Welcome. We haven’t met, I know, but I’m feeling it’s time to start a conversation. The general context is spirituality but we need an angle that makes sense. Since we’re living, loving, breathing, bathing, bleeding, shopping, singing, sobbing, and seeking better, best, and more in this world we live in, we ought to talk in terms of “karma”, don’t you think? We’ll be stoking the flames every month. I’ll go first.

“Karma” and “yoga” are probably the two most co-opted terms from Sanskrit, the “original” language of spirituality. Yoga is a subject for another time. Today, we’re talking karma. Good or bad, Fate never sucks. More often than not, though, it certainly seems like it blows…like the wind, actually…but, whether we like it or not, there’s definitely something to the whole cause-and-effect thing that seems to apply. Still, these days, most of us are prone to take the Fate-Destiny-Karma conundrum as Tall Tales, ancient mythology, or Old Wives Tales (clearly, women have always been brilliant). But, that’s because the mechanics and the deeper implications are yet to be understood and applied. Once you know them and apply them, the world you live in—the one you take great pains to create for yourself —takes on an entirely new fragrance.

Karma, the integral mechanism of the universal science of spirituality, encompasses more than just natural phenomenon. It takes into account both the gross and the obvious (the natural) and the subtle, the not-so-obvious (the super-natural), and their interactions. It’s the interactions that are key. These are channels we can utilize for our own benefit and for the greater good…or not. Once we understand and know how to apply the mechanics, the choice is ours. Until then, how can it be more than a crap-shoot?

My teacher, Sri Kaleshwar, one of India’s most extraordinary saints, if I do say so myself, defines karma this way, “The reaction to the action that we’ve created through the illusion that is covering us”. Therefore, karma has 3 parts and they manifest in 2 ways:

1. the action that you create
2. some reaction to it
3. your own “illusion” / personal perspective is the context
4. your action inspires and attracts a reaction that comes to you via Nature, which itself is an illusion, called “Maya”, that ‘plays’ on you with or without your notice
5. in return, you act and react to the Maya, which keeps the cycle going
If you look little closely, you will see a really positive point in this: the cycle of karma is a relationship you’ve set in motion, which means you actually have great
authority in all this.

So, then why is it so hard to consistently feel, be, and do good?

It’s the Nature. The times we live in are wildly unpredictable. You don’t have to go looking for negativity; it’ll find you no matter where you go, no matter where you are. The bubble you live in — your own “illusion” — is easily accessible by everyone & everything else. Such is the power and influence of great negativity. These are remarkably reactionary times. “Instant karma” is one of its natural characteristics. The turn-around time of karma is virtually immediate. So, what do we see: relationships come and go very quickly; it’s the same with money, health, success, and fame, etc. etc.. How often does it happen that a simple, casual negative comment arouses a violent response? And, it doesn’t stop there. One minute, day, month, we’re happy. Then, with or without our notice, we turn around and suddenly get slapped. One day, we’re successful. Then, a new morning comes and we wake up with cancer. Glowing love soon turns into perpetual heartbreak. The list is seemingly endless. We’re tossed, punched, ground down and it usually comes to us like a big efing surprise and we just don’t get it.

Still…yes, ABSOLUTELY YES!!…we have the authority to change this. That’s the deal, our deal with the Divine.

Why do we call it “the Divine”? It’s not because we have no explanation. And, it’s not because we hope or fear or imagine that there’s something greater “out there” that’ll take care of it for us if we just say, “PLEASE!!” enough times. According to the great spiritual masters, it’s because we actually have a direct experiential relationship with the source of The Illusion and the experience of it is divine. “How to” is a topic for later. For now, we’re still talking karma.

According to ancient scriptures, our world moves through epic time cycles, much like the four seasons. Each cycle is home to a time-specific, energetic climate. Today, we’re in the last stretches of the energetic ‘Winter’, referred to as the ‘Kali’ Yuga (Dark Age). As the name suggests, this is an Age of pre-dominant Negativity. In spiritual terms, the world is 80+% negativity, which leaves a trifle (less than) 20% of positive vibes. It’s no wonder happiness is so fleeting and hard to come by and hold onto! No wonder upholding a positive attitude of generosity and grace without getting bogged down by trials and tribulations, is, at best, an uphill battle.

But, here’s a little secret about “Negativity” — okay, its the BIG secret — Negativity is selfishness.

The more your thoughts and actions are about “what’s in it for me”, the more negativity you attract back to you. The more you think, feel, and act on contributing to another’s happiness, the greater positivity you attract. And, the coolest thing about this is, if you practice it enough, you change your perspective— the bubble that is your own personal ‘illusion’— you’ll become a beacon of positive light in the darkness, which will not only turn the tide of nature for yourself, it’ll turn the tide for the world.

be good,

Swathimaa