Q&A WITH SWAMIJI- Family Karma

[Guest guest]

sadumaa wrote:

>> ...From what Swamiji says, am I to understand that there is no

excape from >> family karmic inhertance, even if we no longer live

with our families? >> I must assume that seva to the Gurus, conscious

action, and sadhana >> will tame the unweildy karmic roots to

something useful to Maa Devi.

Dear sadumaa ~ by now you have perhaps read my first post about

Swamiji's answer to this question, so you will know how earth shaking

it was for me as well. What I feel in reading Swamiji's words is that,

in this life, in this hear and now, we can not escape from our family

ties. But I believe it is very important that Swamiji used the word,

"ties," rather than the words "family karma," or "family karmic

inheritance." In my life, I came to a point of complete acceptance of

my father, with no expectations. My relationship completely changed;

even his behavior toward me changed. We actually had a good and

respectful relationship. I don't know how I did it. But I think it

goes to the crux of Swamiji's words to "perfect them" (family ties).

I have been turning my way all kinds of inside and out, because of

things I have recently remembered about and experienced with my

mother. She is old. I am not well. She is not well. There has been

much so much miscommunication, misunderstanding, blame and just plain

old missing the boat happening, that my little boat was toppling over

from the weight of my fear, sadness, anger, pain. I don't know how I

did it before. I would think about it, and wonder what did I do and

how can I do it again? How does a person come to that point of

accepting another exactly as they are? Does it take 20 years, or 20

minutes, or 20 seconds? Does it happen in the blink of an eye

because somehow, something inside us caused us to literally "change"

our minds?

What I have received from what Swami has said by the use of the

worlds, "family ties," is that we each come into this plane of

existence with karma (parobdha karma, forgive me if the spelling is

wrong). This karma is likened to arrows that were loosed from their

bows in previous lives and are already on their way and will land.

Sometimes we carry our own karma from having loosed those arrows

ourselves, and sometimes we become the target of another's arrows. We

also have the option of shooting new arrows, and they too will land.

Those with whom we have "family ties" may to continue to shoot new

arrows, even if we don't. But in those previous lives, the individual

dharmas and karmas may or may not have been connected.

The important thing I receive out of this is that, here, in this life

our lives have become intertwined and our individual karmas have

become connected, and the arrows are now reacting to the arrows. But

what happens if we put our quiver and bow away? And what happens if

we just cheerfully step out of the way of whatever arrow is aimed at

us? The feeling of freedom and confidence, and, despite my condition,

self-reliance, that comes from understanding that "we perfect them,"

leaves me in an amazement with what I feel is a very silly grin on my

face. Because it puts the action in our hands, it also completely

empowers us. I look at the action in my hand, and it turns to water,

nourishing, life giving water. And all of this shows me the way out

of the self-imposed "hell" realm I've been living in. In some ways it

seems too simple.

Swamiji Ki Jai ~ Linda