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Tuesday, April 21, 12:37:57 [ Login ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, [9], 10 ]

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Date Posted: 02:18:21 09/23/03 Tue
Author: Jeannine
Subject: Right Betsy! Thats what he was saying...of course we dont ignore the needy around us. There is way more. come inside.
In reply to: Jeannine 's message, "KARMA: The Maker of Destiny" on 03:20:48 09/20/03 Sat

Q: Are we totally at the mercy of our karmas?
PRT: The answer is both yes and no. By virtue of being born as humans, we possess a more evolved body, brain, senses, and mind than do other creatures. Our innate abilities and intelligence enables us to build comfortable shelters, move from one place to another, and explore ways of improving the quality of our lives. Plants and animals dont have that privilege. But how we use this privilege is totally up to us. Making the best use of the unique gifts that distinguish us from the other forms of life here on Earth can free us from being the victum of our karmas, at least to some degree. However, we must not forget that our knowledge, capabilities, and resources are limited. Even the most knowledgeable, powerful, and resourceful person has limitations. No one has complete freedom to choose, change, and transform the circumstances that are the result of their own karmas. We have very little freedom when it comes to working with our karmas. The greatest limitation is that our knowledge of the unconscious mind is insuffucient and we do not have the means of attaining perfect control over it. We also lack knowldge about how to withdraw our senses and mind from the external world and turn them inward to penetrate the subtle mystery of karma-shaya, the realm of the mind-field where all karmas are deposited. Even our inclination to gain knowledge about our own mind, withdraw the senses and mind from the external world, and turn them inward is influenced by our karmas. This is the classic chicken-and-egg dilema.

Q:Can we know what our karmas are?
PRT:
No, definetly not--unless we are omniscient. Even if by some miracle we know our karmas related to a dozen lifetimes, that knowledge is just a drop in the bucket. It is impossible to know what all our karmas are, nor is it necessary. All we need to know is how to get around them.Yoga masters and texts advise against brooding on the past. Live in the present. Learn to perform actions that nullify the effects of bad karmas and activate the good karmas so that they ripen faster, making the present productive. This is the purpose of spiritual practises--the fire of knowledge that is produced by spiritual practices burns your karmas. The love and devotion that naturally unfolds as an aspirant persists in practicing a spiritual discipline protects that aspirant from the fangs of negative karmas. The spiritual practises that belong to the path of karma yoga help replace negative karmas with positive ones. Spiritual practises affect our karmic field, making our present brighter, freer, and more productive.
snip
In other words, the only thing that matters is that you are here as a result of your karmas; it is through the karmas you are creating here and now that you can rid yourself of your past. The degree and intensity of your determination is what decides how much of your karma can be worked out, how fast, when, and how.

Anyway, he is long winded, but the message is dont dwell on what you can not know, live for the here and now. Do what you can with what you have.
done

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Replies:

[> [> I really like what he says here. The laws of Karma are too vast for us to comprehend, so don't worry about it. We are not bound by our Karma...we should try to be the best human we can be and all will be well. Reminds me of the line in Desiderata that states something along the lines of "No matter what we think, undoubtably the Universe is unfolding as it should." My job is not to worry and get stuck in the ideas of Karmic debt, but rather to take every opportunity to do good works, be kind and gentle and make my corner of the Earth a bit nicer than when I came. I do much better with the simple stuff than with the heady, heavy intellectual yack-yack. -- Betsy, 12:30:26 09/23/03 Tue


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