Reflections and Karma

I reflect back on my life and sometimes contemplate why certain things have happened. I have wondered about Karma and thought about how decisions I have made contributed to a sequence of events. Early on, I concluded, the most valuable thing about any experience is the many lessons to be gleaned from each.

During difficult times especially, I think there comes a time when we wonder why we must endure certain experiences that create change, stress, and suffering. Is it our Karma? 

I cannot possibly change one experience I have had during my lifetime, good or bad, to be me. I am okay with that. I know my own intentions. I also concluded that not all suffering is necessarily Karma induced.  When someone does something that is malicious and creates suffering in another person's life, we do not have to wish bad Karma on them (not that we have any control on the “what goes around comes around” in the universe anyway), and our personal suffering caused by someone else, is not necessarily our Karma. We may be merely acting as a "conduit" so to speak.

Fact is, we cannot change anything that happened in the past, but we have a choice to let the experience make or break us. I should have a Master’s in this "life education" but at times during re-testing, I have failed miserably. Realizing, during those most difficult times, when I focus on the "why" things happen; it becomes clear, I am misdirecting the energy needed to maneuver through the storm.

I believe bad Karma is created by intent. The best response to malicious attacks that can knock us down at times, is never let actions of another person harden our heart, never lower ourselves to the level of exercising intent to hurt another, including wishing bad Karma upon them. We all possess this wonderful freedom of choice. We do not have to create bad karma for ourselves with bad intentions.

My own experience tells me the best thing to do, is focus on our own climb back up! As I said, we do not have to wish for bad Karma or take negative action to create it, for it is a rule of the Universe. What goes around does come back around, whether we like it or not.

When we see what appears to be a Karmic event happening in the life of someone who has intentionally hurt us, we can sit back, relax, and focus on our rebuild. Based upon “cause and effect” we can rest assured everyone at one time or another receives a reminder to respect the Rules of the Universe.