Do you believe in Karma?

[Pixie]

I just wondered.....

Do you believe that if you're generally a good and decent person inside that "what goes around, comes around"?

I'm not saying that people have to be saints or anything but I just wondered what everyone's views are......?

I'm not personally religious in any way but I do believe that somewhere if you're a good soul and that you attempt to live your life as well as possible and treat others how you expect to be treated that generally speaking you'll experience good karma.

Now, don't get me wrong, everyone suffers various forms and levels of hardship in their lives and I appreciate that but do you believe that on the whole good karma attracts more good karma??

Discussion open....................

 

[Jiglo]

I reckon some good people get shit on and some complete tossers waltz through life never seeming putting a foot wrong, so not sure really:S

I reckon good and evil has to balance itself out though

 

[walgman]

totally belive in 'what . . . .'

if you dont then where are you?

 

[li'l Sonz]

I truely believe that if you are a cnut to people then it will come back on. Whether it's because people see that and aren't willing to do favours, be nice etc or if it's "the powers that be".

I also think that you should always try and be schweet as with people! Coz if nothing else, it's just the right thing to do! But I am well aware that crappy things can happen to good people...... So I guess to answer your question I kind of believe loosly in karma but I don't know if it's all down to "the powers to be" and I'm sure human intervention has a lot to do with things!

x

 

[lottie]

nah pile o dog pooski ....
good n bad things happen in life however you treat / mistreat somebody else , shit happens end off , but personally i do think you should treat others the way you want to be treated yourself

 

[amymars]

All I know is that if you put bad out into the world, it will send it straight back to you as far as people are concerned....but thats as far as Im willing to go I think. I wouldn't say that events which happen are based on how you have acted in the past.

 

[pianoman]

Yes I do. without a doubt. deffo what goes around comes around.

 

[Ed]

According to the ancient texts, we can create karma about 60 times a second. My understanding is that 'life' or the universe flows through us. This life is a series of lessons, opportunities, which may or may not be the result of previous actions (i.e. karma).

The very nature of cause and effect means that each time we react positively to a situation, a positve effect may be caused. However this might not be how you normally view positive. For example, lets say a bloke/girl you have been going out with finds you attractive, but a little needy. After some time he decides that he/she doesnt want to continue the relationship and ends it. This is done not from a position of malice or unkindness, but from the genuine belief that it is the best thing for both of you.

Now say you are on the receiving end of that decision. How will you react? If you are angry and hurt and react in that way, you create more anger and hurt . If you accept it, with sadness, you give yourself the opportunity to expand.

Its ok to feel negative emotions, that is natural, its part of us. To then act on them with speech or action, knowing they are negative is where we create negative karma.

I read a great book on karma recently, I think its just called 'karma', will look up the author for you when I get back to London Amy.

Needless to say, yes I do believe in it.......

 

[Ed]

One more thing, 'being a good person inside' does not absolve us from our actions. Only our actions can do this. We are al good people inside, we just let our ego, our insecurities and our shit, our past karma affect us. And so we keep producing the same karma.

I won't go into personal details, but lets just say I've had situations reoccur in my life, some before I got into Eastern ideas, some after, where is feels clear to me it was karma repeating itself in order for me to make a different positive decision, or for me to feel the hurt I had caused someone else.

I also think Karma makes us take responsibility for our actions,and it also removes self pity. You don't ask 'why me?' when you believe in karma, you ask 'how can I act in a way that this will not arise again?'. There's a big difference.

Depending on how self aware/tuned in to yourself you are, you can notice your own thought patterns, stuff you catch yourself thinking all the time. If you know these are making you unhappy, or act in a way you are uncomfortable with, have a good think on them. Chances are you keep thinking them as an opportunity to see them in a different light..

 

[Jiglo]

Cheers Ed, i'm glad you've posted this as i've been carrying lots of negative energy with me recently because I didn't understand a situation and just wanted answers for peace of mind :S

It's had the opposite effect though, trying to get an answer just made things worse and maybe if i'd understood karma sooner I could have tried to adjust my mind to something more positive instead of causing grief for myself at least and possibly others.

Karma is deeper than i'd imagined it to be and not quite as straightforward, yet it makes perfect sense to me - especially now I can relate it to a particular problem

I just hope I can follow it properly and create a more positive energy around me again!

 

[Ed]

Cheers Ed, i'm glad you've posted this as i've been carrying lots of negative energy with me recently because I didn't understand a situation and just wanted answers for peace of mind :S

It's had the opposite effect though, trying to get an answer just made things worse and maybe if i'd understood karma sooner I could have tried to adjust my mind to something more positive instead of causing grief for myself at least and possibly others.

Karma is deeper than i'd imagined it to be and not quite as straightforward, yet it makes perfect sense to me - especially now I can relate it to a particular problem

I just hope I can follow it properly and create a more positive energy around me again!

Nice one. Part of us will always want to understand things with the rational mind. Why did this happen? Why did X do that, act that way? Does he/she not see, understand me? If only he she knew what they were missing out on.

Sometimes though this can't be explained, or we can't work it out to our satisfaction. Then we just have to accept it. Once we accept something it really disappears. Its only when we hold on to something, create a patern of thought on something that we 'stick' or get stuck, and as a result we continue to suffer.

 

[Jiglo]

Cheers Ed!

I know what i've gotta do now, i've got to try to find the contentment I always used to feel in happier times and make it up to the people closest to me who I haven't always been nice to recently when i've been letting negatives weigh me down.

I know it isn't gonna be as easy as i've made it sound, but at least i'm going to try

 

[amymars]

You don't ask 'why me?' when you believe in karma, you ask 'how can I act in a way that this will not arise again?'...

Hehehehehe you sound like a Zen master.....

 

[Ed]

Hehehehehe you sound like a Zen master.....

what do you think Amos?

 

[amymars]

what do you think Amos?

I don't know really....

A few years ago when I was very depressed....I went to some talking therapy. After a few weeks it was obvious that my problems and negative feelings were caused by patterns of thought and action which lead me to being in that state. The women I was seeing actually drew a plan on paper of how I end up feeling depressed, the routes to it etc. and why.
Some of the Karma stuff you've mentioned sounds a little like that. Being self aware, stopping yourself from indulging in your own negativity, maybe Im wrong but thats how Im understanding it???

If Im understanding correctly, then being aware of Karma can only be a good way to live I guess!

 

[Ed]

I don't know really....

A few years ago when I was very depressed....I went to some talking therapy. After a few weeks it was obvious that my problems and negative feelings were caused by patterns of thought and action which lead me to being in that state. The women I was seeing actually drew a plan on paper of how I end up feeling depressed, the routes to it etc. and why.
Some of the Karma stuff you've mentioned sounds a little like that. Being self aware, stopping yourself from indulging in your own negativity, maybe Im wrong but thats how Im understanding it???

If Im understanding correctly, then being aware of Karma can only be a good way to live I guess!

Sounds like you got lucky with that therapist.
I guess I'd add, and this is where Zen differs from some modern psychological approaches, is that feeling negative emotions isn't a bad thing. Its totally natural, its part of the universe. Where we feel real pain and suffering is where we attach the idea 'I shouldn't be feeling like this' or 'Its bad to feel sad' or 'its bad to be depressed'. Because we then try and hide from those emotions.

You have to take them on the chin, feel the pain and move on positively. Otherwise, you'll be going through it again.

 

[Jonno]

I don't know really....

A few years ago when I was very depressed....I went to some talking therapy. After a few weeks it was obvious that my problems and negative feelings were caused by patterns of thought and action which lead me to being in that state. The women I was seeing actually drew a plan on paper of how I end up feeling depressed, the routes to it etc. and why.
Some of the Karma stuff you've mentioned sounds a little like that. Being self aware, stopping yourself from indulging in your own negativity, maybe Im wrong but thats how Im understanding it???

If Im understanding correctly, then being aware of Karma can only be a good way to live I guess!

Its Amelie btw.

From what you describe she was using a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy approach, or perhaps she was a CB Therapist? Its used quite frequently in Child and Adolescent mental health teams. Its principiles are based on negative thought parking and shit.

I don't belive in karma btw, other than the obvious.

 

[amymars]

Its Amelie btw.

From what you describe she was using a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy approach, or perhaps she was a CB Therapist? Its used quite frequently in Child and Adolescent mental health teams. Its principiles are based on negative thought parking and shit.

I don't belive in karma btw, other than the obvious.

not sure, she was just a university counsellor, but I must say she was really good. They probably see the same problems arising with students in University I imagine.

 

[Pixie]

Cheers for all the responses guys and I guess that maybe it's not solely down to Karma why we experience certain things and that a lot of it does have to do with how we react to certain situations.

For example, if you're a liar and you hurt other people with your luies then eventually someone, somehwere is gonna lie to you a wreck your head twice as bad - I suppose you can't pidgeon hole the thing that causes this as being 'karma' but I do believe that there's something that causes good things to happen to good people etc. Maybe it's the belief in karma and therefore you modify your actions accordingly and that in turn breeds good responses from others?

Ed - yeah if you find out the name and author of that book I'ed be interested to read what it has to say. Deffo. Cheers

Amelie - do yuo think that maybe someone is looking for the right path to take and that various therapies can jus tbring these behaviours to light or do you just not believe in it at all? I'm really interested in the phychology behind all of this as well if you have any thoughts?

Jiglo - I'm sure it will all work out for you mate. If you're already feeling like you have something to aim towards, then the good stuff will come to you in time.

 

[veee]

things go round and come back round as foook. theres no hiding from it.i once tried to pretend they didn't. i failed miserably needeless to say.

i'd like to summarise by adding.... people in glass houses shud in no way consider lobbin rocks about. if the need is that great, then i't time to consider relocating to a house made of summet a bit more substantial.