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fate
July 2009 
What do you believe about karma?
Posted on Dec 3rd, 2008
by 
Janet
Janet
This is in Response to the Questions and Reflections for December 03, 2008:
As I understand it, the definition of Karma is Action. There is no particular value judgement which accompanies Karma, except as I attach meaning to my actions. But there will always be results from what I do. It's not the one-to-one ratio of "I do something good/bad and therefore something of equal good/bad will happen to me". I think it's more the "Pay it Forward" kinda relationship, and takes on instead Universal consequences. My actions will have consequences, which may or may not be directly experienced by me. And everyone else's actions are also creating consequences every moment of the day. I think it becomes more of a Matrix equation. And I believe that my actions create a vibration or resonance inside me which may later on require some sort of work on my part to bring back to balance.
There is also a theory about 20% Chaos Law, which accounts for the "stuff just happens" events.
In the spiritual community, we like to discount the Doing and focus on the Being. But there's definitely something about the "doing" that makes a difference in my "being". A teacher from a while back said to me once,"There is no right or wrong answer; it's a matter of whether you can live with the consequences"
So do-be do-be do....
Strangers in the Night - Frank Sinatra
Access: Public
I think you offer so much to think about, as usual, Janet! I agree that doing is so important, and that action is a necessity. One thing about doing/being though…..I have lots of trouble separating the two. It seems like they dance together and apart all the time. Or maybe they never even dance apart? Have meditated on these two for years….don't know for sure….but they seem to get closer over the years.
PS love your “Pay it Forward” definition of karma. Cool…. :)
Kathy~ I don't think the doing & being dance very far apart. Maybe tango-close in fact, would be a good metaphor. And sometimes the feet get tangled or miss a beat, but somehow we keep listening to the music of the univere and learning the dance of life. :-)
Janet you remind me of this from the Shamanic Way of the Bee:
The principle human right: Do what you want
The principle human responsibility: Accept the consequences
Carla~ Yep that bee it;-) It's a major sign of adult-hood, something sadly lacking in most of society, even, (or maybe especially) in positions of leadership.
Oooo, tango-close! I love your description this morning. Big smile to you….
Did you want to dance this morning, Kathy?
hugs & smiles.
A tango may be a little tooooo fast for this body this morning….but maybe something real slow that's the very littlest definition of “doing”. Sounds good! And here's another one: Are we the dancers or the dance? :)
Oh Kathy, we're goin' Zen already and it's not even 9am…this is why I love you so much;-)
I'm going to tap in here if it's alright with you gurls.
The Pagan's Path ~ and chaos law, interesting..
Great development, Janet.
To be sure, actions have consequences. Consequences connote an interpretation. Interpretations, beliefs, values, perspectives, et cetera, are all subjective (meaning they all pertain to a person's knowledge). So what one person deems good or bad may be in conflict with someone else's interpretation, someone else's knowledge. What do I believe karma to be? A group's interpretation of what actually is. Good blog, made me think a little bit. It's good to floss the mind every now and again. Also, chaos presupposes order. For chaos to exist at all there must be some standard to measure it against as being chaos, there must be order.
larry~ just swim on in:-) nice link! thanks for sharing the chaos/order conversation.
joey~ good to meet you. A group's interpretation of what actually is. Interesting! I think it's mostly interpretation:-)
Wow. That was intense, J. This part in particular:
“My actions will have consequences, which may or may not be directly experienced by me. And everyone else's actions are also creating consequences every moment of the day.”
Like the butterfly effect? Slamming on your brakes in NY can eventually be felt in a wind gust in China. So, smiling at someone in Vermont could eventually show up as someone becoming inspired enough to head to Africa to stop the fighting or to help the starving children. “Pay it forward.” Yes, yes, yes!!!
Thanks for this. It is wisdom at its best.
rach~ yes, I think the butterfly affect is apt. thanks for fluttering by to drop some of your beauty here. I'm sure the ripples will reach far:-)
I think karma is exemplified by Tommy Tuberville.
Ten years ago, Tuberville was named football coach at Ole Miss. He said repeatedly that his goal was to stay at Ole Miss and rebuild the program.
But two years later when the Auburn coaching job opened up, Tuberville left Ole Miss…dumped them…for what he saw as greener pastures.
In the intervening years, the Ole Miss teams were regularly clobbered by everyone in the SEC, including Tuberville's teams, while Tuberville's Auburn teams contended for the national championship.
But this year, a new coach restored Ole Miss to the prominence Tuberville promised, they beat Tuberville's team, and now Tommy Tuberville is the ex-coach at Auburn, having been sacked after a losing season, while Ole Miss is going to a major bowl.
That's karma. The wheel grinds slowly, but surely.
That story definitelly expemplifies the pace at which karma can move. Sometimes it's instant (like lars likes to say), but sometimes it takes years for the universe to grind its corn.
That was John that coined the phrase,
What ever gets you through the night.
Let's get to it…:-)
Join the Human Race and shine ON…and on and on…yea yea alright ahuh!!
I liked when he cut his hair short again. Thanks for the vids. I'm sure that sharing them will bring you good karma somewhere down the road;-)
I think we know what will avoid uneasy consequences…. after all, haven't we all gone through this before?
oh tom, I don't think we're ones to avoid uneasy consequences;-)
Evidently karma is a word we have chosen to choose between fiction or fact.
interesting, Monk. I would like to hear more on this:-)
Swimming in, fluttering about, dancing, and doing all the stuff that makes our Universe smile and laugh and celebrate!
thanks mila~ I’m sure you’re building waves of beauty for yourself and everyone around you:-)