Dharma and Karma

(A very few words)

When my beloved, or my children, or my loved ones are experiencing ‘pain’, it would be so easy to take out my own handkerchief and become emotional with them! Have you ever felt that same need to ‘protect’ them? I, for a long time, did exactly that! It was quite a sight! Luckily, I became aware that their ‘pain’ was not about its’ effect on my emotions but about expressing the discomfort they were experiencing in their lives, and about how I would respond to that, and about what we were both to learn from the experience.

“O wretched pain when I attach you to suffering, and still a blessing and a bliss when I cast off your darkened cloak and see all of creation in thy many folds; lead on and I will transcend all Karma with you by my side”.

Chin up! It is at moments like these that we can restore harmony back into our lives by (A) Realising that the darkest traumas and the strongest turbulence comes only when we are in the thickest part of our battles and (B) Remembering the two magical principles that ‘guide’ us unerringly through the true purpose of our being - Dharma and Karma.

Dharma, I believe, presents me with the undeniable fact that I am a unique human being with a unique gift, perhaps unique talent, to share with all of humanity. It gives me the opportunity to express this unique and divine gift through the living of life. I am an integral part of the whole and only I can represent my uniqueness in the scheme of things. I know that I always manage to pull back from the turbulence whenever I put my attention on this awesome, and yet, truly beautiful and poignant realisation of my dharma. And even when I may not be at all certain of what my dharma is meant to be, I revel in the knowledge that my not knowing does not change the fact of my uniqueness.

Karma, of course, is the cosmic blueprint my soul has brought along to experience in this incarnation so as to add to and to balance all previous experiences, and the blueprint cannot be altered by cutting life short. All that will mean is that I will need to complete the same experience in the next incarnation. Knowing this often helps to create perspective for me viz. that which I receive as experience I am given through the expression of someone else as a part of the blueprint of their experience that they have come to express and to share with me without judgment. There is no intention of hurt; simply an exchange of experiences in the school of life, and then I move on to the next experience and the next until I evolve into oneness with God/Supreme Being/Creator/etc., and finally to the realization and the knowingness that I AM, indeed, that God.

So, I try not to be too harsh on myself when I cannot find all the answers when I need them. This is only the ego erecting yet another barrier to my personal evolution. So, I ‘snook’ a finger at Mr. Ego or say 'boo' or even something stronger that might suit the emotion of the moment more appropriately!!! And have fun doing it. I constantly remind myself that evolution is a delightful journey of reference to my inner, higher Self and NOT to my ego self image, however manipulative and demanding the latter appears to be. Here are a few words from my own heart:-

"When life and limb are hurting so,
When dreams and desires are vanishing so,
When thoughts and words are confusing so,
'Tis then the Light shines radiantly so
And empowers my being to the bliss of Now".

May I end by quoting one of my favourite thoughts from Deepak Chopra’s work:-

"Until old words die on the tongue, new melodies cannot spring from the heart."

These magical words continue to bring bliss into my life.