Karma in the Real World

What do we see when we stand in a crowd, watching the world go by – do we just see people enjoying life and going about their business? What we are witnessing, in fact, are tides and waves on the ocean of karma, rising and falling, manifesting in the dynamics of the scene before us. And it’s not only true in the limited, local sense – it is the reality behind everything that’s happening in the world all the time.

When we analyze this, we realize that what we are seeing is the outcome of actions performed in the past, coming to fruition in the present. This material domain was not designed to be a paradise. In reality we find ourselves on a dark and dangerous ocean, having to navigate the ebb and flow of a fate that we ourselves created. In light of this, it is no surprise that Soami Ji made this observation about the world we live in:

Heavy, intense darkness prevails in the world
  and the body is a storehouse of shadows.
_{Sar Bachan Poetry}

It is not difficult to see why he describes the world like this. Who has not observed that the world is obsessed with the pursuit of sense pleasures, power and position, and possessions of every kind? People commit all kinds of misdeeds in their quest for satisfaction of their personal desires. Countries go to war in order to serve their own self-interest. Even now there are nations and people locked in deadly conflict. One wonders if there was ever a time when peace and harmony reigned in the world.

If we analyze this situation in light of what we have learned under our Master’s guidance, we can clearly see that all the elements of this unhappy situation arise out of ego and a desire to further one’s own interests. People chase after their desires, believing them to be the source of their happiness, but they never stop to consider the consequences of their actions. They behave as though there are no consequences, but, as we have all discovered, there is no action without consequence. There is no benefit to be had in this world without paying a heavy price.

The fact of consequence following action means that every time we act we are bound to the consequence that follows. These consequences build up over time, and it should be noted that they do not necessarily follow immediately after the initiating action – it could take years, decades, even lifetimes. So, it is unlikely that in one life we will be able to account for all the actions that we have performed in this life, let alone those performed in previous lives.

In addition, the circumstances in which we find ourselves are entirely circumscribed by the karmas assigned to this life. If we continue chasing after the pleasures of the world, incurring additional karmas day after day, how are we any better than rats in a maze, chasing after the promise of cheese? Without help and intervention from someone who is not lost in this maze, what hope would there be for us?

The mystics tell us that there are eight million four hundred thousand different species into which the soul may incarnate. It is therefore a rare and precious opportunity to incarnate in the human form. What makes it particularly special is that it is only in the human form that we may aspire to liberation. Since one cannot rely on this opportunity to come our way in every life, it is vitally important that we realize just how unique an opportunity this human birth represents.

It would be foolish to allow such a gift to go to waste by continuing as we have always done. We have laboured under the shackles of mind and maya since the dawn of time, but now we find ourselves in a situation in which we can work towards our ultimate freedom.

Since we have been blessed with the human form, it may be said that we have crossed the first barrier to liberation from the wheel of coming and going in this world. But if we continue doing the same things we have always done, we will continue perpetuating the same misery from which we want to escape. How then shall we free ourselves from the tyranny of the mind and senses that have held us captive all this time?

The true mystics have come among us for the express purpose of liberating us from this maze of illusion. They approach us with all the answers to our many questions and the solution for our desperate situation.

Our Master points out how it is that we remain trapped in misery in the prison house of this world and how the constant activity of the mind has blinded us to our true identity, namely that we are the immortal soul-children of the Creator.

Our true heritage is that of the Lord himself, yet we continue to wallow in the mire of the world’s ephemeral attractions. We are slow to recognize and respond to the magic of the Master’s message. He tells us that it is only by stilling the mind through meditation and rising up to the eye centre that we can escape the confines of this world. The only way for us to escape the clutches of mind and maya is by going within and contacting Nam. This is what will ultimately return us to our true home and our true Father.

This Nam is the all-pervasive power of the Lord by means of which he has created everything that was created, and by which he maintains it even now. That power has many names: Word, Logos, Shabd, Kalma, Tao and many more. But the underlying reality is one and the same; this is the divine current within us all that may be contacted by anyone whose desire is to return home to our true Father. This may be achieved by following the methodology provided by a true living master.

There are certain conditions however that we must meet, or our efforts are likely to prove fruitless. First, we need to adopt a vegetarian diet. In doing so we consciously elect to consume food that carries the least amount of karmic debt, to keep our karmic burden to a minimum.

Second, we must abstain from substances that scatter our minds. These include alcohol, recreational drugs and tobacco products. Since the object of spiritual practice is to concentrate and still the mind, it is self-evident that indulgence in these substances will be damaging and contrary to our primary goal in life.

Third, we need to live a moral life, as prescribed by most religions, such as in the ten commandments of the Christian faith. Finally, we must practise meditation, which is the great driver of our divine destiny.

Only by implementing our Master’s guidance in this way that do we have any hope of ascending into the subtle realms within. This will put us in a position to contact the divine Shabd that will purge us of our karmic debts, remove the coverings of mind and maya from our souls, and render them fit to stand in the presence of the Lord himself.

We should recognize that we are, in fact, helpless and ignorant. Our only true resource is our Master, and to accept his guidance and teachings is the most logical course of action. This will lead to success.

The thing that has caused more problems in our life than any other single factor is our ego. Now we need to cultivate the habit of putting it aside and surrendering ourselves to the Master’s guidance, and put all our attention into doing the spiritual work that he has asked us to do.

Let us not delay. Time is not our friend – this life is not designed to last forever. The list of our family and friends who have passed on is getting longer, and our turn is certainly coming closer. The time to act is now. We cannot afford to procrastinate.

Each day should start with meditation, and should continue with our consciousness permeated with the Master’s presence. We can hold him close by doing our simran, and whenever we have some time to spare we can sit, even if only for a few minutes, and do concentrated simran and bhajan.

Being constantly aware of his presence will accelerate our progress, and we will find our daily lives suffused with an atmosphere of devotion and grace.