Dealing with Karma

“It must be my Karma!” We often hear this expression used by someone who has experienced a difficult situation. Usually no further thought goes into this casual remark. However, Karma is important and study of it will bring benefits as we take steps to deal with it. Karma means “action” and in the West it is commonly referred to as the Law of Cause and Effect.

Karma extends over many lifetimes for each of us and we reincarnate to evolve spiritually to deal with our Karma. This Spiritual Law is eternal and cannot be changed or avoided. It is the accumulation of our thoughts, desires and actions from past lives and also our current incarnation. In simple terms it states that what we give out comes back and what we sow we will reap. This may be now or in a future lifetime. There is also Group Karma, Family Karma, National Karma as well as Personal Karma but ultimately all Karma is personal as we each have to take responsibility for our lives.

Karma is not a punishment. It is about justice and mercy and Charles W Leadbeater stated that “perfect justice rules the world”. Karma is an opportunity to deal with good and bad to allow our soul to evolve back to the Creator. We have to take steps to resolve bad Karma and if we can do this by accepting and taking responsibility for our past this will be much easier. We need to genuinely regret past mistakes. It is our personal responsibility to deal with our Karma through good thoughts, desires and actions. However, we have Free Will and the decision is ours.

It is our Soul which reincarnates and with each incarnation we are given new physical, emotional and mental bodies which are our personality. We are also given the right family, environment and circumstances and provided we make use of these we will create good Karma.

We have come from the Divine and are spiritual beings, possessing spiritual qualities and power but often get absorbed with the physical world and materialism, forgetting our true identity.

It’s important to consider how we can build up good Karma which will benefit not just ourselves but assist others at the same time. It is vital to look away from material gain and consider a spiritual approach to all circumstances, problems and relationships. This can seem daunting and it is easy to believe we have been abandoned, not knowing which way to go. However, we have not been left alone. The Spiritual Law of Grace has been given to us by God and refers to unmerited goodness. No matter how far we have gone astray much spiritual guidance is available to lead us onward. God has sent many great teachers such as Krishna, Buddha and Jesus to teach us and when dogma and creeds are removed all spiritual teachings contain the same golden nuggets of truth to show us the way. Reading is insufficient. Practice is of paramount importance.

Working with Karma

One of the most important spiritual steps we can take is to create good Karma through Love and Service to Others. This must be done with the right intentions and not just to create good Karma. Selflessness is important and a desire to kelp the less fortunate. At the same time we must consider the accumulation of negative Karma and what to do about it. Very often we read about the need to “balance our Karma”. I believe this expression gives out the wrong message as we can be led into believing that by building up good Karma bad Karma will automatically be reduced. However, this is not the case. Good Karma does not reduce bad Karma: if it did we would never learn from our mistakes. We can compare this to our bank balance. If we overspend on our Current Account and have sufficient funds in our Savings Account then transferring money from the latter to the former will wipe out the debt. Not so with Karma and this is why I personally prefer the words “neutralise” or “mitigate” rather than the word balance which can be misleading.

Difficulties arise and we often have no idea regarding their source as they could have arisen in a past life. However, if we can accept this we can take steps to neutralise the negativity we have previously created. The first step is to acknowledge that which occurs has been created by us and accept this. Acceptance of a difficult problem is necessary as it allows us to take positive steps to resolve situations. Gratitude is vital and it is necessary to be thankful for the opportunity to deal with Karma thus preventing more negativity accruing. Remember we all need forgiveness at times and it is helpful to keep in mind the “Golden Rule” which reminds us to treat others as we would wish them to treat us. By considering our weaknesses such as being judgmental, lacking in compassion, lack of self-love, etc and working on these we will enjoy better relationships. Meditation and Visualisation will help us to acquire positive qualities which will aid our spiritual growth.

The following ideas and suggestions I’d like to share are taken from our books and workshop material to give a starting point. It is to our advantage to avoid procrastination and to take small steps now.

1. Monitoring our thoughts and being willing to change them is of primary importance. Thoughts are energy, and even if unspoken affect others. They determine our words, desires and actions and eventually determine our character. The first step is to become accustomed to monitoring our thoughts and changing negative ones to positive ones. This takes practice but with determination progress results.

It is helpful to keep a journal to monitor how each day has gone. Note thoughts you had, actions you took and consider how situations could have been handled in a different way. Consider where you put your attention throughout the day and begin to take your thoughts away from the material to a higher level to avoid the Ego being in control.

2. Take time daily to communicate with your Soul / Higher Self for guidance. This will lead to using your personality to assist your Soul’s growth. When the personality is working with the Soul’s desire to evolve this is what is termed a “Soul infused Personality”.

3. Our actions, even when directed to assist others, need to be unselfish and not for personal gain or to impress others, so always check motives. Each day set Intentions for the day to assist your growth.

4. Looking to the Spiritual Laws for guidance has been the most important factor for our Spiritual Journey. There are many different Spiritual Laws. Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) , a Transcendentalist and Philosopher and, later, Annie Besant (1847-1933) a Theosophist and Writer both considered the Law of Cause and Effect to be the “Law of Laws” as it linked closely to all other Laws. I would go as far as to say that the Law of Oneness could also be included in this category as it is equally important to follow it. When we acknowledge that we are all connected to the one Source we realise the importance of considering all other laws for guidance.

We cannot avoid the Law of Cause and Effect but we can work with it to our benefit. By looking to the other Laws for guidance on everyday issues and circumstances we can find help to cope. The Spiritual Laws remind us of the need to show Unconditional Love for all, Forgiveness and Compassion to all. Learning to be grateful for everything, even difficulties, stands us in good stead as they are simply lessons we need to progress. All problems come for a reason. They may have originated in past lives even although we may have no idea how or when they arose. If we can accept them, learn from them everyone involved benefits. We have to trust that as we take steps to put the Spiritual Laws into practice the Universe will assist us. The Serenity Prayer is very helpful when problems arise.

The Law of Purpose reminds us our Soul has incarnated with a specific purpose that will aid growth. As we consider our talents and abilities and how we can use these in service to others our Soul will evolve. The Law of Cause and Effect is there to assist us but it is up to us to take responsibility in life for all thoughts, desires and actions as this will have a bearing on future incarnations.

It takes effort but our effort helps others in their Spiritual Journey through life and as we are all Spiritual Brothers and Sisters we have to support each other. Understanding Karma helps us understand why good people often suffer, whilst those who are selfish, unkind or criminals seem to prosper. It is easy to blame God or some other power for what occurs. There is no such thing as Luck, good or bad, coincidences or Fate.

5. I’d like to suggest dedication to a spiritual pathway can be aided by the use of words of power and mantras. The following two examples are powerful and much information and guidance on their use is available on the internet.

The Soul Mantra was given to Alice Bailey from Ascended Master Djwal Kuhl. “I am the Soul, I am the Light Divine. I am Love, I am Will. I am Fixed Design.” The words “I am” are the name God called himself when communicating with Moses. By saying these words three times out loud we are acknowledging our Soul’s connection to God and that God’s power and qualities are within us as co-Creators with Him. The last affirmation is a reminder that our Soul has incarnated with a Divine Purpose.

Another suggestion is the use of the Silver Violet Flame Decree. This was reintroduced to humanity in the late 1980’s by St Germain and Archangel Zadkiel and as we have been considering Karma it is a valuable tool to transmute negative energy to a higher vibration. As we recite the words three times out loud “I am a being of Violet Fire, I am the purity God desires” we can visualise the violet energy encompassing and penetrating our entire being and transmuting all that is negative into Divine Light and Love. The Light and Love can be used to aid our spiritual development and also to clear negative Karma which is holding back our progress. We need to ask for this high energy vibration to transmute negative Karma. Even if all negative Karma is not transmuted the Silver Violet Flame can mitigate its negative impact.

These techniques are not a substitute for taking control of our thoughts, desires and actions. They are part of the Law of Grace and are there to assist us if we play our part. Let us learn from our weaknesses, and build up our strengths and thus not waste this life which is full of opportunities to deal with our Karma. This will benefit us in future lifetimes.

Seekers of Truth

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