Karma Revised - Part I

Karma is a universal law encapsulated in the statement “as you sow so shall you reap”.  It can be found in almost every holy book, often referred to as the Law of Cause and Effect, or the Law of Karma.  Newton discovered that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, which Albert Einstein confirmed. It is also important to remind oneself that this principle affects every area of my life.  Karma literally means action.  At every moment we are presented with a choice – to choose good over evil, to be kind or rude, to move slow or fast, to make things simple or complicated and so on.  And depending on what action we take, we receive the return of that. It’s that simple!  Do good and you get something good in return.  Give love and you are showered with love. If you criticize others, you will be criticized.  If you steal, you will be stolen from.  If you lie and cheat, you will be cheated and lied to; and not necessarily in the same area – for example, if you cheat in business, perhaps your wife will cheat on you at home! But isn’t it interesting that during these setbacks and losses, it’s not so easy to accept the outcome.  And I have the audacity to question, “Why me”? or “How is this possible?”  Why do I not question “Why me?” when I win the lottery? When I don’t get love and respect, I wonder why not and very often point the finger at the opposite party.  I am not able to consider for a minute that perhaps I could be the guilty (and lazy!) party!  One who has not put in enough hard work to make positive things happen.  Have I stopped to check the quality of my actions as well as my purity of intention before I question my ‘bad luck’? I can only get back what I put out; if I plant tomato seeds I can’t expect turnips!  If I am enjoying warm loving friendships today, then I must have tilled the soil in the field of relationships well.  If I am slim and slender, it must be because I am exercising daily or regulating my calorie intake.  If I am successful in my career, it’s probably due to years of hard work and continuous effort.  The life I am living today is a consequence of my previous actions, i.e. yesterday’s actions… and today is also soon to become yesterday… tomorrow! It is a wonder why people bother cheating in schools or in business – do they not realise that the universal justice system is at work all the time!  Even when no one is looking.  Just as there is a long gap between the sowing of the seed and the harvesting of the fruit, so too there is a long gap between the actions performed and the resulting outcomes.  Thus, one is unable to see the damage one’s actions has on oneself. I may feel I have escaped the police or the examiner, but it is only a matter of time before all seeds yield ‘fruit’; one’s karma will always catch up with them in their lifetime. Karma teaches us that we have a choice and with choice comes responsibility.  Therefore, do God a favour and keep Him out of the equation.  The pain or pleasure I am experiencing is a result of my action, and karma teaches me that I can turn that ‘vicious’ cycle into a ‘virtuous’ one – the seeds are all in my hands to sow! It’s time… to till the soil of your mind, to remove the weeds of unwanted feelings and undesired outcomes.  You are the master of your mind and thus you can choose to create the results you seek; plant wholesome seeds of positive and powerful thoughts in all areas of your life.  Then sit back and watch the fruits appear… but be patient… for unripe fruit only causes indigestion! Look forward to Part II  next week – we will discuss the different ways in which we create Karma and how to settle our Karmic debts! Share these thoughts! It’s Time is spreading far and wide!  Feel free to forward this wisdom, but to avoid any karmic rebound, please acknowledge its source –  ‘It’s Time’ by Aruna Ladva, BK Publications London