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Four Kinds Of Karma Based On Timeline

Last blog, we looked at the root meaning of Karma. We will look at the classifications now.

1. Sanchitha karma - Sanchitha means “accumulation.” This includes all karma from present and past lives. This is the bank balance of karma.

2. Prarabhdha karma - the karma that is set in motion in this lifetime. It is like the arrow that has left the quiver and is in action now. This was used in common usage: "Oh this is my prarabhdha or this is an unavoidable circumstance as this has been set in motion already and I may as well accept it or see how best to deal with it." We still have freedom in choosing our attitudes.

3. Kriyamana or Vartamana karma - What is created in the present. This is empowering since even though we have made wrong choices in the past we can course correct as we become more conscious. It is tied into how we skillfully deal with the prarabhdha karma. That is why kriyas are taught in yoga. Kriyas are a way of purifying behavioural patterns and each day when we act, we act from that purified state rather than our conditioned space.

4. Agami karma - future karma set into motion by the past and present. Even if we do not understand all our past karma, by dealing skillfully with our kriyamana karma or present we can impact our future. By cultivating the right attitudes, as well, we can impact what is set into motion.

Other Kinds of Karma

1. Karma of time - The present yuga or time is called Kali Yuga, in Sanskrit, where dharma has only one leg. There are four yugas or time periods according to Indian understanding. In the first, called Sathya Yuga - “age of truth” - dharma stood strongly on four legs. Dharma is the manifestation of cosmic order through humans. So in Kali Yuga or the “iron period,” hearts will be hardened and tongues will twist the truth. So those who have some degree of clarity and connection have to come to terms with the karma of these times. Once they have an acceptance of this, they can become more discerning about who to allow in their space, yet exude love towards all.

2. Karma of place - If one builds a home on a land that is gained from cheating others, one can never find peace in that home. Similarly, if we are living on land that has been grabbed from a group of people and we are not making any amends, we will also be part of that disturbance. That is why when someone buys a new home, there is always a puja or cosmic ceremony using fire, smoke and all the elements to cleanse the vibration of the previous owner and bring in universal wellbeing vibrations. India's original name is Bharath and it is called a punya bhumi. This means the soil or land of good/positive karma.

3. Family/ancestral karma - We all know that a child follows what you do and not what you say. Through example and energy we pass on our goodness and dysfunction to future generations. That is why through ceremonies like Pithrupaksha and thithi, we not only send supportive thoughts and food to the ancestors but also release ourselves from the negative enmeshments in family lines. That is why we say even if one of the members of a family gets out of a dysfunction they help all. You can refer to the blog from September (Healing Ancestral Karma) which lists the dreams Ross and I had during this year’s period of Pithrupaksha.

4. Lineage karma - This need not be biological family. In traditional India, if you learnt any classical art, music or yoga then you would spend a major portion of your life not just dedicated to the art but also with your guru and his family. The gurus could be quite harsh in order to build discipline. Yet there is a fine line between that and being abusive. If we start imbibing and emulating that behaviour without processing it, then we become part of the lineage karma. There may be other dysfunctions as well that we unconsciously pick up and, by function of not saying anything to the abuser, we become part of the lineage karma. That is why it is important to be part of groups where everyone is doing the self-reflection work. That is why, if you observe students of a certain guru, they will be very happy to charge high fees, while some will have the opposite with a poverty consciousness. These are worth exploring. Find a middle path aligned with your dharma, or cosmic order, prioritising your evolution rather than worldly standards of money.

5. Karma by association or groups - This is an interesting one as I have seen and observed how when good and efficient people come together things can thrive. Do not mistake big organisations to be thriving since, though there may be money and external success in the organisation, individuals may not be thriving. I have also seen that when individuals with a certain mindset get together, that quality gets multiplied and intensified. In many traditions, and even in the Bible, the Divine says that if more than two people come together in His name, that has more potency. I have also seen that when a serial killer or rapist finds an accomplice, the degree and frequency of his crimes becomes much more intensified. We also know stories of the good student whose grades lowered after being associated with certain groups whose priorities are different.

There is also the pack mentality and mobs tend to be more violent than individuals with the same tendency. Clubs, cults, and religions all have their conditioning which impacts us. Some loners might falsely think they are not influenced by anyone but the media can also be a strong influence. So it is very important to be aware of who and what we closely associate with.

6. Karma of the individual - We will see this more in depth next week along with the four classifications given above. By understanding our role in this universal matrix we can live more skillfully.

By being aware of all the above we will become more efficient with our karmic wash. And can keep it environmentally friendly as well :). That means using biodegradable soaps and healthy products as well as being efficient with water.

FIRST NATIONS VOICES

Sabrina: I'm Sabrina Wilson Tla'amin, Blackfoot, Nuu chah nulth, Tsheshaht, Ahousaht first nations. Definitely feels like the past tense.

During the times I've worked in cashier/retail, etc. positions - I've gotten some odd looks, comments & questions. I've been asked, "What are you? Where are you from? What language do you speak?" I've had people touch me or my hair without permission. A regular customer referred to me as "Pocahontas." Her actual name was Matoaka & she was just a child when she was taken & removed from her culture. Some would consider her the first of our stolen sisters. Many people are not aware that there's a current national crisis of missing, murdered indigenous women/people (in Canada).

Not trying to be a downer. This topic in particular has been on my mind because of something my cousin very recently experienced at a Tim Hortons. Here's her quoted post on the matter.

Sabrina's cousin: "This morning I went to Tim Hortons and this man saw me and started going off with disgusting things like "no wonder Picton had a pig farm and squaws. You're all better off dead in a ditch."

It took me a moment to realize what he was saying. I pointed him out to the staff and he left.

But gross....so today, I'm not letting his disgusting train of thought impact me. Instead, I'm going to wear something Red to honor our MMIW (Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women)."

Maitreyi: Thanks dear Sabrina. So sorry that you have to hear dehumanising words on your own land. You are not being a downer, only bringing to light these old collective patterns. Please share. Much love to you

Sabrina: Ahh yes, I suppose I have become a bit conditioned to be uncomfortable about sharing. Oftentimes people don't want to talk about those kind of harsh truths to indigenous history. Often I've been ignored & many responses are: "It happened so long ago, let it go." Or, "It didn't happen personally to you," when the last residential school didn't close until 1996.

My Nan, Margaret Wilson, was a survivor of residential school. My mother Ruth Little IS a survivor of residential school & indian day school. My mother in-law, Teri Billy, was a survivor of the 60's Scoop. All of these institutions & initiatives were attempts to erase our culture & language. My Nan was one of our last fluent Tla'amin language speakers/elders. My father was Steven Wilson & he was part of the 1st group of Tla'amin students to attend the local high school. He told me stories of how our people had to attend the local theatre through a separate door/section (jokes on them they had the seats up high, giving the best view) My Father, Nan & Mother in-law have since passed away.

End of Conversation

As we read the above we can see how the First Nations people have not only been unjustly ousted but treated so poorly even now by many ignorant people. Did you know the biggest genocide is not the Jews in Germany by Hitler, as many would guess, but that of the First Nations people.

Simple Ways In Which We Can Honour The First People

Open or close any class, workshop, ceremony honouring the First Nations people.
If you are a policy influencer then apply that to honour the people and the land rather than merely for superficial profit. We will, as a whole, profit from this expansive attitude.
Connect with a First Nations person more from a place of curiosity and learning than the perpetuated prejudice.
Learn a bit more about history and their oppression. Do not pretend like it never happened to their face. Washing away a culture is the opposite of a karmic wash. We are building so much more stagnation and divisiveness.
Have empathy and think, “how would it feel to have a whole language wiped out?” In Sabrina's case it was the Tla'amin language.
Learn about stories from the First Nations perspective through their telling of past and present. Here are some documentaries on the missing and murdered women. Please see about residential schools as well as other issues. I have listed one on each of the subjects.

Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdzM6krfaKY

Residential Schools

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjB_3dduOWs

I will give you the recipe for rasam in my next blog as promised :) This week I wanted to honour and focus more on the native culture as clearing our negative karma is closely tied into honouring the people of the land.