Instant Karma

The concepts of Karma and Reincarnation are intimately connected. However, when we discuss the law of karma being dispensed over the context of multiple lifetimes, then invariable doubts arises. If I can’t link my present reaction to a previous action, then how does Karma actually teach me anything? What’s the point of suffering if I don’t know what I did to deserve it? How can such a system actually educate and evolve me? Wouldn’t it be more appropriate to receive all reactions in the same lifetime?

Some points to consider:

1) Cases of remembrance - In special cases one may well be able to access past-life memories. Individuals can be regressed into previous lives, but even more striking are occurrences of spontaneous and vivid memories of the distant past. Researchers like Ian Stevenson have conducted numerous case studies on this phenomenon, finding clear connection between previous incidents and present situations.

2) Sub-conscious Imprints - although we may not remember specific details and experiences, the law of karma nevertheless creates sub-conscious impressions within us. For example, people often undergo experiences in their childhood which lead to a specific phobia later in their life - although they may never recall the actual incident which caused it. Thus, we are constantly learning from past lives on a sub-conscious level, because every experience evolves our deep psychology and mental state, which ultimately evolves our actions and approach to life.

3) General lessons - although we may not remember specific incidents, we can draw general lessons from our karmic reactions. For example, one experiencing suffering is often impelled to question their journey in this world. In hard times people become introspective and inquisitive. The karmic reactions in and of themselves are often an alarm bell. Through karmic reactions we experience the frustration of a material approach to life. Karma teaches us about the general nature of this world.

4) Educational Sensitivity – Karma is not administered in a mechanical, instantaneous and automatic way. For example, if we see someone acting inappropriately, we may not immediately correct them, especially if the time and place is inappropriate. We wait for an opportune moment to offer relevant feedback in a constructive way, giving the person the best chance of accepting and benefitting from it. Similarly, to offer all ones karmic reaction in an instantaneous way would not aid the educational purpose of karma. Thus, for the purpose of educational sensitivity, there is often a gap between the action and reaction.

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Get rich quick

On recent travels, I've had quite a few interesting conversations with the old and wise. Just last week I met an 82 year-old retired banker. We conversed about his life journey, the ups and downs, the twists and turns, and the pearls of wisdom that he had acquired in the process. The conversation came to the topic of money. He looked at me and exclaimed “After all these years I have found the sure way to become rich!” Intrigued, I gave him my full attention. “Most people think that you have to earn a lot of money to become rich” he said, “but actually they’ve got it all wrong!” “So what’s the secret?” I eagerly inquired. “The secret is that you don’t have to earn lots of money to become rich, just be damn sure you don’t spend any of it!” Interesting perspective indeed! While financial pundits may dispute his miserly mentality, I instead reflected on the spiritual significance of his words.

From one perspective his statement made sense. On our life journey we gather so much spiritual wealth and credit through our meditation, study of wisdom, service to others and ritual observances. When we live around spiritual people and associate within a devotional community it’s inevitable that we are regularly drawn into spiritually significant acts. We can earn considerable spiritual credit without even being aware of it. Unfortunately, we may be unknowingly squandering that wealth through our negligence and insensitivity in other areas. If we are critical and judgmental, speak harshly and fail in our consideration of others, or fall prey to carnal desires and material temptations, we end up 'spending' our wealth and stunting our spiritual growth. Thus, by following the basic spiritual practices and remaining conscious and alert to avoid impulsive and imprudent acts, we can become spiritually rich very quickly.

From another perspective, his statement reminded me that spiritual and material successes depend on completely different parameters. In the material field one has to be calculative, cunning, crafty and crude. One has to be on guard and defend his position. The ancient wisdom traditions, however, were based on completely different paradigms. A spiritual life is a life of giving, a life of magnanimity, generosity, kindness and goodwill. As we aim to help others solve their problems, our problems become solved automatically. If we share knowledge and help to educate others, we become genuinely wise and realized ourselves. If we endeavor to bring out the best in others, then God surely brings out the best in us. And ultimately, if we distribute spiritual wellbeing in the world, our own internal stock exponentially grows. There is no harm at all in spending. In fact, spending and investing in others is the sure way to become rich!

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Character Reference

In numerous sections of the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna outlines the qualities of highly successful spiritualists. He mentions tolerance, peacefulness, compassion, fearlessness, and forgiveness to name but a few. It can be a struggle to imbibe such qualities in the practicality of daily life when situations seem to demand other responses. Don't the peaceful have to be passionate at times? Don't the tolerant have to react strongly in certain instances? Don’t we all have to sometimes be fearful for the sake of survival? It could appear that superficially following such qualities can be one-dimensional and pretentious. Are these character traits to be imbibed in all times, places and circumstances?

Such spiritual qualities are offered as a framework to guide our decisions, responses and wanderings in this complicated world. When deciding any course of action, the spiritualist remembers the deep-seated principles they live by. However, one must have the wisdom to intelligently and appropriately apply such principles in any given situation. We may have a stereotyped image of how humble, tolerant and peaceful spiritualists conduct themselves, but these qualities go much deeper than the surface. The acts we see with our eyes may not be the true indicator of such character, but rather the motivation and consciousness behind such acts.

There is never a time when the spiritualist is not tolerant. At times, however, they may speak strongly, express displeasure and act assertively to create change. Despite this, they  never feel personal discomfort or inconvenience, but simply act for the benefit and welfare of others. There is never a time when the spiritualist is not fearless. At times, they may instinctively manifest certain psychophysical symptoms of nervousness, alarm and fright for the purpose of survival. Despite this, they maintain a sense of equilibrium, peace and clarity in all situations, just like a deep ocean which exhibits crashing waves on the surface but remains serenely calm deep down. There is never a time when the spiritualist is not humble. At times, they may act boldly and exude confidence and self-assurance. Despite this, they remain pure in motivation, never conducting themselves in such ways for the purpose of name, fame, and prestige; the confidence comes from faith in the divine, and the motivation is service to others. Such qualities are promoted in the great wisdom traditions of the world. They guarantee success.

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Live Options

Someone could propose that the true path to inner peace is to walk into your closest multi-storey car park and smash the windscreen of every blue Vauxhall Astra while simultaneously screaming at the top of your voice! Well... it’s something you could conceivably do, but something I doubt anyone would seriously consider. Firstly, there is the small issue of criminal arrest. Secondly, it’s extremely difficult to logically appreciate how such an act could cause the desired benefit. Thirdly, we don't really see significant numbers of people adopt this approach in their pursuit for tranquility. While there are many options and choices in life, there is also an inbuilt intellectual screening process which filters out the nonsense.

Some years ago, the American Psychologist William James claimed that although there are a multitude of options in life, certain opportunities stand out above the rest due to key factors:

• Practical – I can do it (without harmful consequences and drastic changes to my life)
• Beneficial – I want to do it (because there is intrinsic logical value in this option)
• Probable – I feel confident to do it (since many people have experienced the benefit)

If something is practical, beneficial and probable, it's considered a “live option”, and it’s in our self-interest to invest time and energy into seriously considering it. To whimsically reject such opportunities would be irrational, unintelligent and unjustifiable. If there is something that could enhance your life, that is quite easily applicable, and is something that many people are clearly benefitting from, why would you not at least explore it?

If we objectively analyse wisdom traditions and spiritual paths it becomes strikingly obvious that they fulfill such criteria. The Bhagavad-gita propounds a spiritual practice that is incredibly practical – it doesn’t require massive lifestyle changes, but simple additions of yoga and meditation into one’s daily routine. There are huge benefits on a physical, emotional and spiritual level that make logical sense and become quite apparent within a short time. Millions of people esteem the profundity of the Bhagavad-gita, and gain immense spiritual wisdom, insight and inner peace from its teachings. While one may not want to blindly follow it, surely it would be just as absurd to blindly doubt it. To categorically deny such traditions, such live options, without any significant investigation, suggests a stubborn, irrational and illogical predisposition towards a certain worldview. Ironically, these individuals who reject such traditions without thorough investigation, simultaneously pride themselves in being 'scientific' and 'free from subjective superstition'!

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Conflict Resolution

Communal living with thirty monks isn’t easy. We may dress in a uniform way and don the same haircut, but you probably couldn’t find a more diverse group of people living in such close quarters. We have monks from five different continents, all with distinct personality traits, varied psychophysical natures and a unique approach to their spiritual development. As you can imagine, there are sometimes differences of opinion! But I guess relationships in any context come with their own complexities. Husband and wife, manager and employee, teacher and student, brothers and sisters, university house mates – where there are people there is bound to be friction. Forming genuine and deep relationships is thorny, complex and testing. But those relationships stand as the most valuable asset in our lives.

Recently, I have increased my meditation on developing tolerance, humility and appreciation, knowing that such traits are the key to connecting with people on a higher level. I am trying to develop broader mindsets and approaches in my day-to-day dealings. When someone’s actions anger me, I am trying to understand what is causing them to act in that way and what the hidden history is. Usually my anger subsides, and I gain greater insight into human emotions and responses. When someone falls short of my expectations, I am trying to reassess the legitimacy of my demands, and simultaneously appreciate whatever efforts and endeavors they have made. It helps put things in perspective, and offers hope for improvement and progression. When there is conflict, instead of running away in frustration and creating emotional distance, I am forcing myself to communicate and actively try to resolve differences. It can be awkward and humbling, but it’s good to talk.

I am coming to realize that the people around me, namely parents, friends, critics, mentors, and others, are not simply there by chance. Whatever the tensions, these are the people that providence has arranged for me to relate with, and these are the relationships that will help me develop into the person I want to become. I am trying to appreciate how everyone around me is having a contribution in my life. They all have the potential to create spiritual transformation within me, knowingly or unknowingly. I hope I will work through the difficulties, and not frustratingly opt out and gravitate towards impersonalism.

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One but different...

The Bhagavad-gita offers an interesting perspective on world religions. It explains how the various traditions all stem from a divine source, and all offer the potential of spiritual elevation. The differences between them are primarily in culture, ritual and expression, while the central principles remain universal. Since the same message was taught in different times, places and circumstances, the externals had to be adapted – essentially, old wine in new bottles. While many can resonate with such an idea, there are also students and practitioners who would find such a stance difficult to digest. How can we reconcile fundamental differences on philosophical points? How can we overlook striking contradictions in the various historical and cultural accounts? Could this be a naive ‘new age’ attempt to avoid confrontation and create ‘peace, love and unity’? Without a more detailed explanation, some may say it’s a case of politically correct, but theologically wrong. How do we rationalise differences between paths that supposedly stem from the same source?

Context – religious scriptures and statements must be understood in relation to the entire body of teachings, and also with due consideration of the social context within which they were presented. ‘Differences’ may be perceived because we adopt a one-dimensional approach; taking statements simplistically, without understanding the context, purpose and background behind them.

Emphasis – different traditions and teachers may stress different things. Our spiritual evolution requires complete refinement of character and consciousness, and different traditions may well work on different aspects of this. Thus, they may emphasise different points, but such ‘differences’ are a part of a broader harmony.

Interpretation – we understand the divine traditions through the representatives of that faith. While this is perfectly natural, the teachers do have to prove themselves as transparent via mediums, free from the propensity to insert their own ideas. ‘Differences’ may surface because we mistake human opinions as gospel truths.

Authority – any religious claims must be traceable back to the original texts. In today’s world much confusion ensues due to a lack of reference to authentic scripture and religious authority. People claim to speak for a tradition yet offer no reference point for their presentation. Thus, ‘differences’ may well be due to inaccurate and erroneous presentations.

This may provide some insight into why religious traditions are one, but simultaneously different...

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Sacred Space

Yesterday, 416 billion emails were sent by 2.4 billion Internet users. Yesterday, 786,000 television sets were sold, $196 million was spent on video games, and 576 million newspapers were circulated. Yesterday, $9.4 billion was spent on public healthcare, $8.5 billion on public education, and $6.3 billion on military and defense. There was nothing special about yesterday... it was just another day. The complexity of modern civilization is surely astounding, but simultaneously worrying, since we are all impelled to complicate our own lives in order to survive in this climate. To a greater or lesser extent, everyone is forced to move with the times, monks included! It’s a far cry from the rural villages of bygone ages, where people moved much slower and spiritual culture was woven into the fabric of day-to-day life.

In a recent discussion with the Archbishop Rowan Williams, we reflected on the intrinsic worth of simple living. He shared an interesting story which I’ll attempt to paraphrase. Once, a young boy approached a local Bishop asking if he could be taught how to pray. The Bishop smiled and told the boy to sit down for five minutes while he finished other duties. When the Bishop returned he found the boy walking around the room and peering out the windows. As the boy sighted the Bishop he repeated his request. The Bishop compassionately looked at the boy and said “I can teach you how to pray, but first you have to learn to sit quietly, speak quietly and eat quietly.” The Bishop left, and the boy was left with some food for thought. Truth be told, to sit silently for 10 minutes would be an uncomfortable and unnatural experience for many of us. However, that quietness is essential – we all live, but do we live consciously.

Stillness, serenity and simplicity were the key messages of the Bishop. Noisy, loud and boisterous environments; opulence and excessively luxurious habits; stressful, demanding and taxing lifestyles – these can all clutter our consciousness, and block one from accessing higher wisdom and spiritual ideals. Unfortunately, the reality is that modern spiritualists are faced with such things on a daily basis. They’re inescapable. Thus, great teachers instead recommend that everyone create a sacred space in their life; a place of retreat, a place of clarity, a place of inspiration. Every day, the spiritualist can make a concerted effort to spend quality time in their sacred space to reflect, refocus and rejuvenate. The sacred space facilitates their meditation on the deeper meaning. This space provides the necessary quietness in an otherwise madly passionate society. It’s the place from where we prepare to face the world, and it’s the place where we return for sanctuary.

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What’s in a Word

Someone recently questioned why I post and publish my own writings. Surely ancient texts like the Bhagavad-gita have already distilled the essential truths for mankind. Can our insights and understandings significantly add anything to that? Could this extra information simply divert people from going to the original source? Is it not a little proud and presumptuous to think our explanations could be clearer than the divine word? I felt my defenses going up, and a thousand arguments began to circulate in my head, but I resisted confrontation and patiently listened. It was an opportunity to reassess. After all, it is a grave responsibility to re-present the teachings of great spiritualists and distinguished thinkers. One requires genuine purity and freedom from worldly ambition.  

Writing may be seen as an exercise in self development. It’s an opportunity to crystallize thoughts and test comprehension since explaining subject matter necessarily entails that one have a good understanding of it first. While communicating universal spiritual truths, our own weaknesses, faults and deficiencies become strikingly apparent. Scribing our thoughts can reveal the mysteries within. It also helps one to become more conscious of the world around them. Everyday occurrences, interactions and conversations are pregnant with insightful life lessons. Being in writing mode helps one to tune in. We may read wisdom in a book, but we see it in action in the real world.

OK, but why publish such writings? When Swami Prabhupada first arrived in New York, he published his magazine “Back to Godhead” and repeatedly insisted that every issue contain articles written by his students. He was concerned that ancient truths be carried into the modern context in suitable language and with reference to the contemporary needs, interests and concerns of the world. Swami Bhaktivinoda, another prolific writer, explained how many people simply study books, collect information and then store those facts, like a magistrate imprisons a criminal in jail. He labeled it “fruitless retention.” Rather, he said, one should take such knowledge, apply it in one’s life, and then creatively share it according to personal experience and taste. Thus, our writings are not a challenge to the great teachers, but rather a humble attempt to fulfill their wishes, and in some insignificant way encourage people to excavate the ancient writings for their own transcendental gems.

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