Motives Make a Difference

From the Sacred India Tarot, the Page of Arrows (Swords); from the Land Sky Oracle, Devotion (Hanuman):

Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus.

―Alexander Graham Bell

Nakula and Sahadeva were twins who were exceptionally bright and knowledgeable in every field of study. Although they demonstrated their bravery during war, they were rarely in the limelight and were mentioned more as "supporting actors" in the Mahabharata. The young and overly ambitious over focus on rewards instead of the task at hand, but like the twins, we must all put in the effort and time in order to fully develop our skills before we receive acknowledgement. As researcher Dr. Agata Ludwiczak wrote, "High rewards are not enough to ensure people put in the effort they need to achieve their targets." When we're busy fantasizing about the fruits, we're not very diligent farmers. Devotion is illustrated with Hanuman, the Hindu god of the monkeys, devoted himself to the service of Rama (incarnation of Vishnu). Rather than looking for any reward, his dedication and assistance was based in devotion and faithfulness. Motives make a difference.

The Devil and Devotion

This week I'll be using the Sacred India Tarot, a deck and book set created by Rohit Arya with Jane Adams and published by Yogi Impressions. Along with it, I'll be using Theresa Hutch's Land Sky Oracle: A Journey Through Patanjali's 8 Limbs of Yoga, now published by U.S. Games. Today's draws are the Devil and Devotion:

One should battle Mara with the sword of insight.

~Dhammapada

India does not really have a Devil, but it does have Mara - the personification of the ego-bound part of us that craves pleasure and becomes frustrated when it isn't in our grasp. Our inner Mara is sly, using nicely wrapped packaging that hides the poison inside. It may be a gift of rage cloaked by justification, over-indulgence concealed as self-care, or arrogance and sanctimoniousness disguised as scholarship or spirituality. We can't eliminate Mara, but we can learn to see through his tricks. Hanuman represents devotion due to his spiritual love for Rama as recounted in the Ramayana. A steadfast companion, he helped Rama retrieve his kidnapped wife from a demon king. Hanuman asks if the deeds we do for others are simply out of kindness or if we are seeking attention and accolades. True devotion would reflect the words of the Bhagavad Gita: do your duty, but do not concern yourself with the results.