Karma and Human Relationship

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A considerable variety of explanations have been deployed, as to how karma dictates the essential template of one’s entire life. Thus, fate karma that determines and influences the fundamental format of an individual’s current life, can be dubbed intra-human karma. Therefore, such karma can only be viewed as an implicit statement, or a quasi-explicit account of an individual’s totality of demeanour, inclinations, preferences, aversions, aspirations and pursuits.

Nonetheless, since thought, speech, emotion and deed constitute the four cardinal karmic instruments, means by which inter-human relationships are conducted and corresponding consequences thereof generated, it can thus be standardised that when an individual sets into action a thought, speech, emotion or deed, aimed at a designated recipient, upon the receipt of that thought, speech, emotion or deed, a karmic bond is automatically established between the dispenser of that karmic instrument, and the recipient thereof. This encapsulates the modality by which karmic bonds are established between humans, to yield what is referred to as inter-human karma; or between one species and the other, to generate inter-species karma; for instance, the karma between humans and animals, such as that between a pet and the pet owner.

Therefore, an intricate mesh of karmic bonds is generated between individuals and among groups of individuals. Per necessity, these karmic bonds must be transacted among the agents involved, until the point of their total resolution; and the consequent attainment of karmic neutrality among them. Then and only then can these individuals be disentangled from their gregarious magnetic karmic field. Insofar as the karmic bonds between these individuals are not entirely resolved, the connections between them remain self-reinforcing, without possibility for any party to voluntarily withdraw therefrom.

This, in essence, is how karma generates an entangling matrix that bonds families, communities, society and even the entire world. The intensity, effervescence and solidity of the karmic ties among karmically connected parties, rests upon the magnitude of the energy that was consigned to that particular karmic instrument, which manifested that particular karmic bond. The greater the degree of ferocity and determination with which the said karmic instrument was executed, the stronger the resultant karmic bond.

As regards the scientific basis for asserting that karma constitutes the entwining matrix for connected parties, it should be recapped that the principal karmic instruments of thought, speech, emotion and deed are all manifestations of energy; or more vividly articulated, they constitute different versions of manifested energy.

Now, the first law of thermodynamics or the law of conservation of energy states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed, but can be changed from one form to another, such that the total amount of energy in the universe remains constant, merely changing from one form to another.

Now when an individual employs the medium of a thought, speech, emotion or deed to mould energy into the corresponding form, the form so generated derives vitality from the energy embedded in it. Upon the release of this form of energy, the designated recipient assimilates the consequences imbued within the form; yet, the form and its consequences remain active even after they have been assimilated by their designated recipient. Thus, when that particular form lands upon the recipient, a karmic bond is established between the originator thereof and the designated recipient.

Nevertheless, the law of karma dictates that the originator or moulder of that form must be the final recipient of the consequences thereof. Then and only then is the form entirely consummated and the energy embedded therein prompted into neutrality. So long as the originator of that form has not yet assimilated the full consequences of the form, there remain a karmic connection between the originator and the recipient of the form; and the necessity for the settlement of karmic scores between karmically bonded agents will orchestrate an encounter or a scenario, which will provide a conducive occasion for the settlement of karmic scores among karmically bonded agents. Therefore it is stated:

Karma is one of those topics that many people know a little about, but it is often more complex than most people realise. The second law of thermodynamics is that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. On the universal scale, this is the law of karma. The law of karma basically states that every action has a reaction and whatever you do to others will later return to you, either in this life or a future life. Furthermore, ignorance of the law is no excuse. We are still accountable for everything we do, regardless of whether we understand it or not. We cannot escape it, even if we do not believe it. Therefore, the best thing is to learn how it works. If everyone understood the law of karma, we would all be living a happier life in a brighter world.

(STEPHEN KNAPP, Reincarnation and Karma)

As to the mode via which karmic energy rebounds to its originator, it can be enunciated that the conventional character of energy is to motion in a circular pattern like a whirlpool. Thus, upon the initiation of an energy imbued form, the energy assumes a concentric motion, proceeds to and attains the designated recipient; and finally, its initiator. Then and only then has the energy completed a full circular motion; and it can then resume its state of neutrality. Therefore, the originator of the karmically imbued energy is also its final recipient. In order words, the point of commencement of the energy form is also its ultimate destination. Hence the saying that: what goes around comes around.

Relationships constitute the popular agency via which karmically-bonded parties resolve their karmic accounts. A relationship can be defined as a biological, social, commercial or other established connection that enables the parties so related to pragmatically engage in the discharge of mutual karmic indebtedness towards one another; such that the imperative for the discharge of such indebtedness becomes binding among all parties concerned. Prior to encapsulating on the nature of and types of karma-fashioned relationships, it would be useful to briefly acknowledge dimensions of human relationships.

The territorial morphology of the earth is such that it is segmented into continents, and within these continents are contained nations, which are further portioned into regions; and contained in these regions are cities, towns and villages. A city, town or village can only be regarded as a community; and a community can be viewed as an amalgamation of individuals and families; and a family is a composite unit comprising individuals of a common lineage. If this deduction is reversed in incremental sequentiality, then it becomes a keen axiom that individuals create families; and families constitute the units of communities; the fusion of communities produces cities and towns; and cities and towns aggregate into a nation; and a confederation of nations yield a continent; and the summation of continents results in the planet earth.

Thus, there are karmic cords that emanate from respective individuals, and weave their way via all these mediatory agencies, right through to the entire world and vice versa. More so, the individual also maintains express karmic connection with each of these agencies, for instance, an individual can be directly connected to his community, his town or city, his continent and also with the whole world. Conceive then of a colossal and intricate tapestry of karmic interwovenness, involving individuals, families, communities, cities, towns and villages at a national, continental and transnational level, to generate a gigantic karmic matrix, into which is embedded all of mankind; but within this aggregate karmic matrix is also contained sub-units of karmic pattern between various agents. Indeed, the complexity of this karmic network is of such insurmountable bewilderment that it suffices only to concede its prevalence. The critical point was to intimate that every mortal is fastened to this colossal karmic mesh. A handful of inter-human karmic categories will now be examined. The most common of such inter-human karmic bonds encompass the following:

1.         Karmic interwovenness by lineage (family)

2.         Karmic interwovenness by other previous lives associations

3.         Collective karma

Each of these will in turn be examined:

Karmic interwovenness by lineage (family)

This category encompasses members of the same family in a previous life or succession of previous lives, who had established karmic connections; but for which these karmic connections were not entirely transacted and neutralised at the time of the cessations of their respective physical embodiments.

Thus, when individuals from that family reincarnate, the unresolved and outstanding karmic forces orchestrate convergence among them, such that, those individuals would again become members of the same family. Nonetheless, in this case, the family structure might undergo a reconfiguration, as dictated by outstanding karmic transactions among the individuals. For instance, a woman’s husband in a previous life might take birth in the family as the woman’s son. This might for instance arise if in a previous life, the husband loved the spouse very deeply, genuinely and affectionately, but the woman had failed to reciprocate his very intense love; instead treating him in a half-hearted and pretentious fashion. Via the husband’s rebirth as the son of the previous life’s wife, the woman is compelled to nurture her son with unreserved maternal affection and love. In so doing, the woman is discharging her indebtedness to the love and affection she received from her previous life’s husband, who is now her son.

In another episode, individuals who had maintained immense embitterment towards one another in a previous life might reincarnate as perhaps husband and wife, or father and daughter; to afford them the opportunity of exercising love towards one another; since it is only by means of love that their savage karmic bonds of mutual embitterment can be dissolved. Love depicts that one remedial agent that can dilute and even entirely dissolve the fetters of karmic bonds. The real mode of karmic transactions among members of a family is very complex indeed; and dependent on the specific karmic circumstances that typify connected parties. The outline provided here was designed to offer the rational basis and nature of such karmic transactions.

Karmic interwovenness by other previous lives’ associations

Throughout successive epochs of one’s previous reincarnations, one had established a plethora of social, professional, commercial and other categories of karmic connections, with severalty of significance and variation of influence over one’s life. Some of these connections were of an antipathetic character and yielded prohibitive discontent, while others might had been of fruitful character and resulted in settled contentment.

Nonetheless, it so happens that not all of these established bonds had been resolved in the past and so, when souls with historically unresolved karmic connections reincarnate in the same era, outstanding and unresolved karmic patterns and forces will orchestrate the convergence of such souls in some particular arena, perfectly suited for the resolution of those pending karmic indebtedness. For instance, if one was unfairly and harshly treated by one’s employer in a previous life, the law of karma can then reverse matters in this lifetime, for which, one becomes the employer of his previous life’s employer; and this would afford the previously harshly treated employee the occasion to effect amendments. So long as one’s past karmic bonds remain unresolved with some individual or individuals, it is of utmost certitude that one will at some point, involuntarily and unconsciously be conducted into the orbit of that individual or individuals, so that outstanding karmic connections can be settled.

Affiliated to this category is the notion of soul mates, which had been professed with unconcealed piquancy. The concept purports that individual souls or groups of souls can subscribe to mutual consensus in fostering each other’s spiritual evolution; and that such a group of souls with an agreement to evolve together is known as soul mates. It so occurs that in such instances, soul mates mostly turn out to be lovers or spouses; but soul mates might as well be connected via some other channel than that of lovers and spouses. Thus, when the karmic forces embodying their mutual obligations are activated, it becomes inevitable for circumstances to arise, which will enable the realisation of the mutual obligation that typifies such soul mates.

Collective Karma

Also known as mass karma, this karmic type is collective in character, transcends the personal karmic field of a single or handful of individuals; and can manifest upon substantial proportions of the population of a particular community, region, city, nation, continent or even the entire globe.

An example might include economic opulence that might be enjoyed by a particular nation or nations; instances of anarchy and cataclysm in some nations. Seismic calamities and other disasters have been witnessed wiping out vast regions in many parts of the globe; and this in a sense can be viewed as the discharge of collective liabilities. Far too often, when seismic calamities beacon, there are always extraordinary instances of mysterious escapes. Such alleged escapes cannot be held as entirely mysterious, for those perceived fortunate escapees were not destined to discharge their liabilities via that channel.

More often, those savaged by such calamities are those whose karmic liabilities assume the character of sudden death, prolonged anguish etc. Regardless of the whereabouts of such individuals prior to the walloping of such calamities, without any real conscious or voluntary exertion, they will by some means be hastened into such scenarios, so that they may be answerable to their liabilities.

Escalation in the transmission of fatal maladies such as HIV/AIDS, typifies the unleashing of global mass karma resulting from perpetual perversions in sexual conduct, and the chronic abuse of sexual energy on the astral realm.

En passant, it’s worth underscoring the fact that every nation is entangled by a cluster of thought forms that are typical of the dwellers of that nation from generation to generation. Such a flourishing blanket of thought pattern dictates upon public opinion, values, traditions, and the distinctive mannerism of that nation. Every event, whether national or international, will usually be perceived in the backdrop of this gigantic mass of the nation’s thought pattern, in a manner that yields distortions and prejudices. In other words, each nation perceives reality using the disfigured prism of its own thought pattern.

Therefore, in international matters that necessitate the interaction of many nations, such differential in national karmas generate disparities in the frequencies of vibrations among them, with the potential for degenerating into conflict and sometimes savage belligerency. What sociologists and psychologists allude to as culture can simply be termed collective karma by metaphysical investigators and spiritual scientists.

Far too often, the bystander hastens to cantankerously and strenuously petition that perpetuators and nurturers of malignance and other acts of savagery evade retribution and apparently bask in splendour, while those who appear to be the very epitome of sanctimony and morality seem to be deprived of their entitlement for remuneration. In the face of these casual observations, divine jurisprudence, by way of karma, they allege, has miscarried in a clearly visible manner. Such a stance can only be taken from a very superficial observation of the matter; for, the law of karma can never fail to adjudicate to the desired degree. If the issue of perceived injustice is gauged from a very parochial perspective, justice might appear to miscarry; but if examined from the entire scheme of affairs, taking every component into account; that is, from the totality of previous lives episodes of the individual under scrutiny, the observer might be compelled to detract from his parochial stance, and quickly side with reality.

The veracity of the matter is that, the so-called virtuous person might have transformed his life into virtuous inclinations now, but history might furnish a different testimony in that somewhere during his previous lives, that so-called virtuous person was party to some malaise, the acerbic fruits of which have now ripened for his assimilation. If he did not sow those seeds in the past, he would not be harvesting their consequences now. The virtuous person should never consider securing retirement from his sanctimonious inclination, for sooner or later, the corresponding fruits will ripen for him to harvest. Likewise for the vicious individual, legitimate consequences will maturate in due time. Karmic justice can never abort. The timing of karmic materialisation might be unknown, but the utmost certainty is that, its mandate is of rigorous immutability. Miscarriage of karmic justice is entirely infeasible. No crafty detour can possibly release one from its tenterhooks. Only the grace of the Almighty, as copiously manifested via a living Master, can unfasten one from its monstrous grip. It cannot be done otherwise.

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