You know how sometimes you can just take a step back and see another’s behavioral pattern? Doesn’t it sometimes feel like you wish you could just snap them out of it? Remarkably, it often seems most everyone can see that person’s pattern… except that person! Around and around they go, as if they are spinning around in circles on the surface of a behavior bubble, seemingly getting nowhere, unable to break, or even see, their all-consuming pattern.
I call that pattern a karmic bubble. Everyone has their own karmic bubble. Though their essence is certainly rooted in something that transcends the karmic bubble, it is the karmic bubble that seems to run their life. In fact, they cling to it. They believe in it. It is what makes them feel safe. It is ‘their truth’. It is as if they are one with their karmic bubble!
In spite of what you may like, you cannot pop that bubble. They cling to it too tightly. They defend it with emotion and rationalization. It would be unbearable if it ever popped. They cannot even see that it is a bubble. They cannot see it is their karma. Often, they are convinced it is their dharma!
To help a person move beyond their karmic bubble is a subtle art. It is a finesse. It is delicate. It must be done carefully, respectfully, and humbly. You cannot allow yourself to be self righteous, simplistic, patronizing, or too aggressive. At best, you are a catalyst to their own natural self-correcting process. All too often healers, spiritual advisors, therapists, counselors, and the like are far too presumptuous regarding the clarity and certainty with which they see another.
There are only two things in this world: karma and dharma. Karma is simple cause and effect. No free will there, though it may seem to you like you are free. Dharma is living in accord with your true nature… that which transcends the karmic bubble and is totally free. Karma binds. Dharma frees.
This stuck me reading your blog and this wheel. How often we go in a circle. It seems comfortable at the time, routine. Then all of a sudden I make a choice to stop the circle perhaps go the opposite direction or just, like a merry go round and jump off! And all of a sudden the change is WOW! Your blogs are so full of insights. Each of us see differently, amazing and thank you!
I find that especially when I am tired, sick, sometimes when hungry it is so easy to return to my karmic loops of my negative self worth and fear and my karmic bubble can become a self perpetuating mechanism of either hurting myself or keeping myself down and away from my dharmic path.
Sometimes I can even judge others in a mean way, but generally I go right for myself. I seem to think that is okay. It’s a real sickness when a karmic bubble becomes the comfort zone; bad enough when it is your fold.
My current challenge today was laying in bed, feeling worthlessness in every cell. Rayshan set a lunch tray down for me, I popped up and I was even crying in my sleep. The “sleep program” can trigger these feelings for me, esp. if I get sick…I know it is not supposed to be an opportunity to judge myself and of course then I can go to others judging me who aren’t even doing that.
I look over at Brahmarshi’s picture on a business card and He is peeking out of a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita by Maharshi Mahesh Yogi. I laid here today crying because of the pain of hearing Peter’s voice screaming at me, in my face, over and over “You are worthless!”. For the life of me I can’t remember him saying something nice, like I love you. I am sure he must have….I did find those words written in an old email. Can’t hear it in remembrance right now.
However, I am now able to hold another reality , because of Brahmarshi’s grace, that I am God. God and worthlessness are not part of the same reality. I thought long and hard about it and I cannot make those two contradicting realities coexist. Not in me.
God is taking over. He was always right there. I hope this does not sound like an ego trip…the salt shaker is God , too. __I just could never allow it in me.__ I had to run from the Surya classroom years ago when in the mirror exercise I was to be seen as God. I can now, because of the Guru’s grace.
I don’t find any part of my karmic bubble charming. With every jyotish reading and havan wish I ask for my dharma to be revealed. It’s a process now set in motion. I judged Peter so harshly for his disease. I was as sick as he was. I don’t have time for victim mentality and learned helplessness and guilt. God is in the house. The God bubble is an invincible fortress. It feeds my physiology, it does not drain it.
Jai Guru Dev.
Wonderful blog as always, and timely. I’ve been thinking much about karma and dharma and pondering how to discern between the two. This year has been the toughest and the best for me. I’ve seen how little free will I’ve had, how karma has controlled me, and how confused I’ve been about a lot of things (humbling to say the least). But the flip side…I have these sensations that things are not as they seem (not just thoughts but deeper knowing) and it feels good; I’ve felt a subtle softening of my conditioning. It’s been nothing short of exhilarating to get a glimpse of what’s possible. I figure I need to pop my own karma bubble. It’s feeling more possible all the time to do that. It’s odd how scary it can feel to let go of the familiar. Those Rakshasa values can be very tenacious and sneaky. Time in your presence and with your teachings is a major catalyst for all these positive changes in my life. And the Surya meditation and sutras. Thank you.
Love the reminder of the self correcting process (especially when thinking of my children) and that at best I am a catalyst for it.
Spinning out literally, I found I had a hard time simply reading this blog because of the constant motion of the ferris wheel photo. Maybe it helped me tweak this bubble, I find the walls of the bubble becoming thinner, more permeable. And this blog touched on my rather self-righteous response to the previous blog on money.
I have been noticing recently, that since returning from the Bliss Course this Summer that although I do all the same things on a physical working level, it no longer seems like I am repairing karmic mishaps. The dharma value is coming through easily. I had to laugh this morning when I drew a card from a deck that depicted a lady riding a tiger and celebrating success. Durga indeed!
Donna,
Now is the time for you to start helping out with the flowers for a few hours a day.
Thank you for all these beautiful blogs Brahmarshi. As you stated, “dharma is living in accord with your true nature”.
Lately, this is a struggle for me.
How do I discover this? Is it as simple as meditation, personal process and class/retreats? For the last few years I just don’t feel in touch with what my dharma is.
Any insight you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
As I am so often told, be easy with it. Or, be with it easily.
Easily said, so difficult to do. But do we must…
Shine on all you amazing diamonds. I love you all.
Let’s all be easy with it , or be with it easily.
Jai Guru Dev!