Can Karma Dance?
The short answer is, yes it can. However, to understand the motion of karma we have to view it in contrast to its close cousin, Determinism.
The philosophy of Determinism states that everything we do is directly related to our previous actions. In this way all of our actions hang together like unbroken links in a chain. Viewed three dimensionally, the links are influenced by our genetics, environmental factors and our personality makeup. Subsequently, our decisions are thought to be predetermined by the endless loop of prior decisions based on these factors, which ultimately lead to our current decision point. That is where Determinism gets its name. We are “determined” to act in a certain way by virtue of our previous actions. Consequently, Determinism cannot dance. It’s locked in; totally static. Whatever we do is going to happen in an already predetermined way. It’s a fatalistic approach leading many to wonder, what difference does it make what I do since the future is already pre-written.
Karma is also based on cause and effect, and also has a pattern of predictable behavior based on prior decisions points, but Karma dances. It moves and flows as we do. If we do not move differently it does not move differently, making it look like determinism when actually its potential is far greater than that. Karma is fluid because its dance partner is Free Will. With Free Will we can change any present or future action by taking a conscious step left or right rather than a determined step left or right. Although we can see causal factors relative to all of our actions, karma can change direction, skip a beat, paint the future with rainbows instead of clouds and be a participant in constructing how we want our life to be rather than resigning ourselves to its predetermined destiny. As every therapist knows, resignation, often associated with hopelessness, is a sign of depression. Karma, on the other hand, allows us to make changes that can change the outcome of our lives.
Learning how to dance with karma can be life changing. The alternative is to dance by following an old script while feeling helpless to affect a better outcome. Which dance partner do you want?
Larry,
You just filled out my dance card with the kind of lyrics I can dance to; thanks!
Thanks Patrece,
it’s always nice to know that we can change dance partners, change the music, and change the steps if we want to change the outcome.
That’s a lovely piece, Larry, so succinctly expressed. I hear hope and possibility in this and will pass it onto my clients for inspiration.
Thanks Taffy,
I know I always feel empowered when I think of outcomes as being more in my control, especially if my present outcome isn’t what I want it to be.