Disclaimer- We are always sure when we know little; with knowledge doubt increases
Karma demystified
Being at the cusp of 70, I had been feeling a desire to do some kind of self-evaluation for my own self, as they do annually in Corporate, of what have been, like my major accomplishments and my regrettable failings, which embarrasses me in the hindsight, and be ready with my Report Card for a meeting with God, as and when my time comes. Even if it's a fancy idea, yet such a self-evaluation, confessions for all the wrongs I remember having done so far in my life, and living a life, relatively more consciously, can help me re-route my life's course of journey now on wards towards a meaningful goal-post.
Accomplishments and Failings I am talking about here is, not on professional front, but what is accepted at the hustings.
In that context, let me dare make a humble observation that we all human beings on earth, have and live with three faces. One, which we show to the outside world, generally a polished and an acceptable face; secondly how we are perceived by others, which is primarily based on perception people form on the basis of their formal/informal interactions with us, and thirdly the one we know who we actually are - as respective soul knows, and which none of us can manipulate.
For Indians, it is said 'convenience, or what suits them at any given point of time' is their religion, yet the first two faces are largely tempered by people's religious and spiritual affiliations and beliefs, social standings, and fear of what society shall think and may talk about us. As said, 'convenience' is a googly, which can-not be seen and read by the outside world, and thus YOU, as you actually are, is not visible to the world, and most of us live our life with one or other societal approved masks.
Since, most of us, as I believe, are quite good in rationalizing our actions to defend our point of view, like it or not, we all shall have a big list of Reconciliation statement for our D-day.
That apart, let's revisit our Karma field for a while to understand what goes on credit side and what goes on debit side of Balance Sheet of our life.
The other day I was watching a video where a Sikh spiritual guru, in his own rustic Punjabi language, shares a concept in which he strongly believes in concept of Karma, and explains it very well, and I feel that concept is worth a try for all of us.
" Quote"
He says that most people, whenever they think or do a good deed, they tend to show it off, by spreading a word far and wide, as it enhances their 'acceptability quotient'. And whatever bad they either thought about or they have actually done, is something they keep it buried in their own hearts and try their best to hide it from the Family, Friends and Society at large, as that brings down their respectability in the society.
He propagates that whatever bad karma/deed you did and are keeping it under wraps or buried to yourself, it grows up, like any other seeds, say wheat, rice or corn buried (sowed) in earth, and when it's time to harvest, you get to harvest the bad karma you sowed earlier.
Similarly, he says when you do good karma/deed, instead of letting the world know what good you did, if you keep those good karma a secret, or buried in your heart (like they say, in Hindi, नेकी कर कुए में डाल, meaning just do good and forget), you shall eventually reap the harvest of good karma you sowed earlier.
So he says, when you do a bad karma, tell it to someone in the family/friends, like Christians say it in Confession box in Churches, and let it be over and be wise for future. And when you do a good karma, keep that as a secret, buried unto yourself, and as they say, let one hand doesn't get to know what you did good with the other hand, or नेकी कर कुए में डाल, meaning just do good and forget, so that with passage of time, you shall get to harvest good karma.
"Unquote"
In nut-shell, if you have done something wrong to someone, don’t keep it buried in your heart. Confess to someone and be wiser for future, or you shall have to harvest crop of your bad karma. And in case you have done something good for someone, don’t show off that and let it just stay buried in your heart. Sow the seeds of goodness and forget, and let God be the sole witness to your righteous karma. That way, you shall get to harvest good karma.
So, bury only those karma which you want to harvest.
And, if this concept is understood well, and if you tend to do good, keep it with yourself; stay away from doing wrongs, and yet if you do same, confess the same and be wise for future; take disappointments in your stride and if Success or Failure doesn't makes you compromise on your value system, you earn for yourself a graceful exit as and when it's curtains for you.