Philippine Daily Inquirer

Can karma be erased or reversed?

- JAIME LICAUCO INQ Tel. 0998-9886292; email jaimetlica­uco@yahoo.com.

About two years ago, I wrote in this column my answer to the following question by a reader named John.

“I have read that what happens to a person depends on which polarity or energy he or she is attracted to—either positive or negative. I believe it because ‘like attracts like.’

“But there is the belief that karma also has something to do with what happens to a person. I also believe this.

“My question is, how can we say that what happens to a person is due to his polarity or energy, or the result of karma? If it is because of karma, what can be done for it to end? Can it be reversed by switching the consciousn­ess to the opposite polarity? Is it possible?”

Action

Karma is, perhaps, one of the most misunderst­ood and misused words in this country, and one of the most difficult to explain, because we do not have any equivalent word for it, either in English or Tagalog.

“Karma” comes from the Sanskrit (or Indian) word meaning “action.” Action is what brings about the karmic cycle.

But action here does not refer only to physical action. It also refers to mental acts, such as desires, intentions, motivation­s, etc. These can also bring about karmic repercussi­ons.

So, if I intend to rob, deceive or kill you, but do not do so, I have already incurred a karmic debt to you, for which I must suffer the consequenc­es.

When somebody does something bad to you, and you say, “Ma-karma ka sana,” you are using the word karma in a wrong sense, because karma, strictly speaking, does not refer to a moral law of reward or punishment.

Karma is more like the physical law of cause and effect. For example, if I hold a stone in my hand and let go of that stone, it falls to the ground, not because it is being punished, but because the law of gravity pulled it down.

Consequenc­es

God does not reward or punish us, we punish or reward ourselves—by our actions, intentions, desires and choices. This is probably what Jesus Christ meant when He said, “Whoever looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27-28)

The American psychic Edgar Cayce said that karma is “simply meeting the consequenc­es of your actions in the past. It is not a punishment or reward by God; we punish and reward ourselves.”

Now, going back to the question of John. The attraction to a particular polarity that you speak of could be the result of karma. You get attracted to or repelled by a particular polarity because of some experience in a previous life or lives.

Now, karma can only be extinguish­ed or resolved by understand­ing why that karma existed at all. Once understood and the lesson is learned, there is no more reason for its existence.

A more complete and thorough explanatio­n of karma can be found in my bestsellin­g book, “Soul Mates, Karma and Reincarnat­ion,” which you may still find in the bookstores.

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