karma

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam to all,

 

I'm in the process of writing a article on "KARMA" and I was

wondering what are your thoughts on the subject?

 

Is there such a thing as KARMA?

 

What is it?

 

If so how has it show up in your life?

 

How is it manifested?

 

Did Yogi Bhajan make any comments on the subject?

 

Sat Nam-aste,

Gabyclau

claudiagiovani

http://sites.uol.com.br/claudiagiovani/

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[Guest guest]

Sat Nam Gabyclau:

 

YB speaks to the issue of karma a lot - there are some excellent

thoughts on how it works in "The Mind" (YB & Gurucharan Singh).

 

I found a very interesting analogy from some tantric teachings, which

states that all phenomena result from the combination of shakti,

vayu, and karma.

 

Imagine a human being as a water system. The water is vayu, the

medium of action. The water pressure is shakti, or energy, the

inclination toward self-realization. The pipe is karma, the limiting

action, or resistance.

 

So, if our shakti is strong enough, the volume of vayu will burst the

pipe - overcome the bondage and limitations of our karma. If one

sets one mind to a task, but circumstances prevent it, karma is

stronger than shakti or vayu.

 

Have fun with your article! I'm sure many people here will be

interested in reading it - will you post it for us?

 

Many blessings,

Sadhant

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam Sadhant,

 

Thursday, December 07, 2000, 2:34:32 PM, you wrote:

 

SS> Sat Nam Gabyclau:

 

SS> YB speaks to the issue of karma a lot - there are some excellent

SS> thoughts on how it works in "The Mind" (YB & Gurucharan Singh).

 

SS> I found a very interesting analogy from some tantric teachings, which

SS> states that all phenomena result from the combination of shakti,

SS> vayu, and karma.

 

SS> Imagine a human being as a water system. The water is vayu, the

SS> medium of action. The water pressure is shakti, or energy, the

SS> inclination toward self-realization. The pipe is karma, the limiting

SS> action, or resistance.

 

Yes, it is a very interesting analogy indeed. But here we have many

things to understand first.

What is karma, or what creates karma or resistance as you said.

And, what is self-realization?

 

SS> So, if our shakti is strong enough, the volume of vayu will burst the

SS> pipe - overcome the bondage and limitations of our karma.

 

So we can/may overcome karma by our will, I am correct?

 

SS> If one

SS> sets one mind to a task, but circumstances prevent it, karma is

SS> stronger than shakti or vayu.

 

Well, here you said exactly the opposite. We can't overcome karma.

 

See, it isn't easy to understand the laws that rules karma but we live

ruled by them! So, IMHO, it's important that we all talk about karma

to know what we really know about the subject.

 

SS> Have fun with your article! I'm sure many people here will be

SS> interested in reading it - will you post it for us?

 

Sure. But I want to read more people here too, and you again, of

course.

 

Here are my answers again:

 

Is there such a thing as KARMA?

 

What is it?

 

If so how has it show up in your life?

 

How is it manifested?

 

Did Yogi Bhajan make any comments on the subject?

 

 

Love & Sat Nam

Gabyclau

claudiagiovani

http://sites.uol.com.br/claudiagiovani/

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam Gabyclau:

 

> What is karma, or what creates karma or resistance as you said.

 

To quote YB: "The law of cause and effect applied to mental, moral,

and physical actions. Ego attaches to us and identifies us with

objects, feelings, and thoughts. These attachments create a bias

toward certain lines of action. Instead of acting you begin

reacting. Karmas are the conditions required in order to balance or

complete these tendencies. Though necessary, karma is not

dictatorial or fatalistic. It is the mechanism that allows the

infinite experience of existence to maintain and stabilize itself.

We all have free will and can take actions to re-direct the momentum

of a karma. We can transform it or neutralize it using meditation,

jappa, good deeds, or intuition that remove your sense of ego and the

identification with that past line of action."

 

> And, what is self-realization?

 

Perhaps I'm being simplistic, but it seems self-explanatory - to know

what we truly are, as opposed to what we have been taught &

conditioned to believe we are.

 

Self-explanatory, not easy

 

> So we can/may overcome karma by our will, I am correct?

 

> Well, here you said exactly the opposite. We can't overcome karma. :

(

 

Yes, exactly

 

The point made in these teachings is that the combination of the

above determines whether any given person will overcome their

particular karma - each of us has a specific combination of shakti,

vayus, and karma.

 

But we each have the free will to, for example, raise shakti or burn

off karma - that is what practicing yoga/meditation/etc. is for,

among other things. Of course, not everyone chooses to do so - free

will, again.

 

> See, it isn't easy to understand the laws that rules karma but we

 

It doesn't seem so complicated - actions that serve the ego incur

karma, actions that serve (insert your preferred term: God, universal

consciousness, higher self, etc.) don't.

 

The antithesis of karma is dharma - again quoting YB: "A path of

righteous living. It is both an ideal of virtue and a path of action

that is infused with clear awareness and comprised of actions that

are the soul in total synchrony with the universe. It is action

without reaction or karma".

 

Love & blessings,

Sadhant

[Guest guest]

What is jappa.

Thank you, Nancy

 

Sadhant Singh wrote:

 

> Sat Nam Gabyclau:

>

> > What is karma, or what creates karma or resistance as you said.

>

> To quote YB: "The law of cause and effect applied to mental, moral,

> and physical actions. Ego attaches to us and identifies us with

> objects, feelings, and thoughts. These attachments create a bias

> toward certain lines of action. Instead of acting you begin

> reacting. Karmas are the conditions required in order to balance or

> complete these tendencies. Though necessary, karma is not

> dictatorial or fatalistic. It is the mechanism that allows the

> infinite experience of existence to maintain and stabilize itself.

> We all have free will and can take actions to re-direct the momentum

> of a karma. We can transform it or neutralize it using meditation,

> jappa, good deeds, or intuition that remove your sense of ego and the

> identification with that past line of action."

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Nancy!

 

Jappa: literally, "to repeat" (as in "Jaap!" from the Mool Mantra).

Specifically, the conscious, alert, and precise repetition of a

mantra.

 

Blessings,

Sadhant

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam Sadhant,

 

I was not intended to write about my ideas because English isn't my mother

tongue. I'll try to write and you, please, try to understand what I

didn't wrote, ok?

It isn't easy for me to write in English. Sorry for anything that is

unclear or totally wrong.

 

Before I start, nobody here has any idea or example of karma to help

me with my article?

 

Thursday, December 07, 2000, 6:23:15 PM, you wrote:

 

SS> Sat Nam Gabyclau:

 

>> What is karma, or what creates karma or resistance as you said.

 

SS> To quote YB: "The law of cause and effect applied to mental, moral,

SS> and physical actions.

 

Here we found a very valuable idea: karma doesn't apply to our Soul.

 

SS> Ego attaches to us and identifies us with

SS> objects, feelings, and thoughts. These attachments create a bias

SS> toward certain lines of action. Instead of acting you begin

SS> reacting. Karmas are the conditions required in order to balance or

SS> complete these tendencies. Though necessary, karma is not

SS> dictatorial or fatalistic.

 

Great! I really don't like fatalism.

 

SS> It is the mechanism that allows the

SS> infinite experience of existence to maintain and stabilize itself.

SS> We all have free will and can take actions to re-direct the momentum

SS> of a karma. We can transform it or neutralize it using meditation,

SS> jappa, good deeds, or intuition that remove your sense of ego and the

SS> identification with that past line of action."

 

Let me think .... free will ...

Am I free to make my choices according to my own will or am I

limited by some sort of destiny (in the sense of determinism)?

No, I will not contradict Yogi Bhajan. I am just half-crazy!

I am thinking about how to understand better his words.

 

>> And, what is self-realization?

 

SS> Perhaps I'm being simplistic, but it seems self-explanatory - to know

SS> what we truly are, as opposed to what we have been taught &

SS> conditioned to believe we are.

 

SS> Self-explanatory, not easy

 

Personally, I think that self-realization is liberation. Liberation

has many meanings but in terms of self-realization I feel that it

means the ability to flow our energies, well oriented, so that we can

have a balanced development towards our own evolution. Evolution is

to gain by some effort ( to conquer) our latent qualities, that is, our

Soul qualities. In others words, evolution would be to get conscious

of what is in latent state. How do we do that? Molding our personalities (ego)

according to our Soul. How do we know the purposes of our Soul? Aha! Here

comes meditation, observing the nature, meditation,

intuition, meditation, acting according to what you feel in your heart and

meditation. Why so many times the suggestion to meditate? Because

we have to know first some nature laws by intuition or observation or

discernment. Will IS NOT power.

- "I want to freeze water in the oven."

- "Ok. You want but you CANNOT.

The HOW to do things are the rules and disciplines of the physical and

mental plane we all live. In life we have to prepare ourselves to

"freeze some water". If all I have is an oven, I am not ready to

freeze my water. I'll have to meditate a little more till I come to

know the fridge.

 

 

>> See, it isn't easy to understand the laws that rules karma but we

 

SS> It doesn't seem so complicated - actions that serve the ego incur

SS> karma, actions that serve (insert your preferred term: God, universal

SS> consciousness, higher self, etc.) don't.

 

Ok, It isn't complicated to understand but it is complicated to live!

The ego has so many tricks to present that it makes difficult to know

what are the purposes our Higher Self or God, you name it.

 

That's why we need examples to follow as Yogi Bhajan.

 

 

Love & Sat Nam,

Gabyclau

claudiagiovani

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam Gabyclau:

 

> Here we found a very valuable idea: karma doesn't apply to our Soul.

 

I'm not sure I would interpret it that way, in that I see us as

carrying karma from lifetime to lifetime, which implies, I think,

that the soul is the mechanism that carries our karma between

reincarnations.

 

> Great! I really don't like fatalism.

 

I don't either - it negates the free will that we all exercise. And

I am certainly convinced that following a spiritual path, whether it

is the kundalini yoga we discuss here or not, is the ultimate act of

free will, the ways by which we can resolve the burden of karma that

we carry from life to life.

 

> Am I free to make my choices according to my own will or am I

> limited by some sort of destiny (in the sense of determinism)?

 

I don't think destiny is determinism. YB, and, in fact, any of the

spiritual teachers I am familiar with, specifically talk about - and

provide techniques for us - to alter our destiny. That is, we come

in with a given karmic situation, a destiny that could be altered by

our actions - we can choose to serve, or we can choose to satisfy our

basest desires, or to run away and hide. And all of those choices

alter our destiny to some extent. Perhaps our choice of actions have

to be pretty "big" - we have to act like a Mother Teresa or a Yogi

Bhajan to have a dramatic impact on our destiny, but the choice and

the possibility exists.

 

Do we choose to accept this primary destiny, a pawn of the karma we

accumulated in previous lives? I would argue that anybody who has

d to this list has the desire to alter their destiny, and

have sought out a system which provides tools for this change.

 

Perhaps our beloved readers will share their ideas about this

perspective with us, enlightening our discussion. Does anyone agree

with this? Have you seen these tools bring changes to your life that

could alter your destiny?

 

> Personally, I think that self-realization is liberation. Liberation

> has many meanings but in terms of self-realization I feel that it

> means the ability to flow our energies, well oriented, so that we

can

> have a balanced development towards our own evolution. Evolution is

> to gain by some effort ( to conquer) our latent qualities, that is,

our

> Soul qualities. In others words, evolution would be to get conscious

 

I do agree with what you are saying here, but I think the key word

is conscious. Most of us are asleep, most of the time. We are on

cruise control, on automatic pilot, primarily doing things (and

everything we do is an action, every action has a karmic consequence)

without thinking about them, or why we do things.

 

I know I do that far too much of the time - but less than when I

began to practice meditation & yoga...

 

 

> Ok, It isn't complicated to understand but it is complicated to

>live! The ego has so many tricks to present that it makes difficult

>to know what are the purposes our Higher Self or God, you name it.

 

Yes, you said a mouthful there. In fact, what you just said is very

similar to things that YB has said in person, and in books like "The

Mind".

 

For me, it is clear that practicing the yoga/meditation skills is

supremely important. When I have just finished a powerful sadhana,

my mind is clear and light, and I can do what I know is right without

thinking about it. But later, when my mind starts acting up, and

throwing out the endless "but if this", but if that", then I fail to

do what I should be doing, then I feel cloudy and confused, then I am

not sure what to do because I know my ego is playing it's games, and

the only thing I know to do then is run off and meditate, and that

isn't always an option.

 

I see knowing, in the sense I think you refer to above, not as

knowing in the logical "if-then" way I usually think, all controlled

by my ego, and my experiences, but knowing in the intuitive sense,

where all that thinking stuff doesn't even come into play. But I am

not there very much. I need more practice...

 

Love to all!

Sadhant

[Guest guest]

Well, I have enjoyed reading this discussion and am finally pursuaded to

offer this small anecdote. I don't know much, if anything, about the

philosophy of karma, really, but here's what I can say.

 

I just started teaching yoga about a month ago. I was trying to come up with

a name for my business and having trouble, so I was not printing any

advertising of my classes. I had a boyfriend who owns an advertising business

and was going to do it for free, but just as I finally got my name, we broke

up. Bad karma? No. You see, around that same time, I got a call from a

sometime teacher of mine about subbing for another teacher that had called

her, but she couldn't do it. Well, I did it and the class was at a gym that

turned out to be right down the street from the studio where I teach. So, at

the end of class, I told the students about my classes and offered each a

free class. About a week later (week 2 in my studio), without even having had

one student yet because I hadn't advertised, I was thinking that it would be

nice if I had a student who did advertising and offered to do mine for me as

a trade for classes. Well, sure enough, that day was my first day having

students. Two came, both from the gym where I'd subbed. After class, we got

to talking and - yes, you guessed it, one owns an ad agency around the corner

from the studio and - yep - offered to do my advertising as a full trade. I

met with him today and he's not asking for a penny from me, just my

instruction. He said he's been doing yoga for two years now and it has meant

a lot to him and he is happy to finally give back, with me being the lucky

beneficiary, it seems. So, I'm not sure how any of this works, but it sure

does seem like there's some good karma in there somewhere!

 

Hope this is the kind of thing you were looking for. (If it is, I have a

toothpick story that will knock your socks off!)

 

Sat Nam,

Susan