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Karma, as we saw in the previous three blog posts in this series, is a simple cause and effect, yet has many nuances. The previous blogs also had the different classifications of karma. As you can see it is a topic worth delving into and understanding clearly. It is not simplistic, yet is simple. When we see karma as something we can influence through our thoughts, words and actions as well as collectively, we start taking responsibility for our lives.
However it is used in the wrong context many times and is often misinterpreted. It is not a concept to be used as a way of victim blaming or shaming, as I have seen many times, or to be used as an excuse to bypass practical solutions and systems.
“New age” principles also get mixed in which only causes more confusion. The new age saying that “everyone we meet is a mirror for something within us” is a classic case of distorting what karma means.
Differentiating Between Simple And Simplistic
Simple is clean and easy to comprehend. Simplistic is when we forget the inherent nuances and try to over simplify things. This happens at the cost of losing depth or, worse, totally getting the wrong end of the stick, which can cause harm. Let us take a common saying that is floating around in the internet yoga circles these days. Thanks to Covid-19, I am on my computer a lot more and see that these oversimplifications can actually harm more than help. I saw this saying posted this week:
"Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves. Everyone is our mirror. Our own reflection in others shows us not only who we are but how to be better.”
This statement has been thrown around a lot, especially when I teach in the Western world’s circles where new age concepts proliferate. The example I give is of visiting the mirror room when I was a kid, at fairs in India. There would be a specific room with all sorts of mirrors. Regular ones too but mostly ones that will distort you to look fatter, taller, wavy or just plain crazy. If I did not have a sense of self I would have been crying, self flogging or in self doubt all day instead of having a good laugh.
The lens through which people perceive a subject or you, are prone to the distortions of their conditioning. For example, in a group of self righteous alcohol guzzlers or cocaine users, one who does not drink or use cocaine will be the wimp if he/she does not know how to stand their ground or ignore bullying. It does not make the drinker's perception of a non-drinker right, just because they reflect it. That is a distorted mirror right there.
Yet for the non-drinker, applying the first part of the statement ("Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.”) may pave the way for him to see his irritation, receive its message, step back, conserve energy, not get enmeshed and have better boundaries. Or if he chooses to dialogue, that‘s another choice. And should anyone in the self righteous group choose to apply the first part of the above quote then they can see why a non-drinker seems so irritating or threatening that he/ she needs to be scoffed at.
So while the first part of the statement is useful for self reflection for both parties. The second part of the statement (“Everyone is our mirror. Our own reflection in others shows us not only who we are but how to be better.”) is just smoke and mirrors.
The people who will actually benefit from it a lot are the ones who are aggressive, picking fights, being self righteous or stuck up and they will be the ones least inclined to apply the first or second part. They will be most resistant to feedback even if many mirrors reflect back that they are off balance.
I have seen the above saying used in ways that can be very damaging as well and do not subscribe to that. For example: victim shaming, bypassing, bullying or toxic anger where the bully is prioritised over the victim, force feeding non-dual concepts when separation and space are needed, etc.
Here is another common concept to consider:
“People Come Into Your Life For A Reason.”
Sometimes some people come into my Facebook life just to be blocked. Either they use yoga as a way to flirt or get too familiar with me or are uncouth and aggressive even after I politely communicate what specific things are not ok with me. Yet there have been situations where I have gone out of my way to be kind and harmonise. Some take the above statement and interpret it in a way to justify staying in abusive relationships or, worse still, pressuring a friend or family to do so. So the above statement is surely worth looking into from different angles and not only from the angle of our own biases.
So each statement needs to be explored from the premise of self-awareness. However, if trauma prevents clear seeing then you will have to rely on the perception of a trusted other. So you will need to take the support of a good guide. That is why in a yoga life the tools, principle and one's life are structured to accept and release deeper layers of submerged emotions for clear seeing. These constitute one's shadows which fogs one's lenses. And because one's lenses are fogged, they will be more likely to believe that is the reality and gaslight others into accepting their projections. This will create a downward spiral of hurt and pain as the one with the suppressed emotions uses the slightest instance to project these emotions onto others, rather than process them. And there we have the perfect recipe for injustice which creates negative karma.
Karma Yoga
Karma yoga is the principle of action that leads us to union. So selfless service towards all unites us. However we need to check in so that it is not a mantle hanging over our heads but a heart that is happy to serve, seeing the divinity in all. The blog from last week was dedicated to one such karma yogi Carollyne who was a big sister and associate to Satyen. You can read more in last week's blog about that.
Here too, if one is not careful, like the above concepts we can approach it in a simplistic way. And then we might neglect ourselves and our lives serving others. This concept of karma yoga is so ingrained in my mother that a big portion of it she does from the heart, yet there is a part that also feels guilty for not doing enough and so there is a push to do more at her own expense. I have to be very careful to catch those family patterns in myself. So self-awareness is the key to dealing with karma and having the awareness to see that every concept can be used in unhealthy ways. Similarly, cultivating discernment through the Arkaya practices which will prevent us from creating a thicker veil of deception. The less clear our lens, the more karma we accumulate.
Rasanai For Rasam - Digestive & Immunity Builder
Rasam = essence; also a thin soup like dish drunk on its own or added to rice and eaten.
Rasanai = a Tamil word to indicate cultivating appreciation for something that is worthy.
Please refer to the blog from December 2020 for a recipe of rasam powder. For traditional rasam you have to coarsely grind the powder. I like to grind a version that is very finely ground as I like to add it to the dal or lentils and keep it a bit thicker rather than thin like rasam. Living alone, I do not feel inspired to make saambar, another lentil dish as well, so the thicker version gives me the best of both dishes.
Traditionally rasam is thin and rasa means “essence.” So it is a sour spiced broth to nourish and heal. There are as many versions of rasam as people in Tamil Nadu where I am from :)
The distinct varieties, apart from the regular one are:
tomato rasam,
garlic rasam,
mysore rasam,
pappu rasam or thick lentil rasam,
lemon rasam, mango rasam,
jeeraga pepper rasam or cumin seed pepper rasam,
ingi (ginger) rasam for the winter and to prevent colds,
pineapple rasam,
moringa rasam,
orange rasam,
kalyana or marriage rasam and
buttermilk rasam (I have made buttermilk rasam with watered down coconut yogurt).
There are lesser known ones like:
beetroot rasam,
apple rasam,
vegetable rasam,
plum rasam,
vayathandu or plantain stem rasam,
vepanpu rasam or the neem blossom rasam,
pudina or mint rasam,
raw mango rasam,
pomegranate rasam,
duvadhasi/poricha fasting rasam,
kollu or horsegram rasam,
venthiyam or fenugreek rasam,
nellikai/amla gooseberry rasam,
watermelon rasam,
kambu or pearl millet rasam,
vethalai or betel leaves rasam and
mudakathan keerai (medicinal greens) rasam.
I listed them so you know a few varieties and the years that have gone into perfecting it. In Kerala there is also banana peel rasam. Some say the newer variants are from the sixteenth century as tomatoes came into India through trade and were not traditionally grown there. In fact some ayurvedic doctors say it is the toxic fruit from the new world and too much can cause inflammation. The older variations are over 2,000 years old yet very relevant and healthy especially during covid times.
The basic idea is to boil a tiny quantity of dal, add the mashed dal and lots of water and spices we ground up with a sour ingredient. The perfect balance of the sour with the spice makes for good rasam. Some variants even use a tiny bit of jaggery. Tamarind is used traditionally as the sour agent but lemon, kokum, raw mango or its powder can be used instead to create varieties. More recently tomatoes are also being used. Always end by adding the tempered mustard seeds plus chopped coriander leaves, sometimes adding jeera as well to tempering and adding it to rasam in the end. Some do this in the beginning as well in the pan and then add other ingredients to it.
What is Tempering ?
In most of Indian cuisine the "tadka" in Hindi or "thalichal" in Tamil is an essential part of cooking. Spices and herbs are added to hot oil or ghee to not just extract the flavours but make nutrients more bio available to the body. When you temper mustard wait a minute till it crackles and when the outer shell bursts open then add cumin seeds. It will give off a distinct aroma. Add cut cilantro to the tempering and toss all of it in the rasam. You can add curry leaves and, if not available, just add coriander leaves. I love the crackling sound, the aromas and their medicine being released into the hot oil :)
Perfect Immunity Builder And Digestive
The spices used in Rasam like turmeric, pepper, ginger, cumin, fenugreek, mustard, curry leaves, coriander leaves and tamarind or lemon juice are immune boosters. Many use garlic as well and if you are on a sattvic diet you can skip that.
That is why a Tamil chef in the U.S., named Arun, is marketing Rasam as an immunity builder during these Covid-19 times and it has become a big hit.
In our next blog we will look at Rasam recipes.
Rasam