A lot of people struggle to grapple with the idea of karma, or have unclear ideas of what it is all about.
Whatever your beliefs may be, in this week’s blog, I want to talk about the way I personally perceive Karma. This might help you have a better, or new, understanding of it, or it may not be useful for you.
Traditionally karma is seen as a form of retaliation – if you do something bad, the universe will do something bad to you, and vice versa with good.
For me, karma is about patterns in the mind.
The way I see it is that if you practise attributes such as morality, ethics and generosity, you are setting up various habit patterns in your mind. The result is that you habitually become kind and gracious.
Once this happens, I believe that like-minded people and situations will be attracted. You will naturally move into more peaceful positions. And likewise, other people with the same habitual attributes will find their way to you.
This subject often brings about very relevant questions. Questions like
‘What about people who do good things – and yet still get struck with something horrific like a terminal disease?’
The way I see it, whatever happens to you in life, is not as crucial as the way you react to it, and perceive it. Therefore, if tragic news like this is received and you have a tranquil mind with which to receive it, the internal conflict will be far less.
None of it is so much about what happens to you outside because suffering, conflict and jealousy all occur inside of our own minds.
This is the crucial area where karma can help us develop our quality of mind to enjoy our lives better and to see the world as a better place. And to literally, pull ourselves into like-minded company.
That is my way of looking at karma, my perception of it, and it isn’t necessarily right or wrong. If it was useful to you, then use it in your life, and if not, then let it go.
