The Law of Karma

[sister goshe]

There was a time in my life when I was not consciously aware and karma seemed obscure. Consequences, good or bad, seemed not to occur in direct relationship with the causes. As a matter of fact - all the consequences of a long past seem to have been built up and happened all at once. It was devastating, yet awakening.

Since that time, I witness much more often almost immediate Karma, like in the Twelfth insight. It is however, most often a spiritual phenomenon for me - a sense of peace or anxiety, an invitation to spend time with someone, or cancelled plans.

Rarely do I experience material Karma, although I can say that when I was donating money to Food for the Hungry, a non-profit organization feeding the hungry of the world, I had frequent dinner invitations.

I have a hard time believing that my level of income, which I admit to hoping for more, is low due to anything like trying to manipulate people for money. Nor can I accept that all people who make money are getting it Karmically because they are all doing a great good. This may be the case for Mr. Redfield, but certainly incomes cannot be equated to Karma as a general rule, can they?

On that note, do you all believe EVERYTHING is Karmic? Perhaps they are but the timing of Karma isn't always immediate? Consider Job of the Old Testament.
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Sister G0$he

[SL]

Hi,
just saw this.
I personally do not feel everything is karmic.
I think cause and effect, however obscure or chaotic that may appear to be, is always going on simultaneously with karma. I think they are like the sides of a coin.

Someone who works in public education as you do is a great example of this.

What we can observe all around us is that most of the time, those who go into a career or path that is a conceptually service-oriented activity (like teaching or nursing) do not make a lot of money. This isn't karmic, this is the result of cause and effect. If you are oriented to serve others, seek a higher meaning in this world that is based on material and orientation towards self, it will be difficult to achieve material success.

People like Redfield give financial hope to so many people who at their base level do desire that higher level of fulfillment and purpose in life. They, by the very experience of their lives, show how one can 'manifest' a comfortable physical existence through helping others in their journeys.
But everyone has their 'something'. If you live paycheck to paycheck you have issues that confront your self-esteem thru the experience of 'lack' and if you have a cash-rich existence you have the same self-esteem issues.

We've had the chance to spend time with Steve Maraboli, the guy whose radio show James is a regular guest on, at a couple of weekend gatherings. One time, he told the group why he asked James to be a regular on the show. The reason was that very few of the famous spiritual authors that he had on the show exhibited the behavior of what they write about, off the microphone. James was himself, on-air as well as off-air.

My point in bringing that up was that in Maraboli's description of his experiences with these people he related anecdotes of things he'd witnessed. The stories were all pretty much the same kind of stuff you hear about insecure, highly paid athletes and movie stars.
I just want to point out with that the impact our material lives have upon our spiritual practice, and that no matter what our bank accounts look like, at the end of the day, we're all dealing with those issues of identity and self-worth. Why do people like that act as spoiled brats? They don't feel worthy of the circumstances they are in.

You see what I mean? People who have stuff feel like they don't deserve that stuff and people without stuff feel like they don't deserve no stuff. Both problems are the same and both start from wanting what is 'out there'.

Do I believe in karma? Sure, but I think it is like a bad diet. Can a healthy person go out and eat pancakes out of pre-made batter at an International House of Pancakes and not die? I hope so! But can you eat like that every day every meal and expect to not develop diabetes or some other systemic health-related issue? Clearly not.

We do what we do, and we create a dynamic in our lives that leads us this way or that. If you repeatedly steal - things, money or ideas - then at some point you will reap that crop you plant with those kinds of activities.

There are no secrets in the universe and energy does balance.

However, the Buddha spoke of stepping off of the karmic wheel. The idea of synchronicity is that the universe shows you through those mysterious events and occurrences where the debarkation points from a karmic existence are (which is based on good vs evil, separation from God etc.), and where they point to life in the flow of the larger Process (which is where the experience of Unity consciousness is).

[sister goshe]

Debarkation points from the karmic wheel...? I was raised Christian, but I would love to know more about this, if you could elaborate please. This seems like an example of the 12th Insight again- how different religions emphasize different parts... Christianity speaks little of Karma... and I've never heard of debarkation points. How can you debark?
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Sister G0$he

[carolyn]

We are allowed to let go of our karma during the present accelerated phase of evolution. And that would be all karma, both "good and bad". What one is left with is choices and consequences. We are here for one reason and that is to learn how to control our energy, to shape our lives as we want them to be. You will create your own reality, and be careful what you send out to others because it will be rebounding back to you. Love begets love, and hate begets hate.

Since the Earth is ascending to the fifth dimension it will no longer be a karmic school of learning. From what I understand those who still need to learn by karmic lessons will transition to another planet in the universe more compatible with their needs and continue to evolve at their own pace.

We are all heading for the same destination eventually and have the right to choose our own path and the dramas we wish to experience. Not everyone chooses to leave the circus at the same time. Some choose to stay for the fun of it or for interest. In the end it is all for learning.

[sister goshe]

Sounds like Lost, the television show.
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Sister G0$he

[carolyn]

Yes it does sound like the television show! Karma is defined as the sum of a person's actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences.

But from what I understand we can let go consciously of what we came in with unless it is a physical disability of some kind. And you can decide not to have an experience you may have chosen to come back for, by consciously choosing another path.

Every night you can take back all the harm you have done in thought, word, and deed to others that day. If you do not do this it tends to accumulate as negative energy and is headed back to you. Whatever you send out to the universe by way of thoughts and beliefs comes back to you.

The universe is like a magic machine that responds to your energy and creates your reality from your thoughts and ideas about what you want to happen in your lifetime. Your fears can create your reality too, because you are focusing on that reality that you FEAR MIGHT HAPPEN.

Creating your own reality DOES play a large part, and that requires disciplining your own thoughts and feelings, looking inward at yourself, changing some attitudes, dealing with your fears. It is an ongoing learning experience, focusing on your own thoughts and feelings as you go along. We learn as we go along. It has to be experienced. When you have learned all the answers about how to control your own creative energy, you get to graduate to the next energy level.

As you work with your own energy and become a source of positive energy your aura brightens and becomes larger. You become like a little sun in the world radiating a positive influence on the planet and collective consciousness just by being in the world. Continually affirm love, joy, peace, abundance, and perfect health for yourself and all others, and so it will be.

This is an ongoing journey of learning no matter what energy level you are at. The journey and learning are ongoing from one dimension to the next until you arrive home. Ultimately it is the ONE that we have called God that is collecting all the lessons we learn and it is the ONE who is learning from all the experiences in creation. The ONE spirit is in all things and sees through all eyes. We are that ONE spirit, the children of the ONE, sparks of the Divine.
This is among the first lessons my Guides and Angels taught when the connection first manifested. It is a different way to be.