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Some take better care of their cars than themselves. Even a mechanical device is given a lot more attention. We check the engine, the oil, get the car serviced, put air in the tires, and more. And yet our own systems can be neglected unless something - like a challenging emotion or crisis situation - comes up. Let us look at a maintenance routine for a karmic wash.
Karma
Before we look at a karmic wash we need to get a better understanding of this Sanskrit term which is used commonly now.
Kar is an action word. It comes from the root "to do.” Ma is “myself.”
So what we think of, or identify as, ourselves creates karma and sets the ball rolling. Emotion is “E,” or energy, in motion. The direction of this life force or prana is directed by the mind and emotions.
Yatho mana, thatho prana. This means, “Where the mind goes, prana flows.”
Karma is not just a fatalistic concept, but as Jesus also implied, “As we sow, so we reap." What we have sown, or not sown, before, either through action or inaction, is what becomes the cause of the result we face in the present. Many times it is not simplistic as there can be collective karma which is further split into: family karma, genetic karma, racial karma, karma of the land we are on, etc.
We can simplify, and see that we are born into a particular family or set of circumstances for this karmic cleanse or wash to take place. If we are on a path of non-harming, then even without using any yogic tools, life will move us through. That acute awareness brought to one life principle in itself holds power. Not only are we aware of how we can harm other people and creatures but also how others can harm us. So it is equally important to communicate boundaries. We start taking responsibility for subtle infringements and invasiveness that we do not feel comfortable with but say nothing about.
An Example Of Something Minor Yet Gnawing
It is interesting that I started on a Kali sadhana a couple of weeks ago. Some people were coming out of the woodwork to connect. One of them was a man I knew from over two decades ago. He would, in every conversation, make me play matchmaker, telling me how single and lonely he was. I had even introduced him to a couple of women hoping he would find some companionship. For over fifteen years that was the only focus. The restless way he approached it, including taunting me for being single began to feel invasive. Though I tried to laugh it off as usual, Kali Maa would not let me.
I did bring it up to his awareness but it did not go down well. His messages were about how good a guy he was. I had to tell him if he was such a big creep, that I feared for my safety, I would never be in touch at all. That was not what I was implying. I connected when he reached out once a year, because he was not dangerous. However that does not mean he could be verbally invasive and think that is ok. I was requesting that the quality of our conversations be more uplifting. I was happy to talk about practical things or even boring mundane things, but wanted to stop this invasive energy leak which I had to manage. To my request, I got no reply. His ego was so hurt that he had to hurl names at a woman I had connected him with.
This was so similar to another incident that unfolded a month ago which was more intense with the guy degrading someone he had not even met and was lusting for. I kept quiet and listened, then, though I tried to steer the conversation to address the issue and not degrade the person. Later I thought I needed to readdress, rather than suffer it silently with both situations. In the name of letting things be and accepting people as they are, I had let this slide. So as things get subtler it also takes a lot more awareness to catch and communicate aberrations in the karmic pool rather than spiritually bypass them. I had to graciously say something and not pretend it was ok. This was part of my karmic wash.
Collective Karma Of The Land We Live On
When I first came to Vancouver 15 years ago, the first thing I did was look to connect with the people of this land. To feel the spirit of its original essence. So I set out to go to many ceremonies, sweat lodges and pow wows. One of the elders had a great sense of humour and pointed to me and said, she is the real “Indian."
I am sure many of you know the story of how Christopher Columbus wrongly thought America to be India, when he landed there. I was appalled by the arrogance of someone landing in a country and planting the flag there without making an attempt to know the people of the land. Even when I was younger I remember thinking that was ridiculous, when text books from British India thought it praise worthy. To make matters worse, Columbus did not even set foot in North America, which I later learnt. So even this mental imagery I had of a power hungry man discovering North America was not true. He landed in the Carribean islands and South America. He was a brutal viceroy, vandalising the native people. So that part was true. He kept a detailed diary and much was recorded. He was called back to Spain because of his inhumane acts and stripped of his position. His landing in the America's did mark the beginning of slavery and colonisation. So we have that to thank him for!! (sarcasm in case anyone missed it :)
Education That Confuses Creates Karmic Aberrations
I did not make the connection that this was a very old syllabus from the British era and only later connected the dots. In my heart I knew a real Indian would not find this praise worthy, so it confused me as to why it was there in textbooks in the first place. I felt a serious revamping of the syllabus was needed. Was I supposed to celebrate CC as the textbooks said or listen to my instincts? Cleaning out communication contributes to a good karmic wash.
I heard from the Kerala side of my family in India that they called certain diseases "pirangi punnu." This means, "the boils, warts or eczema of the foreigner," as they brought new diseases when they came to Cochin to trade spices and gems. Not satisfied to just trade, their greed made them want things for free and hence they went about manipulating, cheating and breaking trade agreements. Columbus wrote about the natives he met, that they were beautiful but dumb, since they were not violent and foolishly traded chicken for glass beads and could be easily subjugated.
Thankfully my grandfather fed me a good diet of Cosmos by Carl Sagan, Ramayan, Mahabaratha and his own progressive thinking. I developed my own understanding that anyone who did not show reverence was not on my ok list. Columbus did not make the cut.
The Three Indigenous Beauties
I have three Indegenous women in my courses - Meghan, Sabrina and Shaylene - and feel blessed that our cultures imbibe in us a love for the Creator and all of creation. It also teaches us to take a stand if some fail to do that. I will be periodically sharing stories from them in order to honour the culture and experiences of First Nations people in Canada.
I recently received a beautiful message from Shaylene, as I was praying on a story I was working on about an Indigenous person.
I then heard from Meghan who thanked me for writing about her people the present tense, rather than in the past tense, in one of my blog posts. She also brought to my awareness a statement I made more than seven months ago to her in private. I had said it in passing, about Indigenous men, and I saw the inappropriateness of that and apologised. Meghan was pleasantly surprised that the conversation was easy and I was happy to explain to her. In the past, I had made blanket statements not just about First Nations men but men in general. That needed to be looked at from my end. Though there was some truth to it and I saw a predominant pattern as I worked in the slums in Chennai, those generalizations had finished their uses and done their time.
There were humans that were willing to own their stuff, apologise and make amends and there were those who loved their chaos loops and were unwilling to let go of those patterns. It did not matter if they were men or women. I knew that so well in my heart, yet would sometimes let a blanket statement about men slip through. It was time to amp up my communication even further and expect good men and women to be around.
So we can cheer to not just being honourable, but getting more honourable humans into our inner circles.
With the Kali chanting I had asked for any of my unconscious habits to be seen and elevated and was happy that light was shone on things. I received what I prayed for.
Seeing the Similarities Between Indigenous Canadian and Indian Culture
The following exchange took place over messenger between myself and Shaylene...
Shaylene: I love ur sessions I never want them to end haha. I was just wondering the connection between my culture and yours on smudging? Do you use it as well and if so how? It’s new to me.. but I noticed a lot of connections between the cultures. So was just curious.
My Response: Yes, so many similarities ...constantly smudge my home with resins from India.... In India they also use a lot of dried herbs and leaves. I know sage and sweet grass is used in the native tradition. I have made some sage wands here for smudging.
Thanks and the sessions will never end...
Shaylene: Ooo that’s awesome! I love the connections. Not being raised in my culture it’s a gift to learn from something so similar.
Rasam Recipe
Rasam literally means “essence” or “juice.” In Indian classical dance there are nava rasa or “nine emotional essences” which are depicted through face, hand and body mudras. Drinking rasam or eating it with rice helps clear our nadis for us to experience the nine rasas so that they move through us, rather than stagnate. It also enables ras lila. Ras lila is the play or dance of the union of the jivathma or “individual consciousness” with the paramathma or “divine consciousness.”
In Indonesia rasa means “taste” and “aroma.” So let us embark on making rasam powder or rasa podi first and then in next week’s blog we will see how to make the full recipe.
For Rasam powder many different recipes are available. I did it with what lentils I had, substituting when needed. I also added 1 tbsp nigella or black cumin or kalonji and 1 tsp allspice, which are usually not used.
Roasting time: 5 to 6 mins
Blending time: 20 to 30 secs
Ingredients :
1/4 cup split yellow mung dal or tur dal
1/4 cup yellow split pea or channa dal
2 tbsp peppercorns
1 cup coriander seeds or 1/2 cup coriander powder
2 tbsp jeera seeds or powder
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tbsp nigella or black cumin or kalonji (optional)
1 tsp allspice (optional)
Method
Dry roast:
1/4 cup split yellow mung dal or tur dal
plus 1/4 cup yellow split pea or channa dal.
Traditionally only tur dal is used.
Once you smell that roasted smell and it is slightly brown, add in:
2 tbsp peppercorns
1 cup coriander seeds or 1/2 cup coriander powder
2 tbsp jeera, cumin seeds or cumin powder
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
Roast for a few more minutes.
It is better to add the whole cumin and coriander seeds than the powder as we want to coarse grind it.
Some add 1/4 tsp of hing or asafetida as well as 10 to 15 dry curry leaves.
I add the turmeric while I make the rasam rather than to the rasam powder and you can add 1 tbsp of turmeric as well if you want.
Then put everything in a blender and make it into a coarse powder.
Use powder to make rasam
Some add chillies too while roasting, but as kids we were not fed spicy food, so I usually skip it. You can add to taste. Usually twice the quantity of cumin and pepper is also added, so please add to taste. Next week I will give the recipe for making rasam using this powder.
