In all that we do or say or experience – what becomes our Karma, and what simply passes by and drops away? Are there behaviors we can’t help enacting? What does the voice in our head repeat and repeat? Is there a way precisely that irksome repetition can become the raw material for transforming our own lives?
Sometimes met as an exotic concept, mysteriously tangled with past lives and such, Karma can be understood as a workable force in the life which we are living — or which is living us — right now.
Drawing on the experiences and insights of a variety of practitioners and teachers, Michael guided our reflections this week as we explored Karma together.
Below are Michael’s notes from the talk:
The Buddha offers for our use these Five daily Reflections
“These are the facts that one should reflect on often, whether one is a woman or a man, lay or ordained.
- I am of the nature to grow old. There is no way to escape growing old.
- I am of the nature to have ill health. There is no way to escape having ill health.
- I am of the nature to die. There is no way to escape death.
- I will be separated from all that is dear and appealing to me. There is no way to escape being separated from all that I value.
- My actions are my only true belongings. I am the heir of my actions (kamma), the owner of my actions (kamma), related to the world through my actions (kamma). I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground upon which I stand. Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I be the heir…
These are the facts that one should reflect on often, whether one is a woman or a man, lay or ordained.
—Anguttara nickaya numerical discourses 5.57
A poem by Jane Kenyon embodying a skillful approach to impending death:
Otherwise
—Jane Kenyon wife of Donald Hall
I got out of bed
on two strong legs.
It might have been
otherwise. I ate
cereal, sweet
milk, ripe, flawless
peach. It might
have been otherwise.
I took the dog uphill
to the birch wood.
All morning I did
the work I love.
At noon I lay down
with my mate. It might
have been otherwise.
We ate dinner together
at a table with silver
candlesticks. It might
have been otherwise.
I slept in a bed
in a room with paintings
on the walls, and
planned another day
just like this day.
But one day, I know,
it will be otherwise.
Attributed to Lao Tzu in the Dao De Jing.
Watch your thoughts, they become words
watch your words, they become actions
watch your actions, they become habits
watch your habits, they become character
watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.
And poetry from a 14th Century Samurai, used today to talk about finding allies that can bring you to more skillful action.
I have no parents I make the heavens and earth my parents
I have no home I make awareness my home
I have no life or death I make the tides of breathing my life and death
I have no divine power I make honesty my power
I have no means I make understanding my means
I have no strategy I make opportunity my strategy
I have no principles I make adaptability to all circumstances my principles
I have no tactics I make emptiness and fulness my tactics
I have no enemy I make carelessness my enemy
I have no armor I make benevolence my armor
I have no castle I make immovable-mind my castle
I have no sword I make absence of self-concept my sword.
