This may be the most important period of our life. We are under pressure from multiple sources: a worldwide pandemic, a troubled economy, and now, a global call for sweeping social change. Tests provide opportunities. How we react to these challenges will determine our future karma, certainly for this lifetime, and perhaps for many incarnations to come.
Paramhansa Yogananda used this image: Imagine the brain as having an invisible scale that weighs in the balance all of our past good and evil actions. Our subconscious and superconscious minds are flooded by a continuous flow of influences, either positive or negative according to the way the scale tips. This karmic flow determines how we think, even how we perceive the world. The same power exerts its force also on the mass consciousness of nations and of the planet as a whole.
Does karma really determine what happens? It could seem as if it were a rather weak force: interesting philosophically, but not much of a factor in our day-to-day lives. Nothing could be further from the truth, however. Karma is the primary cause of the way we think, feel, and act. One time Swami Kriyananda was asked if our daily decisions are determined by past karma. He replied, “It will determine even the color of the tie you wear today.”
Being in harmony with God creates good karma and leads to good decisions.
The same is true for nations. Yogananda pointed out that decisions made by leaders such as Hitler and Churchill during World War II are determined by the karma of those nations. Germany’s negative karma clouded Hitler’s mind and made him decide to attack Russia at a time when he could easily have finished off England. Stated simply, karma on both an individual and mass level will determine the outcome of every situation. Karma rules because it is God’s way of teaching us the spiritual lessons we need. Being in harmony with God creates good karma and leads to good decisions, while bad karma strikes if we have acted against His will.
The other day, I was walking on a small road through the forest here at Ananda Village in Northern California. At one point I saw a banana slug in the middle of the road. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen one, but in the world of slugs they are impressively large. This particular specimen, though at least six inches long, was still a slug and speed was not part of its makeup, which left it vulnerable were a car to have come along. So I stopped and gently moved it to the side of the road. I hadn’t really given it a second thought until just now as I write these words. It may seem like a trivial incident, but as we treat the least of God’s creatures, so we treat the greatest.
The world is being asked to make some decisions now: Will the powerful stoop down to help and protect the weak, or will they turn aside uncaringly or, even worse, use their dominance for personal benefit? Will the rich willingly give some of their resources to help the poor? Will we, as nations, continue to place short-term economic gain over the needs of the environment and the welfare of future generations?
What you do today, this very hour, will put a few “ounces” of karma on either the good side of the scale or the negative one. Choose wisely, friend. Follow, as your guide, the advice of the great masters through the ages. Be kind, be strong, be a source of light, and “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
Try this: Today, help someone who is more vulnerable than you. Have a conversation with a person who has felt the dark shadow of oppression. Listen, learn, and then root out any prejudice that might lurk in the hidden crannies of your own subconsciousness.
If we do these simple things now, while under pressure, we will create an invisible force field of good karma, which darkness cannot penetrate—a protective blessing for us as individuals, for our country, and for the world.
In divine friendship,
Nayaswami Jyotish
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24 Comments
A very good article. Karma is the outcome of your thoughts out into action. Hence Good thoughts leads you to do good karma. Being compassionate will lead to good karma.
Really liked your blog
THANK YOU.
THIS IS RARE GOURMET STRENGTH FOR MY NOW SMILING HEART AND MY SOUL.
MANY BLESSINGS OF
J
O
Y
PEACE,,, AND LOVE EVERY DAY,,,,EVERY WAY…..
Bo
B,E,Silverman
So important to hear this message at this time. <3 Kalamali
Be kind, be strong, be a source of light, and “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”..
Beautifully written inspiration to follow. Thank you Ji. Love the blog.
Thanks Nayaswamiji
It was a good lesson on Karma. If everyone starts believing in this philosophy of Karma, the world would be a nicer and more peaceful place to live. You cannot change your past, but you can certainly try to do the right thing now.
Kanwal Sethi
The questions we are holding to reflect on – Will the powerful stoop down to help and protect the weak, or will they turn aside uncaringly or, even worse, use their dominance for personal benefit? ..
I will practice what is being asked to try, and add ounces of karma – help someone more vulnerable than you.
Thank you !
I bhajana, am the banana slug on the road the saint saved???thank you
Thankyou for this clarity on karma and superconscious living. Very motivating !
WOW!
Thank You Jyotish, so powerful and inspiring!
The only force powerful enough to transform all the layers of karma is Divine Will…
meaning the complete relaxation of the physical and subtle bodies.
In complete relaxation we then can become instruments of Divine Will.
God Bless Ananda, God Bless the World.
Words fail to express my appreciation for God and Guru’s Love through you, dear soul.
As I read this blog, I heard Ramesha singing, chanting, so lovingly: “They HAVE Heard Thy Name Lord. Namaste
Do we accrue Karma even after death? In the current context (in the US), is George Floyd – knowingly or unknowingly – the beneficiary of good karma for reigniting the movement for racial equality, as well as bad karma for the ensuing violence, arson & looting?
Jai Guru
Thank you Jyotish Ji for the beautiful explanation on karma.
Thanks for the wonderful knowledge .
Its a blessing to be reading this.
Vijay Kirpalani
Thank you for this divine blog and wonderful words of wisdom!
I hope one day to come to Ananda and learn the teachings of Sri Yoganandaji
Thank you for another inspirational blog Jyotishji. Yes would like to have the scale of Karma on the good side. Surely would follow your advise. Thank you ?.
Ritu
Dear Nayaswami Jyotish Ji,
Thank you for this blog! Much required during this time.
I had a question and was thinking about Karma for a couple of days and it has been answered very well in the blog here.
“Karma rules because it is God’s way of teaching us the spiritual lessons we need. Being in harmony with God creates good karma and leads to good decisions, while bad karma strikes if we have acted against His will”.
Thank you for the tip and Its very useful.
Warrior of God’s Light
Prem
Arjuna in the Gita becomes despondent when driven between his cousins in the war. How can I determine what is the course of right action Krishna? Should we defund the police? Are the police our enemy? I believe that if I had to interact with people who are operating at a lower vibrational level – that would effect my consciousness in the long run. Fortunately today there has been a shift in consciousness since the 1960s and our society has become more inclusive as a result in my opinion.
I believe that Ananda Community is missing an opportunity to market themselves. The community could be advertising themselves as a way to empower people to make better choices versus promoting a victim mentality. Yogananda was brown and faced a lot of prejudice back in the 1920s. How did he overcome prejudice prior to the 1960s (Civil Right Movement) and launched a spiritual movement in California? He empowered people by teaching them pranayama, hatha yoga, vegetarian diet, English Kirtans, meditation, and how to attune themselves to God. George Floyd was a Meth Addict. If Ananda had gotten to him earlier in his life – he could be operating a yoga studio and promoting a better life style choice to his community.
Thank you for making the idea of karma very clear!
Blessings!
As of all the very informative helpful teachings I thoroughly enjoyed the lessons taught in this one. I especially was touched by the lesson gained by the story of the rescue of the slug illustrating that as we treat the least of God’s creatures so should we treat the greatest! Many thanks!
Why has America been the place for change while the Middle East/India are not? The majority of people in the Middle East/India do not believe in the power of choice (e.g., the will of Allah/Karma). People who are born into poor neighborhoods make poor choices because of the collective karma of the neighborhood. There are churches in poor neighborhood which provide the space to become attuned to God. The people who become attuned to God in poor neighborhoods eventually leave the poor neighborhoods (or at least their children do) India has the caste system where people are born into because of “karma”. In the USA – people can make choices that will determine their fate.
Thanks for your teaching ; you put in words what our heart feels but often our mind doesn’t listen….every day every single small action will be a precious drop into the sea…love sea!! Everything seems easier if we start from small things…. God will change them in Big !!!
Sorry for my English…
Thanks and I really hope to meet you soon
This was absolutely the most needful and thoughtful dialog. I needed it in particular this day. In particular everyday now.
I am so grateful that I have all of you. I am older and wish I had had all of you from birth. Hopefully in my next life.
However, that being said., I found you Now and it means everyday, each moment I have
You as I need you and for that I feel I found everything.
Thank You from my Heart.
Thank you for this article , it is extremely useful.