so i've been thinking a fair amount about karma lately and i couldn't help but remember the philosophy that many forum members here hold about it. i view karma as a system by which we can measure our closeness to divinity. when we actively seek out richeousness then karma rewards us, and when we do wrong karma punishes us in order to see the error of our ways, and help lead us onto the right path. but just as a building needs a strong foundation, as does our soul. we need to traverse through certain archetypal struggles in order to gain strength in our foundation so that we may progress onwards to better things. in this way karma might be seen as a logical timeline that we all pass through, some of us faster than others. but because our position on the timeline requires a foundation then if we fail to uphold one of the lessons we have learned -- the foundation -- we come crumbling back down to the ground. but i remember in some of my past threads some people here have said how they don't agree with karma as being some kind of cosmic debt system, and that things do not operate in such dualistic terms. would you care to explain? but on a different note... do you believe in karma? what is your interpretation of karma?
my interpretation of karma has never been quite as "cosmic" as you described. i've always just thought of karma as natural progression and natural cause and effect. basically, i feel like karma is just the idea that, doing something WILL lead you into something else, and that isn't in your control... what is in your control is what you choose to do. this natural chain of cause and effect is different for everybody, and what's right for one person may not be right for another...even in a similar situation in two different times, one choice may be right once but not the other time. so i think, with karma, nothing needs to be cosmic or "absolute", and the importance is in knowing your situation and knowing where certain paths might lead, because all things inevitably lead somewhere. i never thought of the word "punishment" in relation to karma because it's never to me seemed to be a system of judgement, rather a system of flow. instead of punishment i think of "effect", in the sense that certain actions will lead to certain places (certain feelings, certain impacts on those around you, etc) and this is just the progression that we can call karma. i've heard people who seem to think that karma means that if you're mean to someone, you might fall and hit your head the next day. i definitely don't think it's that at all, "chaotic" or random and imposed by some weird law. actions will carry consequences anyway, and these effects which can be traced back to actions is a whole system which i consider "karma". but part of my belief in all of that is how personal it all is, and this is the most useful interpretation of karma i have developed for myself, so what i think is really about what i've experienced so i would never say that any interpretation is "wrong", someone elses may be better for them than this would be.
i thought it was "i'm sorry for hitting your dogma with my karma". well if that isn't one, it should be.
Karma means so many different things. I don't necessarily subscribe to any meaning. I do agree with a lot of the definitions of karma, but I don't call it karma. Basicly i really have no set opinion on karma and would love to hear other peoples opinions.
love begets love, hate begets hate, positivety begets positivety. It is as simple as the law of relativity. We create this reality through our thoughts that in turn create our actions, how do we assume there will be no consequences. Like your sig says man "riding the waves on intentionality," Man stop riding the waves, forget intentionality, lose intention, love, karmas no longer important Btw cherokee I like the way you think, way too mature for your age.
You honestly believe there is anything in this universe or outside of this universe which is not divine? What you describe as Karma in some economic sense is really more like a physics of actions which is constantly seeking a mid point of 50% good and 50% evil purely by virtue of the laws of probability.
i think i get it (or at least am closer to getting it) after reading it a few times. i also had you (mr. writer) in mind when i wrote that first post - as another who is often too brief (for my taste) i'm sure it's a "problem" with me though, not you guys. maybe i just have to read more carefully :cheers:
Karma in the most basic sense is the metaphysical law of cause and effect. That being said, the deeper meaning behind karma is that it is our debt to pay in return for manifesting here. There is no good or bad karma, it's all just karma. You either add to it or subtract from it, (and this goes for deed, word, and thought, btw). In battle, in the forest, at the precipice in the mountains, On the dark great sea, in the midst of javelins and arrows, In sleep, in confusion, in the depths of shame, the good deeds a man has done before defend him
if you feel as if you did something wrong, I think you will feel negatively, whether or not something negative is really happening. If you feel like you lived up to your expectations of what is 'right', you will feel good about whatever comes about because of assurance in your decision. Either way I'm pretty sure life goes on and on and on... your interpretation of positive or negative is simply just how you feel internally about the decisions you are making. I don't know if that is brief or dumb to say, but it's how I feel... you create your interpretation of life, whether it be a positive or negative one, based on your own belief of whether you are doing the right thing or not. (Someone who doesn't believe killing others is wrong, isn't going to internally feel bad about their decision to kill the way someone who thinks it is an inhumane decision will.) All in all I try to make decisions based on whether or not I personally feel if it's something I think is okay or not okay... and I feel like I did the okay thing, I feel better about whatever follows. The end. If you do what you feel is right for the most part... I believe you will achieve more peace of mind than someone who constantly does things they know deep down isn't what they believe is morally acceptable. Pretty much you create your own reality, and in turn, you create your own 'karma' within your mind.
^^^you just love to toy with me don't you btw i was in NJ this weekend. was thinking about looking you up, but my gf wouldn't "let" me. we were there to visit her family.
