I hear a lot about Karma. I first heard that word back in 1994 when I was dating a non-Christian. I have asked and still ask many people what they believe on the subject of Karma. I like to hear about what others believe it is. What do they believe it means for them? I enjoy the various renditions of how others believe it works…or doesn’t work.
Here are two definitions online that I found.
Karma is a concept in Hinduism which explains causality through a system where beneficial effects are derived from past beneficial actions and harmful effects from past harmful actions, creating a system of actions and reactions throughout a Atman’s reincarnated lives forming a cycle of rebirth.
Karma (Sanskrit, also karman, Pāli: kamma) is a Sanskrit term that literally means “action” or “doing”. In the Buddhist tradition, karma refers to action driven by intention (cetanā) which leads to future consequences.
I found that not everyone believes in Karma and that is quite alright.
I have found that many who do believe in Karma, often believe that when they are wronged they should sit back and wait and allow Karma to happen. They believe it will happen eventually and when we get to see it happen, we get sweet pleasure in watching it transpire.
Some believe that means we should sit back and do nothing to defend or protect ourselves because somehow in some way, it will automatically just make its way back around on its own. What goes around comes around and what you send out comes back to you.
Some have told me about the Karma bank. That is where you put as much “good” karma out in the Universe (bank) and you get credits or points that you can spend on doing “bad” karma. As long as you have more “good” karma points than “bad” ones then it will all balance out and you will not suffer the consequences of any “bad” karma you do.
I find it particularly interesting when the old rule of three or harm none and even the golden rule is mentioned and someone asks a very wise question. “What if your reaction, that of self-defense regardless of physical, legal, or magickal, is actually the process of Karma at work?
As I was learning about ethics, karma, consequences, and the law of three, I was very careful about my reactions. the whole harm none, ya know.
Then, I learned concepts such as Justice, Protection through reflection, and Defense.
That leads to what I currently think. I can’t say, I completely believe in the passive idea of karma. I am entertained by the concept of a release from all consequences of our actions with the Karma Bank idea. I definitely lean more toward the idea that sometimes the karma or consequences of what we do or what others do to us is the reaction that happens or actions and responses we take.
Karma seems to be the basis of the whole debate of self-defense and harming none.
With Smiles and Giggles,
I have seen it yes you put out there comes back to you.But I never seen a Karma bank.I believe you should never wish any harm to anyone it could come back to you.
Wish no harm to anyone. It could come back on you.
I know karma exists, I’ve done a lot of not nice things in my life. Six years ago I fell backwards off a curb and shattered my skull. I’ve been an ironworker all my life, we don’t lose our balance! It was karma or the law of three paying me back! Now I am disabled and suffer from migraines almost daily.
Jim, I don’t really know your situation completely so I can only offer my thoughts about this subject. I believe in Karma or something like karma anyway. You may have a brain injury caused by a freak loss of balance and maybe you have done some not so nice things, but consider the possibility that this didn’t happen because of your bad deeds. Maybe your payback was that the bad deeds got you in trouble or lost your friends or loved ones or hurt your life in some other way. Just maybe this happened so that you could see something or do something differently than you did before your brain injury. We have to consider what our bad deeds are and why we did them. We are only human and can only be what we are. We are both good and bad. Light and Dark. Some people lean more toward the darkness and some more toward the light. Sometimes not so nice things happen to good people and great things happen to bad people. Why do you suppose that is?
As I have heard so many public figures say… Life happens for us not to us. If you are feeling guilty for the bad things you did, ask yourself if you are still doing them, If the answer is no, then maybe it is time to forgive yourself for the Not so Nice things you did. How has this injury changed your life? And most importantly, What new part of you has grown since the disability? Are you more compassionate to others? Are you more determined than ever with struggles with things you may have taken for granted before the accident? Don’t you think that learning to cope and work around the constraint of pain has made you a stronger person?
Besides your physical abilities, what are some other ways you have changed? Positive changes… My favorite story of all time is a classic. I heard there is a movie now. The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha… The original is in spanish but has been translated. The main Character was about a man named Don Quixote. He had a very uniquely wonderful perspective of his life. He did amazing things until people came along and showed him that the wonderful life he was experiencing was a delusion. They showed him the reality of the world. Their reality of their world. He was devastated and could no longer find the will to even get out of bed. The destruction of the wonderful life he lived had destroyed him completely. I recommend looking for the movie to watch if nothing else.
your life is not over, You do not have to sit and wait for death. your life has changed. This is only a punishment if you allow it to be. Use it… Learn from it… Grow from it and set goals. Even if it is learning some simple task once again can improve your quality of life. This applies to me, to people I know, and pretty much everyone struggling with these things. There are consequences for our actions. No doubt about that. But sometimes, we just need to learn to forgive ourselves. We all have done some not so nice things. We have all made mistakes. We have all had not so nice things happen to us.
Sometimes, it is what it is. It just is.
In Love and Light, may peace find you.
And no, I wouldn t reciprocate. I would defend myself from your blows, grapple you to get inside your hands or retreat from your assult, but I would not hit back. And it s just common sense that what goes around comes around. Treat someone despitefully and they are likely to do the same to you. Treat them with respect and caring, and many will respond in kind. There have been plenty of tests to prove that, but it s so obvious it hardly needs a proof.
I believe in karma, but not the threefold law. My definition of karma – when whatever you dish out (good bad or neither) is returned to you. Karma is simply cause and affect. I don’t agree with the idea of a karma back nor think good karma canceks out bad or vice versa; I believe that every good action will gain you a good reaction while every bad one, a bad reaction.
I believe in karma. Saw it action more than once. I think the Wicca rede speaks of it.
yes, I believe it does. Mind the three-fold law ye should, three times bad and three times good? Going by memory but I think that is close. For Wiccans that has a huge impact on practice and has a lot to do with Wiccan Ethics involving Karmic effects caused by good and bad will and intent.