Retribution and The Experience of Tough Karma
Those of us who have taken birth in this period have tough karma. It’s like taking birth among demons. What we can do, what you and I as people, as citizens can do, is heart-to-heart resuscitation.
Recently in our society we’ve felt terror, and anger, and desire for retribution. All of those reactions are products of the mind, so if we can get to the place in us that is peaceful, that is wise, that is compassionate, just think of what we would be able to do.
People you speak to would feel that peace, and they would be in contact with somebody else, and then they would feel peaceful, peaceful, peaceful. In other words, maybe as good citizens, we should make ourselves ready to withstand horrific acts like terrorism, because our inability in our hearts to withstand it is where we are scared, and when we are scared, the whole world is scared, and fights are picked by scared people.
When I had the stroke I had a very dark period.
But then something happened and I felt grace again. I thought about it. And realized that before the stroke I had felt grace. But then that loss and that pain did something to me. It took away my faith. Then without the faith. I couldn’t feel grace. It’s that combination of faith and grace that is so important. Since I have regained my faith. I got my grace back as well.
Nations are like egos.
And they are protecting their incarnation. When a few of us are not so stuck in our incarnations, we can move up the ladder of our consciousness instead. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says to Arjuna, a warrior getting ready to go into battle, “Do whatever you do, but remember me.” Remember me.
What were the suicide pilots of September 11th doing? They were doing their best to get to God. But when that comes from a place of retribution, from a place of anger and frustration, that isn’t going to do it. It’s not going to satisfy their righteousness.
Righteousness is not a satisfactory game to play.
I’ll step in here too, to say that Christ was not righteous. The Christian church is righteous. And I just don’t think that judging or righteousness is giving us our due Godliness.
– Ram Dass
