trying to understand karma...

So, over the past year I've been reading a lot and trying to figure out the workings of the world, "awakening" I guess, altho I'm not really a fan of that word. Anyways, I've done a lot of thinking about the concept of karma, and how to apply it to my life, but I've hit a snag. So here's my question, hopefully someone here has a good answer: if "good actions" attain good karma, and "bad actions" attain bad karma, how does one know what is wrong or right ?
For example, someone serving in the army may kill MANY people in a time of war. Now, to him and his countrymen, this is a great deed and worthy of honor. For others, this is a terrible deed, and they would say that murder is murder. Or, say in the case of a drug dealer, he may see himself as providing a service, and his 'customers' may see it as such also. But to others, this may be terrible, and many may agree that this is an "evil deed"
So, ultimately, my question is this: is karmic law universal, or is it something that is unique to the individual ?

reply to post by Gibbled


The way I have come to understand karma is more in relation to my lifes path,I believe in living multiple lives as a single soul in many different bodies and each time around the goal is to gain more experience and spread more good vibes, touch more peoples lives. Some even say we come into the world with a karmic contract that we must break/beat, a goal we must attain- Awakening be one of the goals- I think there are many different levels of awakening, some people will live out thier lives never even pausing to simply think outside the box, some of us will know whats outside of the box and talk/vent/get angry about it, others still will make the box a non-issue, never acknowleging it exists.

reply to post by Gibbled


I would recommend thinking of it in terms of Jungian synchronicity. Here are a couple of books.

Synchronicity: The Bridge Between Matter and Mind
Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle

Also, check out a sit-com called My Name is Earl. Its all about karma. And hilarious.

reply to post by Gibbled


I normally tend not to put much thought into things like this, it seems a little superstitious to me. Black cats and broken mirrors mean nothing to me.

On the other hand, karma for me is a tricky thing and I still remain on the fence about it but I have had some occurrences in my lifetime that has really make me think about it. Not just a few, but a good enough number for me to really take notice, especially if I noted the situation as instant karma. I cannot explain it either, it defies my logic processes and I can justify any reasoning on both sides of what karma is and/or is not.

I think though, whatever karma may be, it would be individualistic and not necessarily follow any sort of rules itself that dictates an action good or bad. Basically, what may be considered wrong for one person may be considered right for another. Maybe based off the morals and ethics of the individual person?

I do want to ask karma a question if it exists. What, karma, have I done to deserve to get me by making my A/C break in every single car I have ever owned? I have never been spared the expense of vehicle A/C repairs, never.

So, in the end, I may be sorta-stitious.

reply to post by Gibbled

So, ultimately, my question is this: is karmic law universal, or is it something that is unique to the individual ?

According to eastern spiritual traditions where the law of karma has long been an essential part of their teachings, karma is indeed universal, in much the same way as are the physical laws of the material world. However, intention, motive, and awareness do have mitigating effects, similar to the judicial laws we have in our courts.

reply to post by Gibbled

So, ultimately, my question is this: is karmic law universal, or is it something that is unique to the individual ?

Karmic law is both universal and unique to the individual...

I"ve posted a thread on Karma and my beliefs on the subject here

www.abovetopsecret.com...

If Karma is real then why do innocent people suffer and evil people prosper?

Originally posted by PoorFool
If Karma is real then why do innocent people suffer and evil people prosper?

How do you know those innocent people were so innocent in their past lives?

Evil is a very subjective topic...what do you consider evil?

Originally posted by Akragon

Originally posted by PoorFool
If Karma is real then why do innocent people suffer and evil people prosper?

How do you know those innocent people were so innocent in their past lives?

Evil is a very subjective topic...what do you consider evil?

Past lives? Seriously?

I have a deep respect for the concept of karma. As stated, yes it is practiced as a universal system with individual mitigating dynamics.

Here it is as I understand it. Note that this is in fact just my own interpretation.

Right and Wrong are definable as Good and Evil, Positive and Negative. As you have summized, Good and Evil sometimes can be driven by perspective at the human emotional and psychological levels. However, that does not change the fate of the action. To kill is evil, plain and simple. To kill from an offensive viewpoint, such as an armed robber killing a clerk to get money or a soldier killing a combatant out of respect for duty. Even to go as far to say that a judge sentencing to death another is just as guilty of contributing to murder as the felon he has judged. To take upon yourself the role of high judgement and dealer of mortal fate is beyond egotistical and self-righteous, leaving only a void of positive energy, replaced by its counterpart.
So, karmically speaking, you should be willing to die rather than take a life. However, the love of life, desire to persist and exist and the savagery of the human animal will more often than not win out allowing one to remove the life of another and celebrate the action.

Karma, though, does not just define taking of life. It defines every action taken. It is as simple as holding an elevator door when you see someone coming, to taking a longer of shorter step to avoid crushing a bug, to offering a kind word or smile to total strangers.

Karma is like the time paradox known as the Butterfly Effect. The effect of a single flutter of a butterfly's wings has a lasting ripple effect on all of time, just like the smallest of positive jesters for good have a lasting ripple effect on the karma of one's own soul.

karma is freedom


it is a debt we must repay,
its prison, but there are no walls.

It lives within, and happens without.
Do not struggle, look within, be still.

Karma ~ You have no choice
Just accept,
then
Karma is freedom

reply to post by PoorFool

Past lives? Seriously?

Seriously.

Understandably karmic debts wont make much sense to you before the realization of re-incarnation.

reply to post by Gibbled


OP, think of cause and effect. There doesn't have to be a subjective judgment of right or wrong, let alone any judgment.

After that meditate on inertia. Also bear in mind the subject of karma goes waaay beyond what you'll hear most people use the word to describe.

Karma is quite simple. It's the law of cause and effect.
Nothing more and nothing less.

Originally posted by polarwarrior
reply to post by PoorFool

 

Past lives? Seriously?

Seriously.

Understandably karmic debts wont make much sense to you before the realization of re-incarnation.

Then if karma and past lives are real, every single murder and genocide that occurs can be justified as "they deserved it".

reply to post by polarwarrior


karma is a subjective collective secret

reply to post by PoorFool


ok, we get your angle already.

take some moments alone to gather your thoughts about this very very complex issue.
try to take things beyond good and evil. # happens, to nearly everyone. do we deserve it?
can you see how meaningless this question is?

reply to post by PoorFool


Pessimist much?

You could say that no soul is ever unfairly dealt anything that they didn't ask for.

Originally posted by EmeraldGreen
reply to post by polarwarrior

 

karma is a subjective collective secret

edit on 16-3-2011 by EmeraldGreen because: (no reason given)

Can you elaborate?.... im interested.

reply to post by Gibbled


Karma is that thing that jumps up and bites YOU in the # when you even have an inkling or thought of slighting anyone in the little tinnssiest damn bit, but never seems to bite the BIG FISH in the GLuteus MAximus not even a little. See them Jackoffs are even above UNIVERSAL LAW!!!! This is really sucky! WTH were they before G$## Saints?