When one is attached to family, profession, tending house etc, the decision to walk the path to enlightenment and the surrender of those attachments is classically called Karma Yoga. Karma yoga means to do all of one’s work while in “Krishna Consciousness” or in layman’s terms – holding God in mind as the Supreme Controller of everything and letting go of identification with “the (seeming) doer” of the work. Thus all seeming benefits and drawbacks of one’s work are surrendered to God. The work itself is not surrendered, as in, seeking enlightenment does not entail stopping work, but all attachment to the outcomes of said work are surrendered. The results of one’s work are up to the Supreme.
The inner experience of knowing God is Supreme. It transcends all the “perks” and “drawbacks” of any kind of work. The Love of God is Supreme to all kinds of love that flow from it; it transcends the entire world. Thus, through Karma Yoga, can one go about one’s usual business, while learning to surrender the world of appearances altogether.
Darcie French 