8.21.2018

Karma (once again)

What is Karma? It came up recently in a discussion and I just wanted to think about it again more deeply...

By the Dictionary's definition:

kar·ma
ˈkärmə/
noun
noun: karma
  1. (in Hinduism and Buddhism) the sum of a person's actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences.
    • informal
      destiny or fate, following as effect from cause.
Origin
from Sanskrit karman ‘action, effect, fate.’


Now, I know in some viewpoints, if you do something bad or wrong, the thought is that the negative energy from that wrong will go back to the person (times 3 if you're in Wicca/Witchcraft/etc). Sometimes in this life or perhaps in a future one.

I had posted a blog on this back in June of 2013, when I was getting divorced - here's the link:
https://notjustawitch.blogspot.com/2013/06/karma.html

OR you can read it again here:

Karma

So I was reading some comments on a facebook post about what Karma is. So, I know how I think of it but wanted to google it and see what else is out there...

http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/karma.htm

Some parts stuck out to me, like:
 In other words, it is the result of our own past actions and our own present doings. We ourselves are responsible for our own happiness and misery. We create our own Heaven. We create our own Hell. We are the architects of our own fate.
and
"We are the heirs of our own actions." 
and
Karma does not necessarily mean past actions. It embraces both past and present deeds. Hence in one sense, we are the result of what we were; we will be the result of what we are. In another sense, it should be added, we are not totally the result of what we were; we will not absolutely be the result of what we are. The present is no doubt the offspring of the past and is the present of the future, but the present is not always a true index of either the past or the future; so complex is the working of Karma. 
 I didn't read all of it, but once I move I'm going to. Very interesting...

I do believe in soul journeys. That we experience things right here, right now, to either learn something or teach something. Whether we necessarily understand that or not, our soul is absorbing and disbursing knowledge, etc as we cycle through.

Ok, deep enough for the moment!! I need to do laundry :)
I will say, wishing someone else harm because one's feelings are hurt or one's life is not moving the direction one wants it, is not the same as Karma. Wishing Karma to smack down someone because they are causing harm seems more relevant possibly. I am not going to get into the what is harm by one perspective or another, that is what the universe decides in many cases.

Really though, each person is responsible for *their own* happiness or misery - that is a major point I wished more people focused on. I can not make someone else happy, my son, my love, my friends or coworkers. I can only make *myself* happy. I do not derive my happiness from others. What I have learned, is that we, as friends/family/lovers/coworkers, can *share* in our own unique happiness and that could and does, in effect, respond to other people's happiness and grow that way. I think it's that sharing that people get confused, assuming it's created by those relationships or moments in time. I have done that, we all do that.

I also believe that Karma or the universe will teach someone a life/soul lesson, so that soul can grow in understanding/comprehension. It's not about punishment or reward, it's about growth. And sometimes that growth is painful, the lesson is not always pleasant and things go sideways. Other times, it's the most amazing things ever experienced. Life is chaos in many ways, but a beautiful chaos nonetheless.

My 2 cents...