Response to other's Karma collabs and the thoughts they provoked!

4 May 2001

Karma and three-fold rule allows us to expect good things to come back to us, three times! I enjoy helping others. In fact, it often seems easier to help others than to help myself. (This discussion is going on right now in one of my pagan talk groups.) But, with this topic, I am left to wonder. Am I actually helping other's or just trying to forget my own problems by dealing with everyone else's? If I am doing it for personal reasons, as in to avoid my own situations, is that good Karma or bad Karma? What should I expect in return for this? Maybe it goes by what is in our heart. "Well, I can't fix my problem, maybe I can fix theirs, and my own problem will get better." When I think about it like that, it does seem like I'm trying to escape my own problems. I suppose what I need to do is fix my own problems, then I can help others. I just don't know if I am able to do that. I smoke too much, I have a temper, sometimes I let my son play alone too long... different stuff that may not always be good. I should play with my son more. I need to have more patience with him. I desperately need to learn how to change his diaper and have patience when he tries to wiggle away from me. (heh, maybe I should just let him run around naked. What a mess!)

I take the Rede 'An Harm None' as in not harming anyone purposely, especially using rituals, charms, etc. Sometimes feelings, especially, are going to be hurt, and there really isn't nothing to do about it. I've had a few guys get crushes on me, but I am married and I can't do anything about that, except in a sense hurt their feelings because I do not want to hurt my husband. Okay, being in SCA, I've become a big flirt. No, that's not quite right, being in the SCA I've been able to justify my flirting by saying that people in the SCA know that I'm playing a role and unless I say otherwise, do not take it seriously. Yes, I know I am just fooling myself, but I enjoy flirting, and when I realize that someone is taking me seriously, I enjoy it for a couple minutes, then I gently let them know that I would never do anything to hurt my husband or destroy my family. In the sense of the Rede, I could have avoided the situation by simply not flirting. I am thirty something years old, and I enjoy flirting, which was one reason I loved the SCA when I was younger, now, there is much more depth to why I participate, however, I still love to flirt, and when those cloven fruit come out, look OUT boys!!! : )

Then there are more accidental ways of hurting a person. A wrong word at the wrong time, for instance. It is my goal to think before I speak, but I am not always successful at it, and occasionally, someone's feelings get hurt. Most people know that I am not the type of person to purposefully hurt, but that my words get in the way. I am basically a blunt person, and I often speak my mind. Unfortunately, I don't always find the best way to say what I am wanting to say. I try to do better, but haven't always succeeded. Perhaps as I get older…

Then comes the issue of self-defense. Especially when it comes to my child. I have never felt the love before in my life that I feel for my son. Never. It is all encompassing. I have never been able to give everything I had, all my love and everything to a single person before. I have come close with my current husband, but with my son, it wasn't even an effort. It just happened. He is my life. If anyone tried to hurt him or take him away, I don't think I would be worried about what would happen to me. I would do anything and everything to save my son. No matter what the results. I don't think I could change that. Even if I thought before reacting. I doubt that I WOULD think before reacting in this case. Simply put, if anything happened to my son (or any other child I may have in the future), look out, because there would be no hesitation or restraint. There would just be one pissed off mother, and no one will want to deal with that.

At the same time, Karma and the three-fold rule brings the bad back to us times three. Now, comes the difficult aspect. What exactly is bad? Murder. That is bad. Anything premeditated that causes pain or suffering. That is very bad. Whether it happens in ritual, with charms, or just in normal day-to-day contact, harming living creatures is never a good thing.

But, I have a problem sharing my home with those little creatures. Ants, spiders, flies, moths, mosquitoes, etc. My home is a sanctuary, and anything that bites, nibbles, or scurries belong in the beautiful and great outdoors, not in my little home. Sometimes, I will have a good heart, and simply pluck them up and put them outside. However, most of the time I will smush, crunch or swat. I must admit, I do sometimes feel guilty, but if there are so many of them that they need to come into my home, well...

So, if that alone is what is bringing me bad Karma, I'm not sure I will be able to do too much about it. Hmm.. so, if I hire someone to come spray my house for bugs, does that go to his Karma or mine? And is that really so horrible? I mean, it is the way this person makes a living. Does he go home at night ruing all the innocent little bugs he has killed? Probably not. Should he? I don't think so. A home is a sanctuary. Some creatures can destroy that home by eating it or harming the people within it. Then, at the same time, cats who kill mice and stuff in play. Maybe it is an accident, probably it is just instinct, but that doesn't make our kitty's bad! They can kill bugs too, because they cause discomfort. Needless to say, even though I feel guilty, I will doubtless continue to rid my home of unwanted creatures. Until I find a better way to do so, this is how I am.

More on Karma....

A good question is why does good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people. Well, I would need an example, like why does a person who isn't very nice, win lotteries and stuff. Maybe what seems good to us, really isn't good for them. All that good stuff that happens and they aren't realizing it. Maybe there is something that they are supposed to do with the money, yet they don't realize it. Maybe they are lonely and alone, no family and friends, and it is because of the money, because all they can think about is money and people are afraid of them. It may just be a matter of perception. Perhaps they had good Karma from a previous life, and are just screwing it all up in this life. There are so many possibilities. It doesn't seem fair, but I have faith that their good luck is for a reason and will eventually balance itself out. Bad things that happen to good people would work the same way. Perhaps they had done something really bad in a past life, and are now atoning for it. Conceivably, good things may happen later as they continue to do the good things for others. Sometimes the good Karma (or even the bad Karma) isn't going to be instantaneous. It would be nice if it were, but having patience knowing that the good will come eventually may be part of the lesson Karma is supposed to teach us.

These are just some of the thoughts grasped as they fleetingly passed through my mind as I read other's collabs.

Blessed Be!!