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.
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