on the subject of karma

[Guest guest]

>> I am new to the group...Now that they have the power can it be put to good use?

There are lot of people in our world who are born mentally retarded.

There parents are going thru' hell...They pray to God but basic

question still remains...I always get those stereo type answers about

Bad Karma done by the people in past lives they have to suffer in this

life.

Is there a way to help them?

Is it possible to heal mentally retarded children? <<

Dear anupmaduskar ~ first welcome, welcome to the group. I too am new

here, and already I have been so warmly greeted. I have experienced

the people in this group relating to one another with respect, joy, a

bit of humor, and love.

I agree completely with what Michael wrote in response to your

questions about karma, and also wanted to add something. In many

ways, the idea of karma is similar to the idea of "you create your

own reality," which has been thrown about so much in recent years,

especially among the "New Age" community. I remember being very

confused when I first heard this, and now, even when I have come to

understand the spiritual truth of it, I still believe it is important

to be so very very careful before blandishing either of these ideas

around. It becomes another excuse to "blame the victim."

I would like to share a personal experience that relats in a general

way to your question and to the ideas of karma and "reality

creating."

I was in a very unhappy relationship once. The person treated me

horribly (I was recreating my relationship with my father). Then when

I was upset, I was told by this person in a very flip and arrogant

way, "you shouldn't be upset; you created it." I left the

relationship without ever really understanding this. But I was far

enough along on my path to know it was not healthy. Yet, the one

hand, I did "create" it because I was still working out issues around

my relationship with my abusive father. (For a long time, I picked

people who were abusive and/or distant and/or unfaithful and then

tried my best to get them to "love" me, which for me would have meant

changing their essential behavior.)

After awhile I began to understand that I did not create other

people's bad behavior. I might have put myself in situations where I

had to deal with it for a variety of reasons, one of which, I

discovered was, in some cases, just to say, "no" and "goodbye." In

other cases what I may judge as hurtful may be simply my own

oversensitivity reacting to another's words or behavior. I am

beginning to be able to distinguish the difference and to understand

that there are relationships worth keeping, and in such a case, I

must work hard on my oversensitivity. Now...I would like to simply

quote what a holy woman I regard as my guru has said on this topic.

Her name is Ammachi. I believe that, since karma is a concept that

originated within the Vedic/Hindu culture, what someone from that

culture, who is regarded by many to be an avatar, has to say is very

helpful. These are Her own words:

"A person with a propoer understanding of religious principles will

never turn his back on those who suffer, saying, 'It is their karma,

or it's all Maya.' He will do everything he can to help the

downtrodden and the suffering. True religion...will teach the

importance of love and compassion, and of seeing everything in

creation as equal...Analyzing the law of karma is not so important.

The most important thing is to get out of it, to go beyond the cycle

of karma, which is caused by the ignorance about one's true

Self...Try to forget about the cycle of karma. There is no need to

think about the past...it is a closed chapter...What is important is

the present...Only when the presence of Divinity permeates every

moment of your life, will you truly be in the present..." ("Immortal

Bliss," 1st Quarter, 1998)

Okay, this is long enough... Blessings to you ~ Linda