23 February 2007

On my high horse: a sermon

Why does the idea of karma or "the law of attraction" keep coming back again and again, like a bad penny?

Just because you are good doesn't guarantee that good things will happen to you. In fact, some of the best people on earth (Jesus, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Aung San Suu Kyi) have been treated the worst.

If we want to be happy, we do good things because they are the right thing to do, because we want to do our part to make this world a better place. Then we let go of any expectations.

Imagining good things for yourself is fine. Clarifying your goals and working toward them is great. Expecting that you can order stuff from the universe like a catalog - like one guy in "The Secret" says - is one of the stupider things I have ever heard.

Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do good things happen to jerks?

Because here is the Secret Law of Life, my friends: stuff happens. Then some other stuff happens. Good stuff, bad stuff. No guarantees.

All we can do is hedge our bets by using the skills and knowledge we have been given to keep ourselves and our loved ones as safe as possible.

The only thing we can really ever control is how we look at what falls our way. I hope your outlook is good today, no matter what happens.

16 comments:

Hel said...

I was thinking about this the other day and wondering if Karma was invented to help us feel better about oppressing other cultures, nationalities and minority groups. As long as we can convince ourselves that they are poor and oppressed because it must be their bad choices and karma we can continue to enjoy our privileges without feeling guilt

Karl said...

Sing it, sistah!

brandy said...

This made me feel better as I sat in a vehicle that wouldn't start with a broken shoe freezing to death. At first I thought "why me?" but in comparison to getting let's say... assasinated or living in a country where I couldn't vote, a broken shoe seemed okay. That zen like feeling lasted about 3 seconds, and then I felt sorry for myself again. I think total zen comes in baby steps...

Anonymous said...

10 Q, 10 Q. EGBOK.

LittlePea said...

yah. Last week I asked the universe for a new dress and nothing happened. Then this morning I was thinking nice, happy thoughts on my morning walk and I stepped in dog poop-I didn't deserve it! I think you may be on to something....

;o)

Mom101 said...

THis is wonderful. I'm not sure what inspired it, but I feel like I should print it out and hang it on my wall.

Alex Elliot said...

So true!

Anonymous said...

Does that mean I can do bad stuff and feel okay about it? I'm so confused!

Lynn said...

Often we don't know why something (good or bad) happens. Eventually, if we are lucky, the reason will be revealed to us.

meno said...

I can just hear my daughter wailing "that's not Faaaiiiiir!"

As a good friend of mine once told her child, "Life's not fair. Better to learn it at home."

Carolie said...

"If we want to be happy, we do good things because they are the right thing to do, because we want to do our part to make this world a better place."

AMEN.

Anonymous said...

Gurubob rocks.

Lucy said...

SueBob

Hallelujah, amen. Shit happens. Good, bad, and everywhere else. This post is so right on.

super des said...

No way. I deserve everything I get, and I get everything I deserve. Me and the Universe, we're like tight, man. We're like this.

Nevermind all that complaining I do.

Anonymous said...

Hear hear! We've got to be happy with our own actions (and our reactions to others), regardless of what outcome - deserved or not - they bring.

Anonymous said...

Sue Bob!
damn you are profound.

Sorry.. studying for a final. Don't have the brain space to be more eloquent.

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