Karma
The simple meaning of Karma is ‘action’. But the concept of karma lies deep in our psyche and has a profound effect on our lives and the lives of those around us, especially our family. The principle of karma is not about punishment, but it is about accountability. Most of us do something or think something and if there is no immediate consequence we assume that our actions never have consequences, but that is not the case. Karma basically says, ‘you get away with nothing – but the consequences may show up sometime later’.
Sadhguru says it like this, without any complexity: “The way I am now is my own making. The way I will be tomorrow is also my own making.” And this is the most dynamic way to exist. He gives the example of encountering a malnourished child, which illustrates our collective karma, for it is our doing. As a society, as a generation, we have not done what we needed to do to nourish that child. Maybe we did not produce that child and it is the consequence of two other people’s karma; but it is also our karma for every time we see a child suffering some pain happens within us and we cannot escape it. This is our karma.
This is not all bad news. Once we start realising the enormous consequences of our thoughts, actions and behaviours we could see the dawn of a great new level of possibility, a conscious planet.
Last week I attended a 5-day seminar in London with Chuck Spezzano. It was great to reconnect with an old friend and his teaching was masterful. Much of our group work involved seeing patterns in our families and recognising the energy that started many generations before. But we could go back with our gifts and shift the patterns and the karma. Then we were asked to recognise that we have most likely passed the patterns on to our children who now carry the ancestral karma.
This principle was well understood by the wise men of India. Historically, a king or ruler would have a sage sire his children to help them escape the karma of the ruler and whatever they had done to achieve and maintain their position, and so their children would break the karmic link. Needless to say, that strategy is no longer necessary with the advent of democracy to elect leaders.
I often wonder about people who have been involved in conflicts with massive levels of civilian deaths such as in the recent events in the Middle East. What enormous waves of karma are being introduced into the society, perpetuating the idea that wars can be won?
People often ask me to describe the work I do. My short answer is to bring understanding to why bad things happen to nice people. The even shorter answer is karma. We can become conscious of our karma, but we can’t escape it until we can achieve and maintain a level of bliss, for living in a state of bliss puts us above the effects of beliefs. This bliss is best attained in the presence of others and is a product of our love. Let us help each other to escape our karma and reach a level of consciousness that makes us and those around us safe and happy.
With love,
Jeff