no matter what. To plant a neutral seed, notice their behavior but leave the reataurant without reacting. To plant a negative seed, complain about your experience.

The sanskrit term "Avidya" means "mis-knowing" or "mis- understanding" where your world comes from. When we misunderstand the proper action to take to plant a more favorable karmic seed, we put ourselves right back in the position of having this happen again in our world. When you complain, you get more things to complain about coming into your world. When you're happy, you get more happiness coming into your world too.

In the "Yoga Sutra" Patanjali says,"Be happy for those that are happy, be indifferent to the unvirtuous, and be compassionate to those that are suffering." He did not say, "complain to the management about your terrible dining experience."

Eventually, with careful attention, you will have many, many joyous people and experiences coming into your direct experience. Good Luck