The Complete Works of Yogy Ramacharaka. William Walker Atkinson
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willing to be so used, and we will find that the willingness prevents friction and pain. It is dificult to express this point as clearly as we would like to do, but we trust that our meaning will be made clear as we proceed.
Our lives are not merely for the development of our individuality, but we are needed to ptas upon and be played upon by other individualities, that the entire race be assisted in its upward trend. A certain piece of work may seem to us to be useless as a part of our own development, but that particular bit of work is evidently needed in some part of the great plan and we should perform our part willingly. Every move and position has a meaning, just as a move in a game of chess apparently may be devoid of meaning and purpose, but, later in the game, it will be seen to have been the first move in a great plan. And, so the true Karma Yogi allows himself to be moved by the Spirit without complaint, knowing that all will be well with and that the move is needed to eB'ect certain combinations or changes in the great game of life being played by all men. Those who do not understand this secret of the inner workings of the game, generally rebel and set up resistance to these enforced moves, and thereby cause themselves great pain and suffering from the friction—the resistence causes forcible move– while the awakened soul, seeing things as they are, smiles and allows tself to be moved, and conseqnently escapes the pain, and generally reaps a positive benefit from the change, although it does not expect such benefit as a reward. It simply recognizes the Master Hand making the move, willingly allows itself to be moved to another square, and used to effect a new combination.
This is not a mere dream of transcendental philosophy. It would surprise many of you to be told that some of the leading figures in every branch of human effort recognize this force behind them, and have learned to trust to it. Let us give you the testimony of a very prominent man—one whose name is known all over the world as a great leader and “master of circumstances.” He has no knowledge of the Eastern teachings (or, had not at the time of the following statement), but several years ago he confided the fol lowing information to a friend of his, who repeated it to us. This “captain of industry” said; “The public give me credit with being a most strenuous character, and as planning a long way ahead some wonderful combinations and schemes, They are quite wrong. I plan very little ahead, in fact, often see no more than one step at a time, although the general plan seems to be stored away somewhere in my mind. I feel that to a great extent I am merely a pawn in a great game of chess, and am being used by some great power as a means of working some great changes in things and men, although I am ignorant of what these changes are. I do not feel that I am favored by Providence for any special good in me, for, without mock modesty, I may truthfully say that I feel that I do not deserve any special reward, for I am no better or wiser than my fellows. I cannot help feeling, at times, that the things I do are done for some othe." people, possibly the race, a!though many of my acts, or rather the results of my acts may seem in the direction of working injury to the public at large. I get no special pleasure from my money, although I feel a keen interest in the game of making it, for the time being, and when a thing is accomplished I feel like flinging it away like a wornout toy. I do not know what it all means, to be sure, but am sure it means something. Some day, perhaps, I may be stripped of my possessions, but I feel that even if that happens I will be given something that wilt repay me for my apparent loss. I noticed this thing early in life, and I soon ]earned to be “led” or moved by it whatever it is. When I resisted, I found that I was hurt somehow, but that when I allowed myself to be moved without resistance, I was successful. Sometimes I laugh to see how the public regard my “achievements” when really I have been merely a checkerman or pawn in some great game, the mover of which I do not know, and of whom I have no reason to believe myself a special favorite.”
This man, unconsciously, stumbled upon one of the principles of "Karma Yoga"—that principle which is known as “The Secret of Work.” He cares little for results—for the fruits of his work—although he feels a keen interest in the game while it is being played, He docs not seem to be “attached” to the fruits of his work, although this is not apparent to those who view him from a distance. He feels that he is a cog in the great machinery, and is willing to play his part. Many of the things he does, or apparently does {the doing is really done by many men, whose interests conflicting and agreeing, focus upon him) bear hard upon many of the race, but close observers see that he, and others of his kind, are unconsciously paving the way for the great economic changes that are coming to the race, and which are based upon a dawning consciousness of the Brotherhood of Man. We do not hold out this man as an illustration of a Karma Yogi—he is not that, because he lives the life unconsciously and without understanding, while the Karma Yogi is fully conscious of what it all means and understands the causes behind it. We merely cite this case as an illustration of its common occurrence. Many others in all walks of life are practicing some of the principles of Karma Yoga more or less unconsciously. They speak of taking life “philosophically,” by which they mean they are not allowing themselves to become "attached,” or to take too seriously the fruits of their labors, attained or anticipated. They work, more or less, from a love of work—“work for work’s sake”—they like to be "doing things,” and take a pleasure in the game of life, that is, in the game itself rather than in its prizes. They play the game—play it well—play it with a zest—take an interest in its workings and details. But as for the trumpery prizes that are to be awarded to the winners, they want none of them, let those who value those things have them, the real player has outgrown such childishness.
Fame, position, prestige, the world’s cheap favors are despised by the strong men—they see them as the baubles that they are. They leave such things for the children. They may allow the prize ribbon to be pinned to their coats, but in their hearts they smile at it. The other players in the game may not detect this inner consciousness, and to all intents and purposes the awakened player may be like those around him—but he knows, and they know not.
“The Secret of Work”—non-attachment—is the keynote of Karma Yoga. Non-attachment does not mean that the student of such should repress all enjoyment. On the contrary, it teaches that this principle, if faithfully followed, will cause one to enjoy everything.Instead of taking away his pleasure, it will multiply it a thousand-fold. The difference lies in the fact that the attached man believes that his happiness depends upon certain things or persons, while the freed man realizes that his happiness comes from within and not from any outside thing, and he, therefore, is able to convert into pleasure-oducing things, circumstances which would cause dissatisfaction and even pain. So long as one is tied or attached to any particular person or thing, so that his happiness seems dependent thereon, he is a slave of that person or thing, But when he frees himself from the entangling influences, he is his own master, and has within himself an unfailing source of happiness. This does not mean that we should not love others—on the contrary we should manifest abundant love, but the love must not be selfish—but we will speak of that phase of the subject a little later on.
To the man living the attached life, the Karma Yoga plan may seem foolish, and likely to result in failure or half-hearted effort. In this view he is wrong. Who is apt to do the best work in a shop, office, or workroom—the man who works merely for his wage, and who keeps his eye on tl clock in order that he may not give a minute overtime, or the man who, while looking to his occupation to furnish him with a comfortable livelihood, is so interested and in love with his work that he almost forgets that he is working for money, and during certain hours, but is fairly carried away with his task? Many such workers exist, and they are practicing a form of Karma Yoga, although they know it not. The best work of the world is produced by men who take an interest in their tasks, and do not go through the motions of work simply to earn their wage, The instinct that causes the artist to paint a great picture—the writer to produce a great book—the musician to compose a great work—will cause a man to make a success of any line of work. It is work for work’s sake—work for the joy of the worker. All great work is produced in this way.
To many the mystic is regarded as a visionary person, unfit for the work of the world—a mere dreamer—a weaver of idle speculations, But those who have hoked beneath the surface, realize that the “practical mystic” is a man to be reckoned with in any branch of human endeavor. His very non-attachment gives him a strength that the attached man lacks. The mystic is not afraid—he is daring—he knows that his happiness and success depends upon no particular combination, and