Forget the outcome.

Forget the outcome. Karma yoga, one of the 4 paths of yoga. Karma means ”action” in Sanskrit and the essence of Karma Yoga is to improve yourself by choosing the path of taking actions without expecting any outcome. So for example doing the right thing without expecting a reward for it.
You know how we talk about making good and bad decisions all the time? Karma Yoga teaches you that there is no such things as good or bad decisions, because you don’t know what the outcome will be – yet. Sometimes making a bad decision will lead to something good, and vice versa. You just don’t know yet, so no point in deciding now if it is black or white, it is neither. You can control your decisions and your actions but not the outcome.
So what about my decision to start my YTT? To be or not to be a yoga teacher?
Of course, this is the question people ask me most since I started my 200Hr YTT. If I am going to be a yoga teacher once I graduate. My answer is never the same. Some days I feel strongly that I will, some days I am not entirely sure. There are days I wish I knew already what the future holds for me. But in the end I realize every single time that it doesn’t matter that I don’t know the answer – yet. I started this journey for myself, to learn more about yoga, to learn more about myself. And I really did and still am (and will for the rest of my life). I love practising yoga, wether it is asanas or pranayamas (breathing techniques) or trying to use all these tools I have been given to be a better version of myself. And this is what matters right now. Forget about the outcome. Who knows what will happen?
If someone had told me 5 years ago I would be moving to Singapore one day and doing a YTT course, I would have laughed and told them they were crazy! Life is an adventure that never ceases to suprise me! Every single decision I have made (”good” or ”bad”) led me to where I am today. For better or for worse 🙂
Letting go of the outcome is a great way for me to let go of the stress, the pressure I can put on myself with very high expectations. I can focus on my actions and what I can control, for the rest, we will have to wait and see!
”The wise man lets go of all results, wether good or bad, and is focused on the action alone” Bhagavad Gita
Kali – 200Hr Weekday Nov 2014.
PS: I have made another decision though. I will continue this journey in the 300Hr course, starting at the beginning of 2015. I don’t know what the outcome will be. And I am ok with that. One thing I know for sure is that I am enjoying the process very much (though it is very tough sometimes!) and I don’t want it stop yet 🙂