Bankruptcy, spirituality & karma...... ?
Dear, There is a Buddhist Principle, which states that whatever we do to others comes back to us. Similar is the thing with erasing Bankruptcy. I have personally seen people, from all walks of life - be it an individual doing a job or business or individual involved into Spiritual Pursuits, even I have experienced the after effects. Although, we can erase Debts legally and through proper procedures - The Karmic Account of ours will still show it as Debts - which we repay either in lumpsum or in installments. My cousin sister made a payment in full on her Credit Card - but she also paid $ 450 extra as Interest, which she could have easily avoided in the name of Settlement. However, she realized from her past experience that every time she went for a settlement - her chances of getting re-finance from Banks and other institutions minimized affecting her credit, when she needed it the most in tough times. The same way it happens with our Karmic Account - if we have more Debts, the payout is more in terms of circumstances. I understand that it is not easy to have a clean Karmic Balance Sheet by the end of our lives, but a Spiritual Aspirant should try to minimize his/her debts as soon as possible.
Is karma really real?
If it was real, like a force of nature, it would work all the time, like gravity. The truth (at least as I see it) is that it's just a folklore explanation of events. People see someone get away with something - let's say speeding - and they think, "Life will get them for that soon". Two miles down the road, you see them pulled over by a cop, or even in the ditch. You're tempted to blame it on some mystical cosmic force that rights all wrongs. More likely, it's because the police know people speed on that road, and set up speed traps, or the guy was just going too fast for conditions, and lost control of the car. But seeing this sort of results reinforces the idea of karma. When the offenders don't get caught or have something bad happen to them, you just forget the incident, and go on with your life. But when a satisfactorily unpleasant thing happens to the offender, you remember, and so it reinforces that idea.
In a spiritual/karma sense, why are people transgender?
I guess the obvious answer is that my spirit or soul or whatever was just given the wrong vessel to be born in.In terms of karma? I don't really know. Is being trans meant to be my suffering or my reward? It can seem both ways at different times. I guess by not giving up on this life challenge I'll have my karmic power boosted though, right? Because it's definitely not easy and perhaps a little unfair, but it's just how I was born.
Is going through depression a spiritual and karmic test?
Depression naturally follows any traumatic loss. It is the third stage of mourning. It forces us to slow down the world a bit and turn our focus within. When it proceeds naturally, it will pass, after renegotiating our terms with life. This is called bargaining.In order to reach the bargaining phase, we have to become clear about exactly what we have lost. Some parts are non-negotiable. A loved one lost is not coming back. A long sought dream may never come true. A broken bone did not heal well. A friend is not the person you thought they were. If we are to pass out of depression, we have to accept these things for what they are. Then we can figure out how to move forward.Depression opens the opportunity for exploring our spritual nature. The ability to cope with reality, instead of living in denial, is a sign of spiritual growth.When we discover our own actions are at the bottom of it all, that our losses are indeed our own fault, depression becomes a karmic test. Will we succumb to karma, continuing our misguided behavior? Or are we capable of growing, finally learning the lesson that has been pursuing us all this time.A bigger karmic test is how long it takes to get into the depression stage at all. Depression is preceded by anger. People can get stuck with anger for many years before depression sets in. One must accept that a change is needed and the anger will pass. This acceptance will make you depressed until you figure out what to change.The challenge with depression is your body becomes biochemically depressed, not just psychologically. Depression steals your energy, causes pain. Once you realize what needs to change, how you can proceed in light of these new facts, enacting those changes is extremely difficult. This is also a karmic test. Many get stuck here, trying change after change and blaming themselves for failure. To pass this test we learn to care for the body; that it is worth the effort to exercise, eat and sleep well, instead of sleeping all day. Once the body regains its energy the changes will be easier.Everything in life offers karmic tests. Spiritual growth is the only way to pass the test of depression.
Enlightenment (spiritual): Why do people with big karma have difficulty and feel uncomfortable staying near a truthful man?
Big karma means lots of denial, blame, and anger at "unfairness" of the world. Ultimately the subconscious falsity and reality-avoidance methods at play can no longer be maintained, but is much easier done when surrounded by others who will reinforce these attitudes by demonstrating them as well. Such people can happily exchange blame forever in a karmic version of pass the parcel.Someone with no karma exposes all this as a means of avoidance, because a free person will not react in kind, and expose the hidden avoidance mechanisms at play. The reaction could be discomfort, anger or projection, but in the end denial has a shelf life anyway.A free person is a mirror to those around him, some don't like having to look at themselves.
Question about Karma and Rape?
No, I don't believe so. The concept of karma is one of spiritual justice, not vengeance. It's about bringing balance. Karma for a rapist would result in an inability to commit another rape, perhaps future impotence. If a rapist were to be reincarnated as a woman and then raped to pay for his past crime, then another person (the next rapist) now has karma to pay back. You've heard the saying that two wrongs don't make right? This is where that applies. Factually speaking, of course, there is no evidence for karma. Women (and even men) are raped because they happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. And because there are sick, power-hungry people out there who enjoy preying on others.
Why do people think karma is so real?
Yes Karma is made up in the head, it gives people peace of mind to believe that amongst all of the negativity in the world, there is an over arcing justice that rules the universe. We witness Karma everyday in our lives and focusing on these events helps us to understand that the world somehow is in balance and everything is where it is suppose to be regardless of how injustice it appears. Ultimately, we have very little control over how the universe shapes itself, our own destiny or the destiny of others... I agree that Karma is simply a state of mind (or any religious/spiritual beliefs for that matter). Karma is not real the way you describe it, its a choice of how you can view the world and live your life. If it inspires and has meaning for you than Karma is real and vice versa.