Any kind of yoga including https://www.julianalucky.com/yoga-for-kids is directed at the spiritual development of a person. The first step to development occurs when a person begins to see something new, which he or she has not noticed before, and begins to strive for it. Exit from the comfort zone, expansion of consciousness – this is possible only through conscious work of a person, leading to inner transformation and acceptance of new aspects of the world.

Expansion to the world in the concept of karma yoga takes place through work for the benefit of society. Let’s examine in more detail how this works.

In order to work for the benefit of other people (society, Guru, company, family) it is important to consider their desires. And they have to be comprehended, to realize their essence, so as not to turn out like in the proverb about good intentions. The process when you begin to empathize with other people is already moving beyond stereotypical views of the world. After all, in order to feel and understand someone as fully as possible, you must completely dissociate yourself from your ego, from your selfish attitudes and desires. Learning about the world comes through knowing other people, their feelings, and fundamentally new points of view.

The Bhagavatgita, the books of Vivekananda, Sivananda, and other classical texts speak of not being attached to the fruits of one’s activity as one of the main aspects of karma yoga. One can see the common sense in the existence of this condition, based even on personal experience. By concentrating on work without thinking about personal gain, praise and merit, one does not unburden energy to thought. When there are no worries, work becomes more efficient and enjoyable, thoughts don’t bounce around, and the mind is clear. Such a calm and harmonious state is already a pledge for further realizations, transcendental experiences, understanding of the essence of being, etc.

As one famous Russian yogi said, “Before meeting with Shiva in meditation, your body and psyche have to be prepared. You are mistaken if you think that God is interested in communicating about your ailments. When one is totally immersed in an activity, one is in a state of what is called flow. For example, it is often experienced by artists in the process of continuous creativity.

At some moment the brush itself begins to paint, not from the mind, but as if by “divine command. Similar states are described by programmers: when working at the utmost concentration, lines of code begin to appear by themselves, satisfaction comes from the feeling of endless creative activity.

In my opinion, the condition of utmost concentration and work for the benefit of others does not yet define action as karma-yoga. After all, you can diligently obey and still there will be no development in a person. Therefore, the third important condition I would like to consider is conscious practice. This is the condition that makes any action yoga.

If karma is the law of cause and effect, then mindfulness is awareness of this law. Being in the here and now, we understand exactly why and for what we are here and now, our place in the moment and our role among people. The higher our level of awareness, the better we can relate to all the events in this world, beginning with the impact of our own actions on them. Everything in this world strives for progress, and a conscious person does not go against nature–he also strives for development and harmony with the world. It follows that the activity one chooses must be consistent with one’s inner self. It must lead to development, to getting rid of stereotypes, complexes, blocks, which prevent from harmonious
This is the natural need of all living beings to develop, to get rid of stereotypes, complexes and blocks that prevent them from living harmoniously.

Development is a natural need of all living beings. Therefore, when we are not engaged in our business or idle pastime, we intuitively feel that there is no benefit in it, such activity oppresses us.

So, the practice of karma yoga is also learning to be in harmony with the whole world, starting with oneself and gradually expanding to other people, the whole society. This is the practice of conscious action for the sake of developing oneself and the whole world.

Now we come to the question of application of karma yoga in modern society.

If a person lives in the modern society, this means that he/she carries within him/herself the basic characteristics, and performs certain tasks, which are peculiar to this society at the given period of time. These tasks and cultural characteristics may be absolutely natural from the point of view of evolution, but at the same time not understandable to a single person (depends on the degree of his consciousness again).

Regardless of whether we are talking about physical labor or intellectual labor, humans must strive to reach the limits of their abilities and use the resources of the modern world. In order for science and technology to advance, people must make the most of the opportunities that science and technology provide. If people are born here and now, this is their karma and their task is to learn the laws and values that underlie the existence of a given society. That is, the task of karma yoga in modern society is to develop oneself harmoniously and to help others develop, using the experience and knowledge of the modern world.