4. ON THE FACT THAT LARGE-SCALE KARMA IS PART OF INDIVIDUAL KARMA

4.1. Special equipment of our hearts is a necessity. Even urgently. Since the pain of the world will not end. Neither will its broadcasting. With an ever-growing capacity and quality of information and communication technology this will even increase. Fortunately that gives us the opportunity mercifully to provide help and prevention, and to acknowledge the victims as such. This however does not alter the fact that our position of “being a witness without being able to offer concrete help” because of that, in itself became part of the large-scale karma we are talking about. That too is positive. But it can only be positive if our hearts draw the right consequences. For the time being, it seems, as stated, our being a witness goes beyond our capacity. This results in a range of often confusing and ever-changing feelings, comparable with what happens in mourning and post-traumatic processes. Such as feelings of shock, negation, pain and sorrow. But also shame and guilt: “why they, why not we?” Feelings of indignation, anger, despair, impotence. With, possibly fed by this last kind of feelings, reactions like ignoring, minimizing, rationalizing, resignation, fatalism etc.

4.2. In fact, as said before: large-scale karma is part of each one’s individual karma. That is to say: large-scale karma, in the sense of handling its consequences and being aware of causing it, is part of our mission in life. Let it be clear however: usually karma is not immediately understood in terms of mission, in terms of challenge. Usually the sanskrit word “karma” is first explained as fundamentally meaning: action. Furthermore, usually the explanation refers to the so-called “law of karma”. That means that every action leads towards a specific, and in itself already contained, reaction. And reversely: every phenomenon, be it material or mental, appears and exists by means of preceding causes. More precisely: every phenomenon exists not as a result of óne cause, but as a result of chains of interdependent causes. Or, said in other words: “all and everything” influences “all and everything”.

4.3. This law applies not only to the whole universe, to everything in it, to our world, to everything in it, but also to our actions and non-actions, including our feelings and thoughts. Not only every physical action, but mental actions too lead to connected consequences in the life of an acting person and his or her surroundings. This way we ourselves write, so to say, as co-authors, the scripts of our own lives, and co-determine other people’s scripts. This way we determine for ourselves and for others, in a continuous process of trying to influence and manipulate, our own and each other’s missions of life. This way too, we have, fortunately, the opportunity to adjust, to change course. Or even turn. This possibility is available as the law of karma also, by our acting and non-acting, co-determines our individual nowadays lives, even our “each moment now”. Moreover, endlessly so, since this occurs in a large, continuous flow of lives. Of course not lived by us as isolated individuals but within a given world as well as within a world which will be continuously karmic co-determined by our faiths and gestes.

4.4. In christianity we recognise this karma-concept too, albeit usually not related with reincarnation. For instance in the biblical saying “one shall harvest what one sews”. But let it be clear: the opposite is not part of karma’s law-side. In the concept of karma, it is not right to say that whatever one is subject to can not be different as a result of his or her previous actions. Be they physical or mental. No. In conjunction many other causes lead to what we are facing. People do not live individual lives, disconnected from each other. We do not live disconnected from our natural environment, nor are we disconnected from specific place, time and culture. Everything and everyone depends on each other, influences each other. Even if these influences are or seem homeopathically small. Someone’s or something’s action always effects someone else, leading to someone or something else’s reaction. Everywhere and every time. Together all these actions and reactions cause enormous effects. As causes these effects strongly determinate or influence our lives. Most of which cannot be said to be caused, or mainly caused, by our individual previous behaviour. In short: speaking of karma is not the same as stating that all what happens in our individual lives is caused by ourselves. The same can be said, no: has to be said, as far as large-scale karma is concerned.

4.5. The reverse nevertheless, it must be said again and again, is totally true: the behaviour of each one of us, physical or mental, without any doubt, does affect our environment. Irrespective of place and time. One may even say our individual behaviour has more effects on supra-individual level then on individual level. No matter that we do not clearly notice. No matter that the effects are subtle. Factually it is true. I hope you will agree. Since to know this fully is very important. Only when we make a thorough relationship with that knowledge, we will realise: a lot of the large-scale karma we know about, is caused by our own behaviour and that of our predecessors. At least for an important part. Then we will see our own individual behaviour in the same perspective. From the moment we acknowledge our roles we know this places us, individually and together, for a mission. Our real mission: in the first place we have to take care for others. For the well-being of all others. And for the other. “The other” in terms of environment of whatever kind. In doing so, as a result, we include ourselves.

4.6. Knowing this deeply, we also know: the aim of our mission is not self-development but love and care for each other and our environment. Self-development then, as said, is included. Although it is true: we can not do anything but first give attention to our own development. So, by translating karma by mission, life-mission as well, I am pointing first at the supra-individual in stead of the individual. Although, finally, there is no difference between them. So, be it clear now: this mission of ours is, as far as the pain of the world is concerned, strongly connected with large-scale karma. Especially or most obviously with its painful consequences. When and as far as the law of karma is involved, which is fundamentally the case as we saw, the question now arises, what we should do, what we ought to do, in that respect? Also: what is within our possibilities? Factually, actually, and seen from the scope of each one’s different nature. Which again confronts us with the core of our questioning.