Recently in a Teen Court class, some students began a discussion about karma. One student stated to another, “It’s your karma.” and the other student wasn’t really sure what that meant, but most of them thought that it meant that
Recently in a Teen Court class, some students began a discussion about karma. One student stated to another, “It’s your karma.” and the other student wasn’t really sure what that meant, but most of them thought that it meant that it’s what you deserve.
According to “Dictionary.com” karma is seen as “bringing upon oneself inevitable results, good or bad, either in this life or in a reincarnation.” This is a somewhat western definition of it. Its root is Sanskrit for “act, action or performance”, and it can refer to a soul’s entire experience of cause and effect.
The word karma became popular in the 60s and 70s with the influx of many rock groups and artists turning to eastern religions to make sense of things. Initially it was thought to be only for the “far out,” but since many thousands of people were turning towards these eastern religions, the western religions began to study it.
The basic concept of karma is that what you put into the world, you will get back from the world. If you are kind to others, they will be kind to you. If you do hurtful acts to others, others will then hurt you in some similar way. Karma allows you to experience what you are giving to others. The idea is that humans are to be responsible for what we do and put into our world. We are its keepers. Karma is feedback.
Many of the world religions believe in reincarnation, in which an essential part of a living being, often thought of as the spirit or soul exists to be reborn in a new body, to continue to learn, until learning is complete, and the soul no longer needs to learn from this world.
Souls might intentionally incarnate into bodies, or families so that they can learn specific lessons that they need to learn. If I wanted to learn how to be more patient, I might be born into a family with a developmentally delayed child. If I had been an abusive husband, I might be born as a woman, and marry an abusive husband. If I had been overly prideful about my athletic ability, I might be born with a deformed foot.
The learning always moves towards tolerance, compassion, and oneness as a human family, and away from selfishness, judgment, and separation.
Some say that Jesus believed in “karma” when He said, “What ye sow, so shall ye reep.”, “He who lives by the sword will die by the sword.”, “All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.”
Some believe that serving your fellow man is another way to “burn off” karma, so that you don’t have to experience suffering from the unkindness that you did. We can also experience “grace.”
Some see grace as a gift from God. The suffering cycle ends because we are not the person anymore who would ever cause the pain that we initially caused. We have learned! We have learned not to kill, or wound, or steal, or lie, or belittle, etc. It occurs when the soul wakes up and recognizes itself, and says, “I no longer need to hurt others, because I recognize that hurting others ultimately hurts myself. I choose instead to love my God with all my heart, and all my soul, and all my mind, and my neighbor as myself.” Does that sound familiar? It is the answer that Jesus gave when asked what is the most important commandment.
So when someone says to you, “Well that’s your karma!” implying that you have no choice about what is going to happen to you, remember that you do. You can always change and become the kind of person that your karma would be teaching you to be, and experience the grace of that!
“In Your Corner” is a phrase that means support. Its origin comes from boxing. In between rounds, the boxer retires to his corner, and a group of people coach him, give him medical help, water, and cheer him on.
Several adults have “stepped into the corner” for our teens, to answer questions and give support in the boxing ring of life! They are: Catherine Stovall, community response specialist, County of Kaua’i; Edmund Acoba, Public Defender, Craig DeCosta, county Prosecuting Attorney, Officer Paul Applegate, Kaua’i Police Department, Bill Arakaki, Superintendent of Schools, Jill Yoshimatsu, Director of the DOE Mokihana program, and Annaleah Atkinson, Teen Court Manager for Hale ‘Opio Kaua’i.
If you have something to share with Kaua’i Teens, or need to ask a question, e-mail Annaleah at aatkinson@haleopio.org, or snail mail her at Hale ‘Opio Kauai Inc., 2959 Umi St ., Lihu‘e, HI 96766.
In your corner
Several adults have “stepped into the corner” for our teens, to answer questions and give support in the boxing ring of life. They are Catherine Stovall, community response specialist, county of Kaua‘i; Edmund Acoba, public defender; Craig DeCosta, county prosecuting attorney; Officer Paul Applegate, Kaua‘i Police Department; Daniel Hamada, superintendent of schools; Jill Yoshimatsu, director of the DOE Mokihana program; and Annaleah Atkinson, Teen Court Manager for Hale ‘Opio Kaua‘i.
If you have something to share with Kaua‘i teens, or need to ask a question, contact Annaleah with the information below and she will field it to the person who can best help with the answer.
