While in the midst of studying reincarnation I came upon the companion belief of “Karma” Karma is an eastern religious term that means actions and the results of action. The concept suggests we may be either rewarded or punished for actions in a previous life, or in our present life. . The law of karma acts like a cosmic sense of justice. Every action has an effect. For example, suppose someone is visiting the beach. That person sees a woman drowning and saves her. Because of the karmic effects of this action, someone may someday save that person’s life or he/she will rewarded in some way.
On the other hand if a thief steals a poor man’s walled containing his last ten dollars. Someone may steal from the the thief.
The lazy way to do research is to turn to Wikipedia and I am, at this particular moment, feeling lazy. The Wikipedia explanation of the phenomena adds new dimension. The following words are from Wikipedia.
“The theory of karma can be thought to be an extension to Newton’s third law of action and reaction where every action of any kind including words, thoughts feelings, the totality of our existence, will eventually have a reaction, same type of energy coming back to the one that caused it. It implies that absolutely nothing exists, which does not comply with the law of cause and effect. On the scale of the Universe it would imply absolute determinism of all actions, feelings, thoughts and developments for the past and for the future making both calculable, if the current state of the Universe would be known fully.
In terms of spiritual development, Karma is about all that a person has done, is doing and will do. Karma is not about punishment or reward. It makes a person responsible for their own life, and how they treat other people.
The “Theory of Karma” is a major belief in Hinduism, Ayyavazhi, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism. All living creatures are responsible for their karma – their actions and the effects of their actions.”
Wikipedia goes on to give some interesting examples.
“The process of action and reaction on all levels—physical, mental and spiritual—is karma. One must pay attention to thoughts, because thought can make karmas—good, bad and mixed.”
“I say kind words to you, and you feel peaceful and happy. I say harsh words to you, and you become ruffled and upset. The kindness and the harshness will return to me, through others, at a later time. Finally, what I give is what I get back.”
“An architect thinks creative, productive thoughts while drawing plans for a new building. But were he to think destructive, unproductive thoughts, he would soon not be able to accomplish any kind of positive task even if he desired to do so.”
I have been terribly wronged in my life – so one could say that karma was not working for me. I have been abused, embezzled, cheated upon, neglected and ignored. My goodness the list can go on and on. But, at this moment in my life – things are working out. I would expansively say that I have good karma at this moment in time.
This is a rather strange example. I took antidepressants for years but in April of 2015 I developed a systemic allergic reaction to the drug and was abruptly weaned from it. I was living in London at the time but flew home to Marin for medical treatment. It is a complicated story but I learned that antidepressants were not indicated, I never should have been taking them. But suddenly I was plagued by horrible fears. One of the most poignant and memorable was when I saw a huge dog and began screaming in fear and terror. Poor Colette was there for that one. My amazing doctor put it together for me – the antidepressant had actually been prescribed to Iraqi soldiers suffering from post traumatic stress. For years and years I had been ‘protected’. Now I do not have that protection. It has not been fun but I have soldiered on.
But people that know me well and have seen me suffer would have fainted and died at a certain scene that took place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. I was sitting on the bench outside my building with another tenant and her dog – large white scary Pluto. Pluto lets me pet her head, she does not let any one else pet her head. We have a strange bond. When I first saw this dog I would run in fear, could not even be on the same floor as the dog, now the elevator, the bench in front of the apartment. So I am not sure what happened here. It could be karma. Sir Richard has observed my gradual improvement but even he would have fainted and died seeing me on the bench yesterday. The dog’s owner has been most helpful and she paved the way but something else happened. I guess I will call it karma. I do try to give out good vibes, not particularly to dogs, but in general. I think of the two people that embezzled me – I used to wish them bad karma as I lent them money to help them (or their causes) out of the goodness of my heart. I do not need money, so perhaps my helpfulness, my reaching out to them. is being rewarded in other ways. By being able to pat Pluto’s head. By the way, Pluto is a pit bull. Nice doggy. I will’ get her owner to take a picture of us together so that you doubters can see – ‘those of little faith.’
It is rather riveting that not a great deal is known about the treatment of post traumatic stress episodes. But the victim is never to try and remember why or reflect upon the past trauma. So I am not to think about why I am terrified of big dogs, nor my extreme fear of heights or water. For years and years I was in therapy with a woman who tried to make me remember my trauma. It was a huge disservice and she did it for her own ‘gain’. I accidentally saw her when I was visiting Marin in 2018. She is riddled with pain from osteoporosis, can no longer work and her creative talents have dried up. She was a poet of some standing. Whereas, I am extremely fit, do not have to work because of my retirement income, and write constantly – with a huge blog following to my credit. Score another one to karma. I sometimes suffer pain seeing what happens to people who have harmed me. I stand aside, watch from the sidelines and see them do themselves in. I guess I am watching the effects of karma.
