Introductory Statements
There is no greater evolutionary force in Creation than the karmic law of cause and effect. As the primary means by which souls evolve through all dimensions of apparent time-space, it is the prime mover in soul progression across all realms of incarnation.
It is itself a consequence and derivative of the grand Law of Free Will (the causative basis of manifest Creation) by which beings are given the right and, indeed the duty to continually choose their way. As its main function, the karmic law encourages and guides continual soul growth and the ineluctable progress of time-space itself. It is no less magnificent than this, and generates the very pathways of all-dimensional existence, being this close to the heart of the Creator-Logoi in fulfillment of their unknowable Cosmic Plan.
Reaping what we sow, creating our own reality, meeting projected fragmentary aspects of inner life on the canvas of so-called external activity -- all this is guided by the majestic laws of karma. It is the process by which the aspected and apparently complex (ie, self-contradictory) personal self returns in form, energy and consciousness to a completed universal self. Without karmic operation, souls literally could not return to themselves.
In human life, we wonder why various circumstances come our way, why some of us enjoy streaming pleasure while others seem doomed to constant limitation -- and yet, all this proceeds under ineluctable karmic law, not accidental in the least. The universe is not capricious; terran humanity simply doesn't comprehend the logic of soul progression along the long, multi-incarnational and multi-dimensional way of polarized manifestation.
Gautama Buddha explained it simply and for practical usage in his primary teachings. As a "way-shower," he pointed out that our virtuous thoughts and deeds are precursors to happiness, while selfishness in all forms is the progenitor of suffering. And yet, many souls of deep love and kindness in this world do suffer greatly, while many of the most heinous (negatively polarized souls) on Earth reap untold wealth and influence, living in oases of luxury with continual options for further self-enhancement. This state of affairs simply cannot be understood without deep recognition of timeless reincarnation plans and the prevailing extra-dimensional laws and pre-incarnative life-design of souls.
This principle of higher-dimensional planning for incarnation is no less than the metaphysical basis for eventually coming to terms with the purpose of all form-based life itself. Though its complete dynamic cannot be fully understood with the current mind complex we use in the 3rd dimensional matrix, it can be penetrated in an elementary way by those who seek to know and gain wisdom. Such is the purpose of this writing.
PART I: Essential Principles
There can be no real understanding of karmic law without recognition of several main precedents, as noted below. These recognitions also provide a philosophic gateway to all durable, universally valid spiritual wisdom regarding karmic operation in our own lives. Attachment to such differentiated conception must, of course, one day be transcended, but it is deeply useful at our stage of development. These elementary precedents to comprehensive realization of karmic law include the following:
(1) a relatively eternal, time/space independent soul (in the Buddhist approach, a non-solid/selfless yet continuing life-stream of mental tendencies);
(2) multi-dimensional existence (the basic so-called "inner worlds" which are, in actuality, far more complex than the outer physical form-manifestation); and
(3) intelligent guidance (equated with God, Logos, Creator, Higher Self, or simply a wholly lawful self-organizing principle of Life and Mind itself).
I have no doubt that all we experience has been chosen at some level of our being. All the minutiae and larger situational experiences coming our way were created by us, either consciously or unconsciously. Thus, each of us absolutely and without exception 'deserve' and are due exactly and fully all that we experience, down to the length and shade of each hair on the body. Karmic law is profoundly complex and exacting in all its details.
It is said that, "God never gives us more than we can handle," and that, "all things exist for a purpose." Such statements reiterate this view, essential to spiritual wisdom and the cognitive foundation to eventual total self-responsibility -- which is itself the basis of all durable self-healing and balancing.
Without such self-ownership of personal life details, we simply cannot make peace with ourselves, our fated life-components, and the current challenges we each individually face. This type of realization is itself a gateway to accessing the fuller powers of self, via personal linkage to the Logoic will. Comprehending karmic law is, in deed, an exercise in plumbing the mind of God, and thereby, divine omnipotent power.
This type of metaphysical analysis also points to the specific functions of karmic law, though the law goes far deeper than personal process. We cannot make true peace with the countless, ever-shifting, challenging dynamics of personality life without recourse to appreciation of karmic law, its complexity and profound subtlety. Without such understanding, we remain in the position of Job, railing against the Creator for the experiences of suffering we ourselves have created.
Nor can we grasp the course and directions of group-soul progress (in our case, this pertains to earth human collective history and current manifestations), without deep consideration of karmic process over millennia and across dimensions. Again, we can only achieve a mere toe-in to this comprehension while still embodied in 3D form, but even our elementary exercise of such wisdom has great personal value as a means to greater mind complex clearance and activation.
Indeed, these are most serious matters, and thus it is said that some of the highest, eldest, most sublime beings still at work in manifest Creation oversee the complex minutiae of karmic dispensation, at both collective and individual levels. For it must be noted that there are both karmic streams of individuated souls on their own polarized path (pursuing either unity or separation, the so-called positive and negative orientations), as well as countless major groupings of souls, at all dimensional levels. For the so-called Lords of Karma, there is vast life to coordinate and assist in seven-dimensional spheres.
Both categories of consciousness groups (that of relatively simple units of body-mind-spirit complexes, what we call "souls," as well as the greater coordinated streams of associated units evolving en masse), demand highly complex karmic arrangements for their continued, proper evolution. Obviously, the spiritual growth of beings cannot be overseen and coordinated at the same level of their own learning -- it can only be overseen by those finished with such progression -- ie, those done with the entire circuit of octave evolution.
In human affairs, this is comparable to the maxim that a problem cannot be solved at the same level of its genesis nor its same field of operation. In a little-appreciated statement, Einstein once remarked something to the effect that, "the problems we face cannot be solved by the same minds that created them." This is even more so in the case of karmic operation, since the 'problems" in that field are truly multi-dimensional.
All such groups (individual souls and collective soul groups) traverse inconceivable eons of time-space through multiple densities, along the course of which they are required to perfectly 'balance out' the consequences of all experiences they have consciously chosen and self-created through ignorance, distortion, and incomplete awareness of perfect love-unity. As the path is circular, souls cannot return to their original true nature unless they have come back into energetic conformity with the nature of their essential starting-point.
All such personal knots and blockages -- manifested in etheric energy fields as well as in apparent mental/cognitive confusion and imbalances -- must be resolved, untangled, and harmonized along the way. Only then can souls and soul-groups fully return to the innate condition of perfect love-unity, that is both our source and our destination. Thus, metaphysical teachings refer to soul evolution as, "the path of return."
The supervised dispensation of karmic dues and the gradual and meticulously timed precipitation into manifest (apparently external) form of all that yet remains fragmented to evolving soul consciousness, can only be effected by beings who are themselves so far outside time-space as to be entirely free of all karmic necessity.
Rightly, oversight for karmic operation begins at the level of Higher Self in late-sixth density, so we are admittedly a bit over our heads here! Nevertheless, some Wanderers on Earth have come from this level of being, and can thus appreciate this perspective...
Those beings in oversight of karmic operation can be said to have absolute mastery over the boundless ramifications of an infinite variety of soul choices. They wield with impeccable wisdom and skill the potentia of manifold experiential forms and incarnative experience, all for the purpose of catalyzing required re-balancing and soul orientation.
Obviously, this is no small matter, far, far beyond the comprehension of almost all Earth humans. The degree of intelligence required for administration of perfectly accurate karmic precipitation, for souls and soul-groups at all dimensional levels of Creation (simultaneously), is far beyond the human ken, to say the least.
Thus, RA noted that beings "from beyond the octave," beyond the sevenfold dimensional scheme of solar systems and individuated soul and group-soul evolution, fulfill such operative karmic functions. Only they are capable of such activity, and in the writings of Alice Bailey and the teacher Djwhal Khul, only these beings can rightly being called the "Lords of Karma." Down here on the ground, the most we can do (which is quite a task itself), is to process as best we can all such experiential distillates in personal life.
In line with this, the entire topic of karma was one of several themes Gautama Buddha deemed "the incomprehensibles." Such speculation for the monks of his day (even though many of them would be classed as advanced adepts, no small achievement) was deemed a fruitless topic for mental engagement.
Still under the sway of apparently real, dualistic space-time conditions, and still subject to variable and ever-unstable personal becoming through mental grasping, there really is little on these matters that can be known -- since, as stated before, we ourselves are certainly nowhere near beyond the operation of karmic law. Thus, it was deemed a waste of time to devote personal attention to mere speculation.
Nevertheless, in my view, there is value in attempting relative comprehension of the absolutely incomprehensible, especially if we are fully aware at the outset that the best we can hope for is but a tiny fraction of total gnosis. As RA said of soul work in physical 3rd density existence, it is wholly a task of, "working in darkness with a tiny candle." And yet, real growth can be made for those who accept the challenges of gross limitation, as we really can expand our access to the realm of knowable things.
And so, this essay is an exercise in bringing scant illumination to the 3rd dimensional mind complex of those who feel attraction to this rather advanced work. To know what is beyond us, even just a bit, refines and energizes our own development though long-term activation of greater spiritual seeking. To gain a bit more understanding of karmic law, its application to personal and collective life at this time in human history, and its nature and function in overall cosmic plan, is certainly worthy of our time and attention. Seeking that which is beyond seeking, if approached rightly, is highly effective catalyst for quickened soul growth.
PART II: Functions of Karmic Law
Overall, karma operates to accelerate soul and soul group evolution, namely, the dissolution of each and every mind/body/spirit distortion to total realization of love-unity. Being "finished with karma" equates to completion of the long path of individuated light-spark soul progress, and occurs only with final fusion into the formless light of the One Infinite. Obviously, anyone who publicly claims such achievement is self-deluded.
Technically, this normally occurs late within what is called 7th density, which is akin to the achievement of "sat-chit-ananda" (truth-consciousness-bliss), the term used in the Hindu yogic system. It is comparable to the state of "avatara" and Buddha -- complete and perfect enlightenment. Of course, it can be achieved here in 3D, but again, it is exceptionally rare to find such a one on the world stage.
Karmic law is at the heart of all evolutionary catalysis, as the primary force behind increasingly higher dimensional progress and consciousness expansion of all souls. Of course, the specific forms of karmic ..and this entire discussion) become increasingly subtle and harmonious above 3rd density life. This is beyond the current level of discussion, of course.
Essentially, the ultimate goal of love-unity realization requires dissolution of all fixed belief in substantial duality, and is accompanied by absolute mastery and freedom within all realms of the octave system. This can only be achieved when souls realize the true nature of all manifest catalyst to likewise be non-substantial (so-called "emptiness" or sunyata in the Buddhist system) and imbued with essential love (the quality of infinite light being absolute beneficence).
Such transmuted-being realization defines the operative parameters of attaining return to the condition of oneness with all Creation and all forms of life.
The existence of karmic law itself is an expression of boundless Logoic love, and its nature and function is to continually encourage realization of the underlying, immanent unity of all being and becoming. Bringing this down to personal life, we find continual activity of karmic law in human affairs.
Normally, karma is only recognized as such when its expression surpasses a certain threshold of energetic charge to the individual. However, this tendency to focus on that which indicates "contrast' (bound up with perception of conflict and complexity) fails to see and appreciate the greater bulk of karmic operation in personal life.
As the teacher Djwhal Khul once noted, souls have far more "good karma" than "bad," though most of us pay far more attention to the latter, as contrast, conflict and complexity capture attention far more rapidly than harmony. Nevertheless, this ‘negative focus’ is the norm simply because the internal condition of soul itself is absolute harmony -- thus the perception of non-harmony is internally incongruent with our true nature.
Of course, this innate harmony forms the subtle background-field against which all experience of apparent disharmony strikes a clear, discordant vibratory note. As the soul seeks to impress its own being upon the manifest body-mind-spirit (which is none other than itself, in final analysis), there is created a sort of non-echo in the soul-personality axis -- which is the esoteric cause of all spiritual seeking, in the first place.
More practically, most souls recognize the operation of karmic law only according to the dichotomous experience of pleasure/pain, and thus remain bound to the limitations of this bipolar view. No doubt, such shallow comprehension of karmic operation also ensures a limited ability to work with the law and process karmic experience.
Perceiving the operation of karmic law only when life-catalyst elicits a certain intensity of personal reaction, then placing it simply into a static categorization of pleasure/pain, indicates a somewhat early stage of realizing karmic process.
A more advanced view eliminates this polarity altogether, and helps us appreciate that all experience (whether pleasant or otherwise) serves the purpose of encouraging soul achievement of complete non-distortion. Such a view recognizes karmic law as an intrinsically impersonal universal force, and goes even further to acknowledges the existence of apparent causality itself but a perceptual 'trick' of limited mind development.
When consciousness is sufficiently enlightened by itself, apparent causality is resolved into complete omnipresent simultaneity. At that stage, souls are no longer bound by time-space and karmic law, and may enter the ranks of those who administer the operation of karma within such realms of apparent duality, an example of which is our 3rd dimension.
Furthermore, the distinction between "good karma" and "bad" is misleading because the determination of karmic law proceeds from levels of consciousness far beyond all such polarized judgement. Its practical operation really has little do with human conceptions of reward and punishment (as such deeper belief bases give rise to the "good/bad" dichotomy in the first place). Enormous confusion has been spawned by this particular interpretation, as evidenced by the distortions of all major religious teachings on heaven.
Plainly, the dispensation of soul and soul group karma is actually a morally neutral phenomenon. To the Logoi, there are no so-called "moral" valuations, only a straight recognition of metaphysical free will choice (that of the personality and its higher aspect which realizes the complete Path to be trod). Beyond this, the Logoi provide the needed structuring of the laws of Creation (one of which is karmic law) to encourage further soul progress according to soul decision.
From the evolutionary perspective of Logos and Higher Self (the primary agents of our overshadowing self-luminous intelligence), what souls choose to do in response to karmic outpouring is really the central issue -- not whether or not karmic down flow is deemed good or bad. The purpose of evolution and life itself is not enjoyment, though increased pleasure does result from wise soul choice along the path.
The Creator and Creation are not much interested in static rewards and punishment. What is achieved today may surely be reversed tomorrow, and what is useful catalyst to one soul may be absolutely invisible to another -- all of which is as it should be. In light of this, it is quite short sighted to define karma in terms of good/bad, or pleasure/pain.
As the central and most important outcropping of the Law of Free Will, the primary function of karmic law is to catalyze soul choice, first and foremost, and from the evolutionary purist view, simply and only for its own sake. As "the purpose of Creation is that the Creator may experience Itself," freely established choice is the primary nutriment that feeds the boundless divine experience. From this perspective as well, terms such as "good karma" and "bad" have little importance and no use.
Returning to the more mundane, but no less important consideration of personal human life, it should be known that most instances of above-threshold karmic operation classed along the "good/bad" continuum are simply a return to the sender of energies and tendencies previously set in motion by that soul itself. Prior acts of the evolving and reincarnating mind/body/spirit complex, the personal triadic web of the soul field in time-space set all individual karmic streams in motion, which provide the main working field of our own growth.
Such karmic returns manifest several distinct operations, including:
(1) the precise quality of their originating self-generated energies cleverly transformed into apparently outer events;
(2) various manifestations and changes of the body complex itself, as complex symbolic representations of inner personality imbalances, blockages, and conflicts; and
(3) qualities of mind and emotion carried and offered by other souls in relationship to us, revealing aspects of as-yet unrecognized inner dynamics within us needing some degree of spiritual re-orientation; and
(4) thought forms transmitted and received at mental-spiritual levels, material or subtle, which offer the catalyst of revealed options for such re-orientation itself.
What is classed as "good karma" is simply the set of reflections we favor, and the contrary for the "bad." Yet, in no case is it the intention of such karmic precipitation to lock us into fixed experiences of pleasure/pain. No matter how ghastly such circumstances may feel to the participant and appear to the onlooker, the mechanism of such experiential challenge proceeds only from divine beneficence. Of course, this may only be an article of faith for those of us without adequate gnosis, not having yet made direct contact with the essential impetus behind life-events.
PART III: Practical Considerations and Polarity
Along the personal subjective continuum, karmic precipitation that we generally class into the duality of pleasure/pain, actually serves to confirm, validate, mirror, express, and often challenge (particularly in the case of "bad karma") prevailing trends and tendencies already resident within the recipient soul to whom appears. We are only being given back discretely apportioned elements of ourselves, no matter how miserable it may feel.
As internal trends and tendencies of the personal human mind are generally poorly seen, known, and accepted (if not totally ignored) by souls in 3rd density fixation, the process of karmic precipitation serves to reveal the deeper self to the conscious self. This is both the path and fruit of the universal Way of Return: the return of conscious awareness to all-awareness, self to Self, god to God, and the lesser manifest light to the One infinite light.
Obviously, the axiom that "we create our own reality" is far more difficult to recognize, apply, and use constructively in the case of painful inbound catalyst (ie, so-called "bad karma)," which may be quite horrific in its appearance. For example, why was it that earth humanity suffered over 100 million wartime deaths in the 20th century? At our level of being, such represents incalculable personal tragedy, and yet, this was but the karmic result of innumerable causal sequences, some of which are significantly inter-dimensional in their origin.
It is not that the Creator ordained such primitive bloodletting, but it was certainly not stopped from occurring through intervention from higher levels of being. And yet, it did serve multiple spiritual re-orientation goals for both individual souls and the entire human soul group family on this planet. The specific purposes -- including a needed "lightening of the astral plane," as stated by Djwhal Khul through Alice Bailey -- are well known by those who guide our evolution.
Thus, whatever comes down the pike is just our own face in various guises. This can be considered (especially in San Francisco, my hometown) the Logos in drag, and a mirror-appearing opportunity for greater freedom from our unseen inner distortions. This is hard to realize, of course, when the incoming guest is violence and bloodshed.
And yet, despite the drama, souls are just being shown on the palette of ‘external life’ their own deeper aspects, patterns, layers, potentials, and general mind/spirit qualities. In the case of what we call "good karma," karmic law operates to give us what can be seen as congratulatory support for further advance upon that soul's own chosen path. In contrast to the inherent fixity of the "reward" view, karmic activity is in fact intensely, immensely dynamic and finely ever shifting, inconceivably sensitive to all minute shifts in soul consciousness and the actions that proceed therefrom.
In the case of those upon the positive path of service to others (which is the major way of soul evolution, directly seeking love-unity through truth, balance and non-grasping), the support granted by harmonious karmic inflow serves to reduce various kinds of personal limitation. It thus increases opportunity for further evolution (including opportunity for service to others) to the soul that has proven itself capable of progressing in harmony, not needing severe restraint for re-balancing and re-orientation.
Interestingly, the real benefit given by such beneficent physical, mental and spiritual conditions is the fact that such experiences and influences demand no further attention. The deeper value of so-called "good karma" is the fact that it releases and frees up soul attention and energy for increased work on matters of greater priority than simply dealing with the latest crises of the day.
Various forms of "good karma" obviously feel like some kind of reward, and generally elicit pleasure, but in actuality, the matrix of such august conditions is simply the removal of potential obstacles. The dispensation of such conditional harmony was never meant to become a stopping point upon the ageless path of ceaseless growth. It is only humanity, which sees life through the lens of corporeal identification, that interprets karma in static terms implying some kind of "final resting place."
Clearly, when karmic law is seen strictly through the bi-focal lens of fixed reward-and-punishment, souls are more likely to pause, stop, and grow entangled in life conditions. Ironically, this involves emotional attachment to the very same outer and inner conditions that were only meant to be the basis for further non-attachment. This is quite interesting, and likely represents a successful ploy on the part of negative higher dimensional forces influencing religious notions of karma -- seeking to retard human soul progression.
In another light, these pleasing outer/material karmic manifestations (including the so-called 'inner conditions" of radiant body and finely tuned mind by birth) simply all mirror the inward grace, harmony and beauty already achieved by that soul. This is echoed by Jesus's statement: "to him who has much, much shall be given." Harmony within certainly generates harmony without.
As a glimpse of glory (some semblance of perfection in form) and completion (primarily through the function of removing additional soul obstacles), such karmic dispensation is meant as a light above the path, leading that one on to the further greater light. From the perspective of karmic administration, the single motivation is always the intention to support further soul progress.
On the other side, considering those on the negatively oriented path of service to self (the minor way or left-hand path of seeking Oneness through separation via control), the process is somewhat reversed. For them, what we would consider good fortune (ie, harmonious karmic dispensation) is actually the ripened fruit due them by previously achieved 'evil.' Regardless of path, harmonious karmic down flow results from efficient use of catalyst, granting them a platform for quickened evolution and further progress according to their own chosen orientation.
Thus, successful use of catalyst on the negative path reaps fruit of the conqueror, and may be seen as karmic "rewards" that allow even greater polarity. Those at a high level on the negative path may be born with native strength and beauty of body (respectively for men and women); this serves the purpose of further drawing in other souls, so as to dominate them. They may have luxurious and abundant material conditions, great powers of logic and intelligence (though no degree of kindness), well-oiled social networks to aid further power aggrandizement (ie, "the right connections"), and well-honed instincts of smooth manipulation of others.
Possession of these qualities may be considered to be "karmic reward" by those on the left-hand path, but ironically, these conditions are highly valued by all Earth humanity. In this way, we can see how our planetary world culture can rightly be considered "leftward leaning," though not quite fully service to self.
Though the phrase, "successful evil" may seem paradoxical, it is not so from the view of Higher Self. In essence, what is deemed to be "efficient use of catalyst" (which is key to the quality of karmic dispensation programmed from higher being) on the negative path is exactly opposite from what it is on the positive path. It is not quite correct to say that such beings simply "need love and self-healing" -- for those ingredients do not further at all their continued soul progression on the so-called "left-hand path."
For those of negative orientation, ever greater control of self and others is key, and is the measure and mark of efficient use of catalyst. Achieving greater external/social and internal/spiritual dominance is exactly their goal and just what they require to progress.
On the other hand, the key to the positive path is continued body/mind/spirit balancing in love-light manifestation, with increasingly demonstrated appreciation of unity. For while the path of self-service demands deception, the heart of the positive path is maintenance of evolving wholeness.
In both cases, what is considered "reward" or "good karma" is perfectly suited to further soul growth upon their chosen path, which is a far more dynamic process than the relative stasis assumed and imbedded in the dichotomous paradigm of reward and punishment. Humans may call it "good karma," but beyond the comfort and pleasure experienced, the essence of what makes it "good" is simply the potent support it grants for further soul polarization.
Of course, well-processed and intelligently handled "bad karma" may also function to boost soul growth, which is also its native intention and purpose. In general, the value of conflict, pain and hardship comes through its power to shatter and interrupt certain ingrained patterns of mind-distortion (whether established in past lives or created in the current one).
Thus, Higher Self will not save us from the consequences of our own doing, though guidance and comfort are available. Interestingly, earth humans often seem to require (and thus perpetually re-create) painful circumstances to revitalize their soul growth...
Indeed, it is a very important achievement to recognize misfortune as opportunity, misery as self-created, the reception of human injustice as cosmic justice, and personal limitation as a wide-open door to further spiritual expansion. Of course, these are lovely phrases, but hard to realize amidst the intensity of disharmonious experiential catalyst. As RA once said, 3D human life provides "an adequate heaven, and a more than adequate hell."
There is no greater evolutionary force in Creation than the karmic law of cause and effect. As the primary means by which souls evolve through all dimensions of apparent time-space, it is the prime mover in soul progression across all realms of incarnation.
It is itself a consequence and derivative of the grand Law of Free Will (the causative basis of manifest Creation) by which beings are given the right and, indeed the duty to continually choose their way. As its main function, the karmic law encourages and guides continual soul growth and the ineluctable progress of time-space itself. It is no less magnificent than this, and generates the very pathways of all-dimensional existence, being this close to the heart of the Creator-Logoi in fulfillment of their unknowable Cosmic Plan.
Reaping what we sow, creating our own reality, meeting projected fragmentary aspects of inner life on the canvas of so-called external activity -- all this is guided by the majestic laws of karma. It is the process by which the aspected and apparently complex (ie, self-contradictory) personal self returns in form, energy and consciousness to a completed universal self. Without karmic operation, souls literally could not return to themselves.
In human life, we wonder why various circumstances come our way, why some of us enjoy streaming pleasure while others seem doomed to constant limitation -- and yet, all this proceeds under ineluctable karmic law, not accidental in the least. The universe is not capricious; terran humanity simply doesn't comprehend the logic of soul progression along the long, multi-incarnational and multi-dimensional way of polarized manifestation.
Gautama Buddha explained it simply and for practical usage in his primary teachings. As a "way-shower," he pointed out that our virtuous thoughts and deeds are precursors to happiness, while selfishness in all forms is the progenitor of suffering. And yet, many souls of deep love and kindness in this world do suffer greatly, while many of the most heinous (negatively polarized souls) on Earth reap untold wealth and influence, living in oases of luxury with continual options for further self-enhancement. This state of affairs simply cannot be understood without deep recognition of timeless reincarnation plans and the prevailing extra-dimensional laws and pre-incarnative life-design of souls.
This principle of higher-dimensional planning for incarnation is no less than the metaphysical basis for eventually coming to terms with the purpose of all form-based life itself. Though its complete dynamic cannot be fully understood with the current mind complex we use in the 3rd dimensional matrix, it can be penetrated in an elementary way by those who seek to know and gain wisdom. Such is the purpose of this writing.
PART I: Essential Principles
There can be no real understanding of karmic law without recognition of several main precedents, as noted below. These recognitions also provide a philosophic gateway to all durable, universally valid spiritual wisdom regarding karmic operation in our own lives. Attachment to such differentiated conception must, of course, one day be transcended, but it is deeply useful at our stage of development. These elementary precedents to comprehensive realization of karmic law include the following:
(1) a relatively eternal, time/space independent soul (in the Buddhist approach, a non-solid/selfless yet continuing life-stream of mental tendencies);
(2) multi-dimensional existence (the basic so-called "inner worlds" which are, in actuality, far more complex than the outer physical form-manifestation); and
(3) intelligent guidance (equated with God, Logos, Creator, Higher Self, or simply a wholly lawful self-organizing principle of Life and Mind itself).
I have no doubt that all we experience has been chosen at some level of our being. All the minutiae and larger situational experiences coming our way were created by us, either consciously or unconsciously. Thus, each of us absolutely and without exception 'deserve' and are due exactly and fully all that we experience, down to the length and shade of each hair on the body. Karmic law is profoundly complex and exacting in all its details.
It is said that, "God never gives us more than we can handle," and that, "all things exist for a purpose." Such statements reiterate this view, essential to spiritual wisdom and the cognitive foundation to eventual total self-responsibility -- which is itself the basis of all durable self-healing and balancing.
Without such self-ownership of personal life details, we simply cannot make peace with ourselves, our fated life-components, and the current challenges we each individually face. This type of realization is itself a gateway to accessing the fuller powers of self, via personal linkage to the Logoic will. Comprehending karmic law is, in deed, an exercise in plumbing the mind of God, and thereby, divine omnipotent power.
This type of metaphysical analysis also points to the specific functions of karmic law, though the law goes far deeper than personal process. We cannot make true peace with the countless, ever-shifting, challenging dynamics of personality life without recourse to appreciation of karmic law, its complexity and profound subtlety. Without such understanding, we remain in the position of Job, railing against the Creator for the experiences of suffering we ourselves have created.
Nor can we grasp the course and directions of group-soul progress (in our case, this pertains to earth human collective history and current manifestations), without deep consideration of karmic process over millennia and across dimensions. Again, we can only achieve a mere toe-in to this comprehension while still embodied in 3D form, but even our elementary exercise of such wisdom has great personal value as a means to greater mind complex clearance and activation.
Indeed, these are most serious matters, and thus it is said that some of the highest, eldest, most sublime beings still at work in manifest Creation oversee the complex minutiae of karmic dispensation, at both collective and individual levels. For it must be noted that there are both karmic streams of individuated souls on their own polarized path (pursuing either unity or separation, the so-called positive and negative orientations), as well as countless major groupings of souls, at all dimensional levels. For the so-called Lords of Karma, there is vast life to coordinate and assist in seven-dimensional spheres.
Both categories of consciousness groups (that of relatively simple units of body-mind-spirit complexes, what we call "souls," as well as the greater coordinated streams of associated units evolving en masse), demand highly complex karmic arrangements for their continued, proper evolution. Obviously, the spiritual growth of beings cannot be overseen and coordinated at the same level of their own learning -- it can only be overseen by those finished with such progression -- ie, those done with the entire circuit of octave evolution.
In human affairs, this is comparable to the maxim that a problem cannot be solved at the same level of its genesis nor its same field of operation. In a little-appreciated statement, Einstein once remarked something to the effect that, "the problems we face cannot be solved by the same minds that created them." This is even more so in the case of karmic operation, since the 'problems" in that field are truly multi-dimensional.
All such groups (individual souls and collective soul groups) traverse inconceivable eons of time-space through multiple densities, along the course of which they are required to perfectly 'balance out' the consequences of all experiences they have consciously chosen and self-created through ignorance, distortion, and incomplete awareness of perfect love-unity. As the path is circular, souls cannot return to their original true nature unless they have come back into energetic conformity with the nature of their essential starting-point.
All such personal knots and blockages -- manifested in etheric energy fields as well as in apparent mental/cognitive confusion and imbalances -- must be resolved, untangled, and harmonized along the way. Only then can souls and soul-groups fully return to the innate condition of perfect love-unity, that is both our source and our destination. Thus, metaphysical teachings refer to soul evolution as, "the path of return."
The supervised dispensation of karmic dues and the gradual and meticulously timed precipitation into manifest (apparently external) form of all that yet remains fragmented to evolving soul consciousness, can only be effected by beings who are themselves so far outside time-space as to be entirely free of all karmic necessity.
Rightly, oversight for karmic operation begins at the level of Higher Self in late-sixth density, so we are admittedly a bit over our heads here! Nevertheless, some Wanderers on Earth have come from this level of being, and can thus appreciate this perspective...
Those beings in oversight of karmic operation can be said to have absolute mastery over the boundless ramifications of an infinite variety of soul choices. They wield with impeccable wisdom and skill the potentia of manifold experiential forms and incarnative experience, all for the purpose of catalyzing required re-balancing and soul orientation.
Obviously, this is no small matter, far, far beyond the comprehension of almost all Earth humans. The degree of intelligence required for administration of perfectly accurate karmic precipitation, for souls and soul-groups at all dimensional levels of Creation (simultaneously), is far beyond the human ken, to say the least.
Thus, RA noted that beings "from beyond the octave," beyond the sevenfold dimensional scheme of solar systems and individuated soul and group-soul evolution, fulfill such operative karmic functions. Only they are capable of such activity, and in the writings of Alice Bailey and the teacher Djwhal Khul, only these beings can rightly being called the "Lords of Karma." Down here on the ground, the most we can do (which is quite a task itself), is to process as best we can all such experiential distillates in personal life.
In line with this, the entire topic of karma was one of several themes Gautama Buddha deemed "the incomprehensibles." Such speculation for the monks of his day (even though many of them would be classed as advanced adepts, no small achievement) was deemed a fruitless topic for mental engagement.
Still under the sway of apparently real, dualistic space-time conditions, and still subject to variable and ever-unstable personal becoming through mental grasping, there really is little on these matters that can be known -- since, as stated before, we ourselves are certainly nowhere near beyond the operation of karmic law. Thus, it was deemed a waste of time to devote personal attention to mere speculation.
Nevertheless, in my view, there is value in attempting relative comprehension of the absolutely incomprehensible, especially if we are fully aware at the outset that the best we can hope for is but a tiny fraction of total gnosis. As RA said of soul work in physical 3rd density existence, it is wholly a task of, "working in darkness with a tiny candle." And yet, real growth can be made for those who accept the challenges of gross limitation, as we really can expand our access to the realm of knowable things.
And so, this essay is an exercise in bringing scant illumination to the 3rd dimensional mind complex of those who feel attraction to this rather advanced work. To know what is beyond us, even just a bit, refines and energizes our own development though long-term activation of greater spiritual seeking. To gain a bit more understanding of karmic law, its application to personal and collective life at this time in human history, and its nature and function in overall cosmic plan, is certainly worthy of our time and attention. Seeking that which is beyond seeking, if approached rightly, is highly effective catalyst for quickened soul growth.
PART II: Functions of Karmic Law
Overall, karma operates to accelerate soul and soul group evolution, namely, the dissolution of each and every mind/body/spirit distortion to total realization of love-unity. Being "finished with karma" equates to completion of the long path of individuated light-spark soul progress, and occurs only with final fusion into the formless light of the One Infinite. Obviously, anyone who publicly claims such achievement is self-deluded.
Technically, this normally occurs late within what is called 7th density, which is akin to the achievement of "sat-chit-ananda" (truth-consciousness-bliss), the term used in the Hindu yogic system. It is comparable to the state of "avatara" and Buddha -- complete and perfect enlightenment. Of course, it can be achieved here in 3D, but again, it is exceptionally rare to find such a one on the world stage.
Karmic law is at the heart of all evolutionary catalysis, as the primary force behind increasingly higher dimensional progress and consciousness expansion of all souls. Of course, the specific forms of karmic ..and this entire discussion) become increasingly subtle and harmonious above 3rd density life. This is beyond the current level of discussion, of course.
Essentially, the ultimate goal of love-unity realization requires dissolution of all fixed belief in substantial duality, and is accompanied by absolute mastery and freedom within all realms of the octave system. This can only be achieved when souls realize the true nature of all manifest catalyst to likewise be non-substantial (so-called "emptiness" or sunyata in the Buddhist system) and imbued with essential love (the quality of infinite light being absolute beneficence).
Such transmuted-being realization defines the operative parameters of attaining return to the condition of oneness with all Creation and all forms of life.
The existence of karmic law itself is an expression of boundless Logoic love, and its nature and function is to continually encourage realization of the underlying, immanent unity of all being and becoming. Bringing this down to personal life, we find continual activity of karmic law in human affairs.
Normally, karma is only recognized as such when its expression surpasses a certain threshold of energetic charge to the individual. However, this tendency to focus on that which indicates "contrast' (bound up with perception of conflict and complexity) fails to see and appreciate the greater bulk of karmic operation in personal life.
As the teacher Djwhal Khul once noted, souls have far more "good karma" than "bad," though most of us pay far more attention to the latter, as contrast, conflict and complexity capture attention far more rapidly than harmony. Nevertheless, this ‘negative focus’ is the norm simply because the internal condition of soul itself is absolute harmony -- thus the perception of non-harmony is internally incongruent with our true nature.
Of course, this innate harmony forms the subtle background-field against which all experience of apparent disharmony strikes a clear, discordant vibratory note. As the soul seeks to impress its own being upon the manifest body-mind-spirit (which is none other than itself, in final analysis), there is created a sort of non-echo in the soul-personality axis -- which is the esoteric cause of all spiritual seeking, in the first place.
More practically, most souls recognize the operation of karmic law only according to the dichotomous experience of pleasure/pain, and thus remain bound to the limitations of this bipolar view. No doubt, such shallow comprehension of karmic operation also ensures a limited ability to work with the law and process karmic experience.
Perceiving the operation of karmic law only when life-catalyst elicits a certain intensity of personal reaction, then placing it simply into a static categorization of pleasure/pain, indicates a somewhat early stage of realizing karmic process.
A more advanced view eliminates this polarity altogether, and helps us appreciate that all experience (whether pleasant or otherwise) serves the purpose of encouraging soul achievement of complete non-distortion. Such a view recognizes karmic law as an intrinsically impersonal universal force, and goes even further to acknowledges the existence of apparent causality itself but a perceptual 'trick' of limited mind development.
When consciousness is sufficiently enlightened by itself, apparent causality is resolved into complete omnipresent simultaneity. At that stage, souls are no longer bound by time-space and karmic law, and may enter the ranks of those who administer the operation of karma within such realms of apparent duality, an example of which is our 3rd dimension.
Furthermore, the distinction between "good karma" and "bad" is misleading because the determination of karmic law proceeds from levels of consciousness far beyond all such polarized judgement. Its practical operation really has little do with human conceptions of reward and punishment (as such deeper belief bases give rise to the "good/bad" dichotomy in the first place). Enormous confusion has been spawned by this particular interpretation, as evidenced by the distortions of all major religious teachings on heaven.
Plainly, the dispensation of soul and soul group karma is actually a morally neutral phenomenon. To the Logoi, there are no so-called "moral" valuations, only a straight recognition of metaphysical free will choice (that of the personality and its higher aspect which realizes the complete Path to be trod). Beyond this, the Logoi provide the needed structuring of the laws of Creation (one of which is karmic law) to encourage further soul progress according to soul decision.
From the evolutionary perspective of Logos and Higher Self (the primary agents of our overshadowing self-luminous intelligence), what souls choose to do in response to karmic outpouring is really the central issue -- not whether or not karmic down flow is deemed good or bad. The purpose of evolution and life itself is not enjoyment, though increased pleasure does result from wise soul choice along the path.
The Creator and Creation are not much interested in static rewards and punishment. What is achieved today may surely be reversed tomorrow, and what is useful catalyst to one soul may be absolutely invisible to another -- all of which is as it should be. In light of this, it is quite short sighted to define karma in terms of good/bad, or pleasure/pain.
As the central and most important outcropping of the Law of Free Will, the primary function of karmic law is to catalyze soul choice, first and foremost, and from the evolutionary purist view, simply and only for its own sake. As "the purpose of Creation is that the Creator may experience Itself," freely established choice is the primary nutriment that feeds the boundless divine experience. From this perspective as well, terms such as "good karma" and "bad" have little importance and no use.
Returning to the more mundane, but no less important consideration of personal human life, it should be known that most instances of above-threshold karmic operation classed along the "good/bad" continuum are simply a return to the sender of energies and tendencies previously set in motion by that soul itself. Prior acts of the evolving and reincarnating mind/body/spirit complex, the personal triadic web of the soul field in time-space set all individual karmic streams in motion, which provide the main working field of our own growth.
Such karmic returns manifest several distinct operations, including:
(1) the precise quality of their originating self-generated energies cleverly transformed into apparently outer events;
(2) various manifestations and changes of the body complex itself, as complex symbolic representations of inner personality imbalances, blockages, and conflicts; and
(3) qualities of mind and emotion carried and offered by other souls in relationship to us, revealing aspects of as-yet unrecognized inner dynamics within us needing some degree of spiritual re-orientation; and
(4) thought forms transmitted and received at mental-spiritual levels, material or subtle, which offer the catalyst of revealed options for such re-orientation itself.
What is classed as "good karma" is simply the set of reflections we favor, and the contrary for the "bad." Yet, in no case is it the intention of such karmic precipitation to lock us into fixed experiences of pleasure/pain. No matter how ghastly such circumstances may feel to the participant and appear to the onlooker, the mechanism of such experiential challenge proceeds only from divine beneficence. Of course, this may only be an article of faith for those of us without adequate gnosis, not having yet made direct contact with the essential impetus behind life-events.
PART III: Practical Considerations and Polarity
Along the personal subjective continuum, karmic precipitation that we generally class into the duality of pleasure/pain, actually serves to confirm, validate, mirror, express, and often challenge (particularly in the case of "bad karma") prevailing trends and tendencies already resident within the recipient soul to whom appears. We are only being given back discretely apportioned elements of ourselves, no matter how miserable it may feel.
As internal trends and tendencies of the personal human mind are generally poorly seen, known, and accepted (if not totally ignored) by souls in 3rd density fixation, the process of karmic precipitation serves to reveal the deeper self to the conscious self. This is both the path and fruit of the universal Way of Return: the return of conscious awareness to all-awareness, self to Self, god to God, and the lesser manifest light to the One infinite light.
Obviously, the axiom that "we create our own reality" is far more difficult to recognize, apply, and use constructively in the case of painful inbound catalyst (ie, so-called "bad karma)," which may be quite horrific in its appearance. For example, why was it that earth humanity suffered over 100 million wartime deaths in the 20th century? At our level of being, such represents incalculable personal tragedy, and yet, this was but the karmic result of innumerable causal sequences, some of which are significantly inter-dimensional in their origin.
It is not that the Creator ordained such primitive bloodletting, but it was certainly not stopped from occurring through intervention from higher levels of being. And yet, it did serve multiple spiritual re-orientation goals for both individual souls and the entire human soul group family on this planet. The specific purposes -- including a needed "lightening of the astral plane," as stated by Djwhal Khul through Alice Bailey -- are well known by those who guide our evolution.
Thus, whatever comes down the pike is just our own face in various guises. This can be considered (especially in San Francisco, my hometown) the Logos in drag, and a mirror-appearing opportunity for greater freedom from our unseen inner distortions. This is hard to realize, of course, when the incoming guest is violence and bloodshed.
And yet, despite the drama, souls are just being shown on the palette of ‘external life’ their own deeper aspects, patterns, layers, potentials, and general mind/spirit qualities. In the case of what we call "good karma," karmic law operates to give us what can be seen as congratulatory support for further advance upon that soul's own chosen path. In contrast to the inherent fixity of the "reward" view, karmic activity is in fact intensely, immensely dynamic and finely ever shifting, inconceivably sensitive to all minute shifts in soul consciousness and the actions that proceed therefrom.
In the case of those upon the positive path of service to others (which is the major way of soul evolution, directly seeking love-unity through truth, balance and non-grasping), the support granted by harmonious karmic inflow serves to reduce various kinds of personal limitation. It thus increases opportunity for further evolution (including opportunity for service to others) to the soul that has proven itself capable of progressing in harmony, not needing severe restraint for re-balancing and re-orientation.
Interestingly, the real benefit given by such beneficent physical, mental and spiritual conditions is the fact that such experiences and influences demand no further attention. The deeper value of so-called "good karma" is the fact that it releases and frees up soul attention and energy for increased work on matters of greater priority than simply dealing with the latest crises of the day.
Various forms of "good karma" obviously feel like some kind of reward, and generally elicit pleasure, but in actuality, the matrix of such august conditions is simply the removal of potential obstacles. The dispensation of such conditional harmony was never meant to become a stopping point upon the ageless path of ceaseless growth. It is only humanity, which sees life through the lens of corporeal identification, that interprets karma in static terms implying some kind of "final resting place."
Clearly, when karmic law is seen strictly through the bi-focal lens of fixed reward-and-punishment, souls are more likely to pause, stop, and grow entangled in life conditions. Ironically, this involves emotional attachment to the very same outer and inner conditions that were only meant to be the basis for further non-attachment. This is quite interesting, and likely represents a successful ploy on the part of negative higher dimensional forces influencing religious notions of karma -- seeking to retard human soul progression.
In another light, these pleasing outer/material karmic manifestations (including the so-called 'inner conditions" of radiant body and finely tuned mind by birth) simply all mirror the inward grace, harmony and beauty already achieved by that soul. This is echoed by Jesus's statement: "to him who has much, much shall be given." Harmony within certainly generates harmony without.
As a glimpse of glory (some semblance of perfection in form) and completion (primarily through the function of removing additional soul obstacles), such karmic dispensation is meant as a light above the path, leading that one on to the further greater light. From the perspective of karmic administration, the single motivation is always the intention to support further soul progress.
On the other side, considering those on the negatively oriented path of service to self (the minor way or left-hand path of seeking Oneness through separation via control), the process is somewhat reversed. For them, what we would consider good fortune (ie, harmonious karmic dispensation) is actually the ripened fruit due them by previously achieved 'evil.' Regardless of path, harmonious karmic down flow results from efficient use of catalyst, granting them a platform for quickened evolution and further progress according to their own chosen orientation.
Thus, successful use of catalyst on the negative path reaps fruit of the conqueror, and may be seen as karmic "rewards" that allow even greater polarity. Those at a high level on the negative path may be born with native strength and beauty of body (respectively for men and women); this serves the purpose of further drawing in other souls, so as to dominate them. They may have luxurious and abundant material conditions, great powers of logic and intelligence (though no degree of kindness), well-oiled social networks to aid further power aggrandizement (ie, "the right connections"), and well-honed instincts of smooth manipulation of others.
Possession of these qualities may be considered to be "karmic reward" by those on the left-hand path, but ironically, these conditions are highly valued by all Earth humanity. In this way, we can see how our planetary world culture can rightly be considered "leftward leaning," though not quite fully service to self.
Though the phrase, "successful evil" may seem paradoxical, it is not so from the view of Higher Self. In essence, what is deemed to be "efficient use of catalyst" (which is key to the quality of karmic dispensation programmed from higher being) on the negative path is exactly opposite from what it is on the positive path. It is not quite correct to say that such beings simply "need love and self-healing" -- for those ingredients do not further at all their continued soul progression on the so-called "left-hand path."
For those of negative orientation, ever greater control of self and others is key, and is the measure and mark of efficient use of catalyst. Achieving greater external/social and internal/spiritual dominance is exactly their goal and just what they require to progress.
On the other hand, the key to the positive path is continued body/mind/spirit balancing in love-light manifestation, with increasingly demonstrated appreciation of unity. For while the path of self-service demands deception, the heart of the positive path is maintenance of evolving wholeness.
In both cases, what is considered "reward" or "good karma" is perfectly suited to further soul growth upon their chosen path, which is a far more dynamic process than the relative stasis assumed and imbedded in the dichotomous paradigm of reward and punishment. Humans may call it "good karma," but beyond the comfort and pleasure experienced, the essence of what makes it "good" is simply the potent support it grants for further soul polarization.
Of course, well-processed and intelligently handled "bad karma" may also function to boost soul growth, which is also its native intention and purpose. In general, the value of conflict, pain and hardship comes through its power to shatter and interrupt certain ingrained patterns of mind-distortion (whether established in past lives or created in the current one).
Thus, Higher Self will not save us from the consequences of our own doing, though guidance and comfort are available. Interestingly, earth humans often seem to require (and thus perpetually re-create) painful circumstances to revitalize their soul growth...
Indeed, it is a very important achievement to recognize misfortune as opportunity, misery as self-created, the reception of human injustice as cosmic justice, and personal limitation as a wide-open door to further spiritual expansion. Of course, these are lovely phrases, but hard to realize amidst the intensity of disharmonious experiential catalyst. As RA once said, 3D human life provides "an adequate heaven, and a more than adequate hell."
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