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Thread: Inevitable karma in the U.S./west?

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    Inevitable karma in the U.S./west?

    Hello,

    I am living in the United States -- I am married and have two young daughters. I am a teacher in the public school system.

    I am facing a dilemma: I believe that the tax dollars in the United States are often used for very inappropriate (evil) things -- high tech weapons technology, chemical weapons, immoral genetic experiments, backing of CIA operations that cause all kinds of turmoil and strife in other countries, the list goes on.

    I feel responsible for the future of my daughters (helping them go to college, etc), but also feel an extreme sense of guilt for being part of a system and feeding a system that is causing the desolation of the planet and even making pretend wars to feed more money into the military industrial complex. I sometimes wonder if I've done something wrong prior to this life to be born into a country with a government that is beyond evil. Then I consider if I created more negative karma by "procreating"? I love my daughters and feel like I would not have become the person I am today, but I wonder if I have committed even more suffering in the world by the choices I've made (getting married instead of becoming a monk or something...?).

    My heart aches for the suffering happening in the world and I feel like my tax money is helping to support it, but I don't know where to go or what to do. I appreciate any words of wisdom you could provide. Thank you very much.

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    Unhappy Re: Inevitable karma in the U.S./west?

    Namaste Vasily,

    I wish I could offer words of wisdom to you. But I suffer from the same problems as you. As a white male American citizen I often feel I'm the lowest of the low, the scum of the earth by virtue of the points you make.

    The best I can offer is my sympathy. If I had a solution to this I would tell you. But right now I'm lamenting the fact that I'm stuck here.

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    Re: Inevitable karma in the U.S./west?

    Namaste,

    You both are being extremely hard on yourself. Just imagine that you are being a victim of the circumstances yourself, as you are unable to change anything. Then you can relax.

    Webimpulse, a lot of white folks are very humanitarian, have contributed to the welfare of the mankind in every possible way. So please do not feel that way towards your race. Nobody should feel bad about their race, every race has produced great men and women. On this good day, let us spend some time learning about some good men and women of our race and try to live like them in some way.

    Cheers,

    Viraja
    jai hanuman gyan gun sagar jai kapis tihu lok ujagar

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    Re: Inevitable karma in the U.S./west?

    namaste,

    no one is a victim... If you wish to uplift the world, uplift your self.
    Well how do I do this ? Find out.

    iti sivam
    यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
    yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
    because you are identical with śiva

    _

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    Re: Inevitable karma in the U.S./west?

    hariḥ oṁ
    ~~~~~~
    namasté
    Quote Originally Posted by yajvan View Post
    no one is a victim...
    ...but yajvan, who tells you this ?

    Svāmī Brahmānanda Sarasvatī was Śaṅkarācārya of Jyotirmath from 1941-1953. He informs us of the following:

    To get a human body is a rare thing, make use of it. There are 4 million kinds of lifes which a soul ( ātman) can gather. After that one gets a chance to be human, to get a human body. Therefore, one should not waste this chance.
    Every second in human life is valuable. If you don’t value this, then you have nothing in hand and you will weep in the end. Because you are human, God has given you power to think and decide what is good and bad. Therefore, you can do the best possible kind of action. You should never consider yourself weak or a fallen creature.
    Whatever may have happened up till now may be because you didn’t know, but now be careful... after getting a human body, if you don’t reach God, then you have sold a diamond at the price of spinach.

    iti śivaṁ
    यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
    yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
    because you are identical with śiva

    _

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    Re: Inevitable karma in the U.S./west?

    Namaste,

    The only person you can control is yourself. So, why not stop bemoaning everything around you and resolve to get on a spiritual journey to elevate yourself to a level where no outside forces bother you?

    No country, no Govt., no corner of the world is "clean". And we can't change all that. But we do have the power to make ourselves "clean" and to raise our children in that environment. Why not take that as a goal and become peaceful?

    Just pay the cost of living (taxes) and then shut yourself off from it all. Staying focused on personal growth in spite of all that goes on right outside your front door is the challenge that you have to accept. Letting yourself be constantly disturbed by internal turmoil is counterproductive and indicative of self-pity. Let it go!

    Pranam.

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    Light Re: Inevitable karma in the U.S./west?

    Namaste Believer ji and Yajvan

    Very wise and practical solution to the question raised by OP. The solution can be extended to all of the challenges that raise from our circle of concern.

    It is not like ignoring the problem because it will not affect our lives immediately but in order to do something we should make ourselves eligible enough to solve the problem.
    Anirudh...

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    Re: Inevitable karma in the U.S./west?

    Hari Om!

    I believe it is said best by BelieverJi when he states that "...no corner of the world is "clean"." Just where do you expect to go that all will be better? Ask yourself that question and perhaps the circumstances will bring you back to yourself and the advice so offered by YajvanJi and BelieverJi.

    At one point in life I felt very similar to the sentiments that you've expressed. I had a place to go in mind too. Then visits and reality hit. Essentially the problems are all the same and stem from the same sources - greed, lust, etc. In my humble opinion, it's up to me to rid myself of those first. Then, the laws of attraction kick in. My own experience has shown that by placing myself in satsang for example (company of the wise - listening to discourses, etc) and performing sadhana (spiritual practices) I am naturally drawn to "higher" situations. Suggestions have been given by others whom have posted.

    Volunteer for higher causes, donate your money to causes you feel appropriate, do seva (service to ones Guru) or give time to a Temple, etc. Again, my simple suggestions.

    Hope this helps in some small way.

    Om

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    Re: Inevitable karma in the U.S./west?

    Hello.,

    I echo what believer ji has said....The power of Good is very strong than the power of evil in any place, part, dimension of reality! So, add yourself to the power of good and believe me, its like a vote in democracy. Its not that we can know only the evil and it is more joyful and enjoyable to know and practice Good and that is also contagious when you do it. So, start and start now!
    Last edited by grames; 05 November 2014 at 09:12 PM.

  10. #10

    Re: Inevitable karma in the U.S./west?

    I want to humbly thank everyone for your responses. There is no perfect governmental system, and the only thing we can do is our best - to give our attention to the blissful things in life, and to make ourselves open to the love of the universe. To help myself focus on the positive more, I made a little video and would like to share it with you all. I send my good thoughts to you all.
    Thank you

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ5r...ature=youtu.be

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