Do You Believe in Karma

There is a destiny that makes us brothers -

None goes his way alone;

All that which we send into the lives of others,

Comes back onto our own.

~ Edwin Markham ~

Yesterday I overheard a couple of our female clients talking.  It seems that another client had somehow taken advantage of the kindness of the one client, and she was feeling quite depressed.  "Don't worry about it.  Remember, what goes around comes around.  She'll get what's coming to her."  I wondered, do they even know what karma is or do they say it, just to say it?

What goes around comes around is a saying that I have heard since  my earliest memories.  It was one of my mom's favorite sayings. Not that she believed in reincarnation and karma, but she did think that no matter what someone did to you, just knowing that they would get their would make me feel better.  So, as a child, whenever a classmate wronged me, and that was quite often,  I would sit around and wait for the same ill fate to fall upon them, but it never seemed to come around.  I know that makes me sound like a mean, vindictive child, but the truth was, I was the oddball of the class, and my classmates were very mean to me.  Teasing really hurts and its effects can haunt you for the rest of your life, but enough about that.  I have already veered far off the original topic of this post. 

The Bible says,  What ye sow, so shall ye reap!.  For every action there is an opposite and equal reaction.  Karma means action or acts of the will.   but a common misperception of karma is that it is a predetermined fate, that one will get what they deserve and there is not a thing they can do about of.  And, while there is a widespread familiarity with the idea of karma, it is all too often only associated with negative consequences, yet new acts of kindness, generosity, and selfless service will also come back to us.  

Karma means action or acts of the will in Sanskrit. The Hindu believe that Karma governs all action, vibration, thoughts, and all dimensions of time and space. For every action there is an opposite and equal reaction.  Karma is a chain of causation which stretches way  back into the infinity of our past, and henceforth, is destined to stretch into the infinity of our future.  As humans, we build our own destiny through our thoughts and actions.  When one is positive, the destiny will be positive.  Negative actions bring negative energy.  Compassion begets love.  Love begets love.  In order to be compassionate, we need to love one another because without love we cannot develop compassion. 

Discussing this topic has stirred up some memories, so before closing so I can get my butt in gear, I'd like to share a little history with you.    I think it must have something to do with growing older. The first time I was ever introduced to the concept of karma and reincarnation was in my late teens when I discovered the works of Annie Wood Besant,  activist, mystic, and one of the original theosophists and supporter of Helena Blavatsky.  It was Annie who introduced new terms like etheric body into the theosophical literature, and despite it being somewhat difficult reading, I just could not get enough.  And if I had to pinpoint that very moment that I stepped forth on my chosen path, it would be when I had been introduced to the Theosophical Society and Annie Besant.  Of course, it would be many, many years before I found my true path of Druidism, but it was way back then that I discovered that there was more out there besides traditional religion...and I have never looked back.

"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion." - Dalai Lama.