The words, “Know Thyself” were found inscribed on the walls of the Delphi Temple in the ancient city of Athens, Greece. This inspiring phrase has influenced minds throughout the history of mankind. It accompanies the human soul in its journey on the path to understanding the meaning of life and self-improvement. For centuries, human beings have been trying to understand not only our spiritual world, but also the mysteries of the environment that surrounds us. The search for harmonious coexistence with our environment brings us closer to accepting and understanding the laws of karma.

In the Hindu language the profoundly powerful word KARMA is used to identify this “Law of All Laws” − the “Cause and Effect Law of the Universe.” If we subscribe to the laws of karma, we are open to the possibility that there is no such a thing as a “coincidence.” In reality, coincidence is a predetermined course of synchronistic events. Everything that happens to us is a result of our ancestors’ actions or the actions of our own souls in previous lives. Theologians and philosophers have been studying these karmic issues for thousands of years, many of which are documented in a host of treatises and monographs (see bibliography).

KARMA. What is it? What does it mean? What kind of information does it carry? It is the unknown, unseen energy and residue from relationships we have accumulated throughout all our previous lives. Most of us have actually known many of the people in our present lives in past incarnations. It explains why we are immediately attracted to or comfortable with a complete stranger, why we make strong, unexplainable connections, or why we encounter someone and feel an immediate disturbance. These are all examples of negative or positive past-life relationships. 

These karmic relationships are hard to break, especially if they were established on powerful emotional ties. Enormous energy is spent in establishing links between human souls, and they move from one life to the next as well as from one generation to the other.

Karma can be viewed as a spiritual and material cause-and-effect cycle that leads the human soul through one or more embodiments. Authentic written sources throughout history relate how the actions of people affect their lives, and then reflect on the future rebirthing of their soul and its chain of reincarnations.  One of the most ancient celebrated sacred writings in the world is The Book of the Dead. The Egyptians honored Universal Spirit and the Divine power within every soul. They believed in life after death. This passage from the book is a glimpse into their knowledge: “How long… have I to live? [Answer:] It is decreed that thou shalt live for millions of millions years. [Osiris:] May it be granted unto me that I pass on unto the holy princes, for indeed, I am doing away with all the wrong which I did, from the time when this earth came into being.”  

Many past and current events can be explained by looking at the actions of a person or a group of people in past lives. Similarly, we could analyze the possibility of the current deeds of a human being influencing the future, including events that may take place after his/her physical death.

Karma is the law of human actions. Nobody on the earth has been able to bypass the process of one’s karma without regular scrutiny of one's actions. For instance, people often try to adjust the meaning or laws of karma to their needs through manipulating relatives, colleagues, friends, etc., or by rationalizing their actions. But this doesn’t work. Unless we realize the ramifications of our choices and analyze the possible outcomes of our actions, we will not awaken to the fact that we can change our karma – either consciously or subconsciously.

The lessons and conclusions we experience from our karma are sometimes clear to us immediately, and other times the understanding comes to us much later. Settling karmic accounts is inevitable for every soul. Every step of each life form is reflected in the book of destiny, or the Akashic Records.

Every human being comes to this planet for spiritual growth and to cleanse one’s soul from accumulated emotions, connections and experiences from previous lives. We live many lives in our karmic creation of destiny, perfecting our souls for our homecoming with the Creator. The human soul is a complete extension and manifestation of its source, the Creator. So the perfection of the soul is also the perfection of the Creator.

The doctrine of karma refuses the concept of fate or an inescapable destiny, since outer conditions constantly change, as do our reactions to those changes.

We are, as we are. We can't hide who we are. We wanted to be as we are. The current embodiment of one's soul with both positive and negative sides has been acquired during previous incarnations. Each new life establishes more favorable conditions for spiritual growth and the perfection of our soul, until the soul completely unites with the Creator.

The human soul learns to use willpower to pay off karmic debt. For instance, we cannot achieve spiritual freedom without paying our debts to our family. While we carry out our own responsibilities with relatives and friends, there are innumerable possibilities for karmic release. By possessing the freedom of desire and exercising our freedom of choice, we learn to view our karma as an ally rather than an enemy on the path of perfection and unification with the Creator.

Human beings are strong enough to change their karma. Freedom of choice strengthens us in perfecting our souls' karma. Willpower enables us to cut off or restore interpersonal and kinfolk connections. For example, each time we move or change our jobs, marry or divorce, we are influenced by our willpower to change existing life situations.

Karma teaches us spiritual and ethical values, as well as the art of living and enjoying life. Development of our spiritual essence becomes easier if we live, work, and carry out our responsibilities with pleasure and joy. We cannot fully enjoy the pleasures of our earthly lives without freeing ourselves from the debts we’ve accrued in our past lives. A human soul incarnates in this dimension with the purpose of learning and perfection, but often gets caught in the trap of mistakes of "earthly youth." It takes many incarnations for a soul to mature. There is no need for a soul to change its progression of embodiments – it needs only to change its attitude towards its incarnations and karmic debts.

Our actions, thoughts and intentions create our Karma. Karma is the foundation of our destiny.           

© Rachel Madorsky

            Symphony Of Your Karma