The mind is the forerunner of all things

 _Buddha_

 

A lot of us in the West function on a black and white perspective of life, on a reward and punishment system, that is supposed to dictate the outcomes of our future.

 

A lot of people believe 100% in the “what goes around, comes around” adage, so if shit happens to them right now, it must be because of their previous lives bad deeds and/or their current life bad deeds and they default into a fatalistic vantage point, whereby they can’t do anything about it and they default to apathy and depression.

 

Karma is not as simple as because I bullied a kid when I was younger, I will be bullied by my boss when I get older.

 

This "tit for tat" is overly simplistic and not accurate by any means. Now to be clear, the example I gave above, can happen, sometimes. Karma can be, for a lack of a better term, straightforward but to sit and say this happened because of that, is only speculation, mostly speculation and to be completely honest, a waste of time.

 

Karma is translated as action, no more no less. The law of karma states that unwholesome actions tend to lead towards unwholesome results and wholesome actions tend to lead to wholesome results.

 

To be even more clear ONLY A BUDDHA can fully know why this happens and for what reasons. For us, it is unnecessary and futile to even try to speculate and it is much more complicated that you may think.

 

Your karma is there indeed but there is other people’s karma and life and the universe at large. Also things in life are simply inevitable and likely to happen.

 

You can’t blame a divorce, death, diseases, failures on your past karma because that what life is like. You get married you are at a risk of a divorce. You start a business, you are more likely to fail than someone who does not start a business. You are born then you die. That’s a certainty whether you die now or at 80 years old, it does not necessarily mean you have bad karma. Sometimes it’s just a matter of wrong place, wrong time... If you are a soldier you can’t wonder why you are getting shot and wounded. Those are the risks that comes with the territory. As they say, you can lose if you don’t play.

 

Now that we have clear up the air, let us see a healthier way of seeing karma. Action leads to results. You might try hard at something whereas someone else is not even trying and succeeding, do not despair and do not speculate. Karma is fair. And yes, karma will follow you like a shadow but it is a good thing. Oftentimes we go through tragedies in life but they are humbling if we know how to embrace them.

 

If the results of karma are good, enjoy it, by all means but when the results are not so good. See the lesson in this growing pain. See how you can grow from this time of pain. Maybe you are poor now because of you have been greedy before. Maybe you are physically suffering now for you have not help the sick before and/or you have taken your health for granted. I can go on and on with the examples.

 

Karma is fair and sometimes the tragedies that befalls us in this life are due to negligence and ignorance. Perhaps we have fail to be loving, caring and compassionate. Maybe we have been selfish, entitled, greedy and conceited.

 

In this life, if we have to live a life that seems to bear a lot suffering. There is always something we can do. It is not a punishment. There’s no being sentencing you. We are accountable for our past. Embrace the now and understand that no matter what have befallen, there is always something we can do.

 

 How many stories have you heard of people who had the most tragic lives and end up on the other side more loving, more caring, more compassionate..

 

How would know how have compassion for the downtrodden if you have never been depressed ? How would you be able to feel care for the sick if you never suffered sickness ? How can you feel for the lost of someone if you have not gone through it yourself ?

 

Those tragedies, this “bad karma” can be turned on itself and make your life colourful and all the more beautiful. Your growing pain can relief the suffering of others and yourself.

 

Do not speculate on the why. Do not ask "Why me ?" Ask 'Why not me ?". Do not wallow in the consequences and wonder what are the causes just do something about it. Be proactive. Make good karma now because no matter what is your situation your opportunity to make good karma is  unlimited.

 

Remember that whenever you are being kind, whenever you are being caring, whenever you are being generous in this present moment, you are making good karma. Listen to the podcast for a bit more. 

 

 

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