To Light a Thousand Lamps - The Theosophical Society

Karma / 69
own karma,’’ meaning by this that everything that comes to
us, in character or in circumstance, is an outflowing of
ourselves — our past. If we or those we love have trying
and painful circumstances to go through, ill health, personal
reverses, or the like, this is not ‘‘bad’’ karma. Admittedly, it
may be an extremely diªcult karma to meet, but if in the
long run it furthers the progress of the soul, it must be
counted beneficent.
This is one of the most helpful ideas because many today
are feeling crushed under the weight of life’s burdens.
When we realize that we are our karma, then we know that
whatever is unrolling before us is really ourselves having the
opportunity to learn and to grow and to deepen our perceptions
and our understanding. As our sympathies expand
beyond the periphery of our personal problems and we observe
the humor and dignity with which others, seemingly
less favored than ourselves, face their life situation, we may
discover that those of us who have the most diªculty in
handling our character failings are the more disadvantaged.
A bit of self-examination is therapeutic, reminding us that
we are all fellow climbers, and that those who appear to
be making little progress may well be clearing the way of
obstacles for themselves and for others behind them that
otherwise might have proved insurmountable.
Of course, it is easy to philosophize when one has reasonably
sound health and comfortable circumstances. But
what of the poverty-stricken, and those doomed to die of
disease or starvation? Shall we say it is their karma and they
will have to work through it, with better luck, hopefully,
next life? Such an attitude would be reprehensible. Obvi-