Pagan Blog Project 2013 - K is for Karma... Sort of

When I started to write this post, as I typed the word Karma, I asked myself, what is Karma?  I had to admit that when I came to actually defining the word, I needed a little assistance.  I started reading about the different groups that use the word and found Sikhism, Hinduism, Buddhism and lots of other “isms” all use the word in some form.  Even Christians have a similar belief in “So shall ye reap, so shall ye sow”.

When I think about Karma I was one of those that saw someone who committed what I thought to be a horrible crime, being handed a hard life coming for all their evil deeds.  I also saw people doing good deeds and thought, oh they well so be rewarded. 

I never really stopped to consider that this thought process is very similar to Christianity in that, one believes that if they are “good” while on earth, God will reward them with crowns, streets of gold and no pain.

For some reason that thought struck me as odd.  When I do something for someone.  When I light a candle, send good energy or pick up a kids shoe that’s falling off from the shopping cart and hand it to the parent; I’m not doing this because some time in the future I’ll be rewarded.

I found a quote related to Buddhism that said, "God does not make one suffer for no reason nor does He make one happy for no reason. God is very fair and gives you exactly what you deserve."

Now, what do I deserve? Am I a good person?  I continued to read and some of the lines were, eating meat is wrong and some other “commandments” if you will, that appeared to be more of an eye for an eye type belief.  One cannot say, you deserve that to happen to you, when a rapists rapes, without fully understanding that with that judgement, they are now the rapists. 

Fascinating.

So, if we look at that concept and then think about it from a “typical” pagan prospective we see things like, karma spells and reflective spells.  Even though we're a live and let live group of people, if attacked, we have been known to direct things back at the attacker.  Does this then make us an aggressor?

And then what is the purpose anyway??  So I’m a jackass in this life, right?  If I realize I’m an ass; do I slowly get better as I’m re-incarnated?  If my life is really good now do I then think that I used to be an ass?  What about people who are really “bad” now?  Were they worse before?  

Does karma deal us a hand and it change based on the moves we make in it?  What about little babies that are killed?  Again, how is this not like the heaven/hell theory? 

So many questions flying through my brain. 

One thing I've learned is that as I look at karma closely, I get mixed messages.  I love the thought – get what you deserve, no more, no less.  I’m not sure I’m clear about who gets to say what I deserve.  As I've seen it, everything in organized religion is from a human.  Perhaps that’s all we have, but to me, that’s a bit suspect. 

I believe that when you are doing something, “right” only you can decide if it is.  You created that event, which becomes the cause for the beginning of “Karma”.  I don’t believe anyone else can point at the things I've done in my life and say, this is good or this is bad.  Only I truly know what those things are.  Someone may see me steal from a grocery store at 8 years old.  They do not see me sitting in the field next to the store eating the food I just stole with a vengeance because I’m starving.  

I also believe that if there is something I’m doing that isn't the right way.  I’ll know it.  I’ll know that I’m not doing this the completely honest way.  At times, I've been leaving the store and a get the wrong change, I quickly gave it back.  Why? Because it’s the right thing to do.

I do everything I can to be honest and very upfront with people.  I try to be polite and courteous all the time.  I try to treat other people how I want to be treated.  If I drop something on the floor, please give it back to me.  If I leave my bag at the checkout, yell for me.  If my kid drops his shoe, tug my shoulder.
 

I guess to me, Karma is just like another K word.  

Kindness.

Namaste & Blessed Be

Sosanna

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