Paramhansa Yogananda ji has always said that in difficult times..take it as the hand of divine mother approaching us to caress us..the shadow is caused by her hand before it touches u, stay content even if she places u in a coal bin..this implies the difficult situations are sent by her? But according to law of karma..we attract everything due to the energy we project out?.please clarify in detail..thanku..namaste
—Petals, India
Thank you for your question. As a truth seeker you already understand that whatever comes to us is something we earned and that there is something important we need to learn from everything that happens to us — no matter whether it seems beneficial or harmful. Karma is not always bad. Karma means action and an action can be good, bad, or neutral. Karma is always how we learn to correct our errors, through our karma and our tests, which are the same thing.
On the other hand, is the realization that God will never give us more than we can handle. It is a beautiful image of Divine Mother’s hand reaching down to lift us up when the shadow of a trial comes to us. Forgetting ourselves in love for God, giving to others and living more in the higher self are the best ways to work with what comes. And, of course, to remember self-involvement is a detour for the self-expansion that our karma is trying to show us.
Also, another point to consider, there is such a thing as mass karma. Tests we experience may not be due to our personal failings but rather to the group karma of a country, business or family of which we are part. Again, our spiritual strength and resting in Divine Mother helps us rely on God in those tests too.
A wonderful article is linked below and a great resource and more information that may be of interest to you:
Always, in the language of your heart, ask for help and guidance in your life. Invite Divine Mother into your meditations and ask for Her blessings. She is listening and will take care of you.
Many Blessings on your efforts.
