Karma questions

[KylalaKitty]

For those who believe in karma, I have questions.

First, isnt karma almost pointless? I mean what we do in this life time might not affect us until the next life time and we dont remember our past lives so we might not understand why something happens in this life which happened due to karma. Which lends me to the next question of, how to do know what happens because of karma and what happens because it just did? How do you tell the difference between karmic and nonkarmic events?

Also, there is no way that karma only effects the person receiving it. What happens to that person affects the people around them, like if that person got a serious ilness or loses their job. That seems unfair to the people around that person unless that affect is their karma but that would lead to a never ending cycle because of one person. Why punish others because of the actions of one person?

Is rape, murder, and war forms of karma? Why/why not?

[Shaw]

In my opinion choice comes before karma, rape, murder and war. As far a draining others look at it from the other side, when you sacrifice for others you improve your karma. Also karma is kind of like a double blind test or blind faith in universal balance. But like I said choices make karma..karma doesn't make karma.

I hope this helped, I tend to talk in circles.:nyah:

[Tabbykitty]

For those who believe in karma, I have questions.

First, isnt karma almost pointless? I mean what we do in this life time might not affect us until the next life time and we dont remember our past lives so we might not understand why something happens in this life which happened due to karma. Which lends me to the next question of, how to do know what happens because of karma and what happens because it just did? How do you tell the difference between karmic and nonkarmic events?

to answer your questions:

1. as a firm believer in karma..... karma or "consequence of one's deeds" affects one EVEN in this life. Thus it is NOT pointless. Take for instance a gal who always picks the wrong kinda guy who is insensitive, or even abusive. She keeps picking boyfriends with the same profile, even after regretting her decision to do so.... does this story sound familar?

This is what is called a karmic cycle or pattern. People often experience repeating patterns in their lives. which answers your second question....

2. True, we might not remember our past lives, but there are karmic patterns we are playing out every day of our lives.... like the office worker who cant get along with his colleagues no matter how many times he changes his jobs... OR the guy who keeps getting swindled, .... WHich sort of answers your third question....

3. Karma is all around us...... there is very little that happens in our lives that isnt somehow karmic. The way we dress, behave, and the foods we like are karmically influenced.....the only difference is whether you are facing a big karmic lesson that you might want to overcome..... or little ones.

That is why, it is not really necessary for a person to explore his or her past lives to look for reasons WHY a certain karma started. The pattern is there, constantly repeating in our current lives. ALl that is needed to really clear this karma is strong intent, affirmations/mantras, actual planned actions and steps to over come the pattern......... and a willingness to look into oneself and not at others for the answers.

THe most common reason for repeated karmic patterns is an inability to objectively look at oneself and identify the causes that cause a certain karmic pattern.



Also, there is no way that karma only effects the person receiving it. What happens to that person affects the people around them, like if that person got a serious ilness or loses their job. That seems unfair to the people around that person unless that affect is their karma but that would lead to a never ending cycle because of one person. Why punish others because of the actions of one person?

True.... Im not sure where you came by the notion that karma only affects the person receiving it. No, it affects BOTH victim and perpertrator of that karma.

For instance...... I used to know someone who complained frequently about being backstabbed due to office politics...... HOWEVER.... upon further examination I found that the same person, however seemingly innocent, had often through certain unconscious actions, perpertrated the same office politics she detested........

OFTEN... in karmic patterns, the victim and perpertrator of a particular action will sort of take turns to experience what it feels like to be in another person's shoes....... this is so that both parties can learn the lesson from both sides of the equation.

Thus those who are abused often become abusers...... IF they do nothing to overcome the pattern that has been created in their lives.

The people we come across..... especially those we have strongly charged negative reactions to often mirror issues that we ourselves need to examine. Take for instance the pattern of the betrayer..... I knew a guy who was often betrayed by his own father and let down by his friends....... in truth, he had unconsciously created this pattern himself.

HOW?

Often....(not always) ... but often, through his own love of gossip and exerggeration he had misrepresented his family and friends.... making them out to be something they are not..... he did this repeatedly.... even unknowingly...... it was like second nature to him to say something.... bad about someone... well, is it any surprise then that those around him dont see the need to hold true to their promises to him.... since he doesnt seem to show them much loyalty?




Is rape, murder, and war forms of karma? Why/why not?

They are not karma per se...... they are actions that perpetuate karmic cycles... that's how I see them.

For instance, when a person murders someone that sort of creates a karmic cycle of destruction and violence...... possibily leading to a killing..... This cycle might play out over many lifetimes.....with the murderer taking the victim's role and vice versa.... until the cycle is stopped. THe cause of the cycle might be that the person lives and associates with violent people. In order to stop the cycle, the person will have to try and get out of that kinda of environment or pick better friends.

The action itself isnt the karma..... the pattern that results from the action is.

[David19]

to answer your questions:

1. as a firm believer in karma..... karma or "consequence of one's deeds" affects one EVEN in this life. Thus it is NOT pointless. Take for instance a gal who always picks the wrong kinda guy who is insensitive, or even abusive. She keeps picking boyfriends with the same profile, even after regretting her decision to do so.... does this story sound familar?

This is what is called a karmic cycle or pattern. People often experience repeating patterns in their lives. which answers your second question....

2. True, we might not remember our past lives, but there are karmic patterns we are playing out every day of our lives.... like the office worker who cant get along with his colleagues no matter how many times he changes his jobs... OR the guy who keeps getting swindled, .... WHich sort of answers your third question....

3. Karma is all around us...... there is very little that happens in our lives that isnt somehow karmic. The way we dress, behave, and the foods we like are karmically influenced.....the only difference is whether you are facing a big karmic lesson that you might want to overcome..... or little ones.

That is why, it is not really necessary for a person to explore his or her past lives to look for reasons WHY a certain karma started. The pattern is there, constantly repeating in our current lives. ALl that is needed to really clear this karma is strong intent, affirmations/mantras, actual planned actions and steps to over come the pattern......... and a willingness to look into oneself and not at others for the answers.

THe most common reason for repeated karmic patterns is an inability to objectively look at oneself and identify the causes that cause a certain karmic pattern.

I found your post really interesting and insightful, and I have a question that I'm curious about, which kind of is about me, I'm really shy around new people, or even, sometimes, with my friends, and it just gets in the way of me living my life, do you think that would be some kind of karma as it does seem to be a pattern that plays out again and again in my life (and if so, how could I clear it, and get over it, if you don't mind me asking?).

Anyway, thanks for sharing your post, and I hope you don't mind answering my question :).

[Fiamma]

Karma is the results of our actions. It's that simple and that complicated. One does not build up good or bad karma. It's not brownie points.

[Tabbykitty]

Hi David,

have PMed you an answer.

Tabbykitty

[Tigerlily]

That was a great post, Tabbykitty. I learned a lot.

[morningstar2651]

For those who believe in karma, I have questions.

First, isnt karma almost pointless? I mean what we do in this life time might not affect us until the next life time and we dont remember our past lives so we might not understand why something happens in this life which happened due to karma. Which lends me to the next question of, how to do know what happens because of karma and what happens because it just did? How do you tell the difference between karmic and nonkarmic events?

Also, there is no way that karma only effects the person receiving it. What happens to that person affects the people around them, like if that person got a serious ilness or loses their job. That seems unfair to the people around that person unless that affect is their karma but that would lead to a never ending cycle because of one person. Why punish others because of the actions of one person?

Is rape, murder, and war forms of karma? Why/why not?
Please read Liber ABA (Part 2, Chapter IX) (http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/aba2.html) and The Sword of Song (http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/liber067.pdf), p. 107. They may help you to understand karma.