This is one of the
interesting initiatives started in 2011 but still struggling big time! After
four years of attempt - mere attempt with not much of success - do you think
it's worth continuing, do you really think there is such a thing called karma
were the questions I was asked as a response to my previous article. YES, it is worth continuing!! I have given my reasons for the same in my
earlier articles in 2013 and 2014; though 2015 has to be written off, I still
believe it is! :-) Because, every year, I seem to understand a little more and
make a small progress!
First of all, let me explain, why I think there is such a thing
called Karma. It is as simple as the famous Newton's third law - for every
action there is an equivalent and opposite reaction. It is an extension of the
basic principles like "you will reap what you sow" and the famous
thirukkural "If a man inflicts sorrow upon others in the morning, it will
come upon him unsought in the very evening" ( பிறர்க்கின்னா முற்பகல் செய்யின் தமக்குஇன்னா பிற்பகல் தாமே வரும்). Some times, the
reaction does not happen immediately and the feedback loop is longer I feel.
Main reason is, I could never explain why I was born in India, not in any other
country, why to my parents and not to some cruel people and so on. It is not due
to any my actions I could recollect! Similarly there are also some tough / difficult things I had to face for no reason
- for example ill health that is not a result of any bad eating habit or
lifestyle and totally unexplainable! A more recent example is the 2015 Chennai
floods. Many parts of Chennai suffered
the most by the floods. But, the maximum impact I got was, my broadband
connection was cut for about 10 days, there was no power for just one day and
no milk for one day while many lost their lifetime savings and
establishments, a few lost their lives or their loved ones and a few others had
to stay away from their homes though nothing else is lost. How do we explain
this? All these made me believe that
there is a longer "action - reaction loop" beyond this life time!
Ancient Indian systems call this feedback loop as Karma.
If there is a next
birth, it is better to be born with a clean slate and face quick feedback loop
:-) After all, I do not want to go thru
something without knowing the reason for it - like this birth! That is why I set out to clear this thing
called Karma! But I will continue with this program even if there is no
rebirth. In fact, after I started this initiative, I was not bothered about a
next / previous birth. If someone can explain the unexplainable items better
without associating them to karma, I am okay to drop the idea of Karma too!
However, I feel, this initiative made me inch towards being a better human
being - however small the move is!
It is an interesting
mix of rules that test your will power and self-control, push you to do things
out of your comfort zone, introspect continuously, be mindful and attentive all
the time, manage the stressful outcomes with better behaviours than just expressing
the dissatisfaction. I realise that all these rules can be achieved only if we
love ourselves and others, live and let them live their lives as they like,
understand that there is no right or wrong action but there is a consequence
for each action, decide your action carefully based on what you want. I could
also understand that there are contradicting expectations from others and
yourself.
When it comes to
others, you do not judge their actions but when it comes to your actions, you
observe it very carefully all the time. You act based on what is right
according to you but keep watching if your right is really right and it plays
out right! You are setting an environment for others to be themselves and
change if they want to change; whereas you focus seriously on changing your own
behaviours to adapt to any environment. It is like the difference between the
personal development initiatives and organizational development initiatives.
Both are needed for a high performing organization. An organization should
focus on setting up right environment that suits any type of personality and
the individual has to focus on improving the personality to suit any
environment & influence right change. Karma clearing program expects you to
do both org change and personal development at the same time! This is one of
the opposing thoughts I referred to in "Extremes"! I am hoping to
achieve it at some point in life!! :-)
I should agree that,
there were some learnings in this direction before even I started Karma
clearing program. If you read my lessons learnt series (incomplete though), you
too may agree with me. For example, not giving unsolicited advice is a key
lesson that resonates with this program. I feel, all unsolicited advices are
indirect criticisms in other words, telling people that they are not
intelligent enough or smart enough to figure out their own solutions. "Never speak of anyone who is not present" lesson is also close to expressing
criticism or dissatisfaction. But I did not follow the lessons consistently at
all times with all people, in spite of making the mistake and getting hurt,
unfortunately. Moreover, it is easier in professional relationships than in
personal relationships; when you have personal and professional relationship
with someone, it becomes even more murkier!!! I will call myself successful,
only if I can refrain from expressing my dissatisfaction or criticism to my mom
(Mothers are the most "taken for granted" species on earth I feel!).
Till then, I will not accept success even if I do not express it to others for
nine consecutive days!!
Other rules such as
rising earlier, eating one meal a day and doing something that you do not like
can make you tired and proud at the same time! How do you control your
behaviour when you are tired and proud at the same time? On top of this, you
need to introspect by observing thoughts and actions and recalling your day in
reverse! Please bear in mind that any introspection will bring out the darkness
in our own selves! Just knowing the gap
without taking action can be really stressful. Tired, stressed out, proud
person will usually react to even the slightest trigger from outside; but you
can not express dissatisfaction or criticise that is, you can not react to any
trigger from outside! This can build further stress and make you depressed
easily…
Of course, it is
just not all tough rules only; they do have some rules to help you come out of
this stress too - helping others and meditating. But they are not straight forward as you
would like!! Meditating is cool except that you may find it hard to concentrate
with so much of stress and tiredness! You may get over it eventually. But
helping others is not that straight!! Sure, recent research in the field of
neuroscience has proved that helping others can release certain happiness
hormones. But the catch point is, you can not let the beneficiary know that you
are helping and they can not appreciate you. You may see them smile but can not
receive thanks for all that you have done.
I do not know if the neuroscience research eliminated this part when the
happiness hormone levels were tested. Not sure, whether they measured if the
happiness hormone is released by the act of helping or as a result of hearing
the appreciations or seeing the smiles of people. Smiles are contagious and there is a
bidirectional influence between happiness hormones & smiles! But how will
the hormones react if you see their smiles but they don’t recognize you for
helping them rather don’t even know that you helped them! Sure, you will start
smiling, but will you continue to smile? Hmm… That will be an interesting
experiment!
So the rules of the
game are tricky. It is like solving a tough puzzle! It motivates you by its
challenge level :-) !!It also is fascinating to see there is new learning about
life every time you think thru the rules and how these rules are interwoven. There
is no opponent in this game other than your own self to make it even more
interesting!. Absolutely brilliant game!!! In any sport, when the player is
busy with something more compelling, there can be a gap! 2015 is just that!!
But, I am starting it all over again!! Even if there is a no rebirth, even if
my "Karma" does not get cleared, the sheer size of the challenge and
the benefits I have got so far motivate me to try it again. I can surely say,
my ability to withstand pressure has gone up reasonably! My ability to let go
has increased! My ability to keep mental distance from people has improved a
tiny bit - but that itself is great improvement I feel. Considering all this, I
believe it is worth the try with a hope that I will win this game one day! You
can expect an article next year around this time on the same topic!!! :-) :-)
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