Theos-Talk Archives (December 1998 Message tl00071)

Namaste' Alan, Kym and all,

 after reading your thoughts and feelings, I find confusion to be the
order of the day, Karma has been adopted by Western Society in
many guises, if I may add my small input in this area.

 I have listened to people blame everything from bad weather to the
sad outcomes of wars, to the impersonal levels of Karma. In the
absence of more insight into the ways of impersonal Karma, I like
most of us, accept that this is an ordered Universe and as such, it
must find its own balance. So, I would accept; as most others do,
that impersonal Karma is the best explanation we can adopt in the
absence of more insights into the workings of this realm.

 But, I fail to see where we can put our society with its attitudes on
various subjects, into the same classification. I listen to so many
people equate Karma to good or bad deeds, this to me reflects that
these people work from a Christian attitude relating Karma to the
ideas of Sinful deeds etc. I feel that this misses the subtlety of the
system we call personal Karma.

 I hear many ideas on cause and effect, but I never see anyone
address the real cause. It is noted that an action will draw a
reaction, even science has found that, but we seem to be
preoccupied with the action, perhaps because we are physical
beings, it could explain this attitude of looking at actions.

 I look at this issue of personal Karma, in an Indian view, the Indian
approach; as I understand it, is to realize that we are not physical
beings in our true form. So if you can follow my thread of thought, it
then follows that the action we refer to as the seat of Karma, is in
fact the reaction to the real cause of personal Karma. The real
state of our being, is a conscious mind that is eternal, so if any
personal Karma were to apply, it must come from our minds.

 To be on this list; to me anyway, shows that we wish to
understand the truth about the Mysteries of life, so if I present this
proposal of my understanding on personal Karma, then you in turn
think negative thoughts about my ideas, then you have just caused
your own negative personal Karma that you must resolve eventually.

If you were to respond to my email in a responsible intelligent
manner or not, it would only be the reaction to the personal Karma
you have already committed. We often find in the words of the
Sages, the reference to us being products of our thoughts, (a good
example is in the first line of the Dhammapada; "What we are
today comes from our thoughts ......... ! ) This would then mean
that the idea of "Do unto others ..... !" really has nothing to do with
personal Karma.

 So, when I read from you Kym, on the physical actions of these
people to the jews etc. etc. I can't help thinking, "does this person
really understand what personal Karma really is ? or are most of
the people who speak of personal Karma, like yourself and look at
what others do in the physical, but neglect to consider the real
personal Karma of thought. (Not personal Kym, just an example)

 Therefore, if we are to negate our personal Karma, then we must
forget our actions, and concentrate our thoughts on higher things. If
the lower spiritually evolved individuals wish to do unto others, then
let them evolve from that point, but for those of us who are on a
quest to negate personal Karma, let us watch our thoughs in order
to grow.

 Just my thoughts, I just felt like sharing them. I do thank you all
for being here, it is interesting to see so many of you who really
care. I sit here next to my cross, waiting for the nailers.

 "What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday,
     & our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow:
           our life is the creation of our mind."

                   Buddha (The Dhammapada)

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