Definition: The sum of person’s actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed  as deciding their fate in future existences.  Informal destiny  or fate following as affect from cause.  ”In other words what you sew so shall you reap in this life and  following lives.”

Okay that seems simple enough don’t you think?  If you rob someone you are going to get robbed in this life or another  or possibly go to jail. Which brings to mind this story of a close friend.

My friend (we will call him Al) worked for an insurance agent who was also trying to obtain loans for individuals through  his make shift lender. Interest rates were very high at this time somewhere in the vicinity  of  21%.  Al stated  he knew the lender’s facility was  set up in the Bahamas.  He  also saw telexes being faxed to Mexico City and China from the insurance agents home.  What he did not know was that it was all a scam.

Al never made very little  money waiting for the so called lenders to approve a loan.  The  money he did make was from the insurance agent selling some policies in order for the client to obtain a loan. Unfortunately they never  came through because it was a scam.  Eventually he  was arrested and taken to jail for being part of the scam .  Al was an  honest person and did not realize he was being duped.

Al told me he called psychic who stated to him, “you were once a thief in a previous life and are now paying for that misdeed.”  Al was eventually proven innocent (he had a lawyer) but had to go through the turmoil of possibly going to jail for a long period of time.  Bad karma will eventually catch up to us. There is no escape!

The actions of past lives determine the conditions and circumstances of the present life, and the actions of the present life have their share in determining the conditions and circumstances of future lives.  Successive incarnations of the individual soul yield their full significance only in the light to of the operation of the law of karma, “Meher Baba”

Yes, there is also good karma as well which will determine future lives.  These individuals will experience the pleasures of heaven.  As an example, if one loves music just thinking about it will provide joy.  The pleasures in heaven are more so then the pleasures of Earthly life since one does not have a physcial body.

When one dies, that individual severs connection with the  Earthly body and connects with his/her Astral Body which is much finer.  From their that individual stays connected with Earth for a  period of four days and then can experience the heaven or hell state.  Time in the Astral Plane (heaven and hell) are much different then time on Earth.

If humanity understood the reality of karma, people would not be so foolish to take advantage of others through greed, power, control, etc.

The movie A Film Unfinished depicts the Warsaw Ghetto during the month of May 1942 when Jews were sent to live in  very overcrowded conditions.  They had little food except for a few who were rich.  Many lived in small apartments with no working toilet facilities.

The atrocities that were inflicted by the Nazi’s even goes on today but with different names and within different countries.  When people suffer such degradation it must put their faith to the test.  Is God a loving God?  Has He/She abandoned me?  The list can go on and on.

Or, perhaps, a lesser scale, my brother lost his daughter who was in her early thirties pregnant with child.  While driving home after dropping her sweetheart off at the ferry a driver went through a stop sign and killed her.    My brother never recovered from the incident.  He was naturally overcome with grief and suffered tremendously because of his loss.  My brother would say many times “why couldn’t God take me instead of L?  Even though I had an understanding nothing spiritual would have helped since he was limited in believing that their was no more to life then  earthly life.

Not only do we have individual karma but also group and country karma as well.  While watching the movie I thought of the pain other countries had bestowed on the less fortunate.  Even knowing that the Jews in this ghetto set this up, it was still painful to watch.

I understand life and its opposites of good and evil but the pain of watching these people suffer was heart breaking.  I read much of what people say about love from quotes or from their own experiences yet how does one come to a loving heart?   One must have a foundation to build upon to have the strength and fortitude to go fourth.  One cannot do it without the foundation of Spirit.

I read many quotes, and some I also contribute, from various sources such as Hafiz the great poet of his time, Depak Chopka, Meher Baba and others.  People gravitate to the love quotes and knowledge but I wonder about the foundation.  It seems to me that  to express  and believe one is Lovable is not easy.  Meher Baba states, “True love is not for the faint hearted or the weak.  It is born of strength and understanding.”

The world must go through what it is going through before it can heal.  Perhaps people will just get tired of killing, being greedy, lusting for power and manipulation and turn towards God.

I may not experience it in this lifetime but when I come back I will be prepared for whatever the world has to offer.

Lets see, I’ll try that one or maybe this one as if I was going to a new restaurant to taste their various delights.  Someone out their  must know the answers that my heart is seeking.   Sure enough, walking that fall day in October 1970, I picked up the Village Voice Newspaper in New York City and their was a picture of a funny looking man, somewhere in his sixties, who reminded me of the commedian Jerry Calonna (not sure of the spelling o f his last name).  Then there were those words, “Don’t Worry Be Happy” and he goes by the name Meher Baba.  So, I had to check this guy out.

They had meetings in those days on every Friday starting at 8 PM.  Sure enough as soon as I entered the room, I started, as I recall, having this uncontrollable laugh which I could not stop.  I hoped this Meher Baba had the answers to my existence.

Of course, like most guru’s, as most were called had many books to scan.  Some written by the guru and some by his  or her followers.   I did not know immediately that Meher Baba called  himself the Avatar  (God Man)of this age.  He proclaimed himself to be the same as Jesus, Budah, Krishna and others.

As I scanned the varous books depicting  his journey, I saw a book entitled God Speaks.  Finally someone has the answer to all my questions.  Whose on first, whats on second and so  on.   I   remember  two pages in particular  that read “out of the everything comes nothing and within the nothing is nothingness. ”  Now what the hell did that mean?  Well I picked up a dictionary to  find out the meanings to those words and I still could not understand.

Well, some years later, I got the meaning of that sentence.  God is Everything, nothing is the illusion and nothingness is all  the paraphernalia in illusion.  Wow, is that deep………….and of course true.

Yes, I have had many experiences with Meher Baba since those early days, some in dreams, some just visually  seeing Him and yes in meditations as well.  Because of my faith in  Him I traveled to India  to taste the nectar of His love.  He died in 1969 but at least, I could meet his disciples and visit HIS tomb.  That journey will be in another blog at a later date.

I recently took  a Suicide First Aide workshop to help individuals who were thinking about killing themselves.  Whether someone called or you connected  in person one would ask “do you have a plan?”   However, prior to that question, as hard as it may be, is to simply ask, “are you thinking about committing suicide?”  Once you know the reasons why  then you would want to eventually  have a plan to keep them safe.

Yes, there is a process of uncovering if an individual is thinking about harming themselves.  My Godfather killed himself by putting a gun to his head. Personally I felt people who did that were selfish and weak.  However, I now know it is part of the soul’s journey.  When a person commits suicide that individual will often experience the pain in the astral world (the place we go when we die) when reviewing  the consequences of their action.

In this course the Caregiver (there are other names to use but we will use Caregiver as the one who is trying to prevent an individual from committing suicide) must first connect to the individual by asking questions and exploring reasons for that person wanting to commit suicide.  Next by listening, the Caregiver will have an understanding for the reasons……………….

Yes, after understanding the reasons , if feasible, turn the negative into positive reasons for wanting to live.  Finding out what a person has done in their life could reinforce the reasons to live, i.e., music, travel, pets, family members, etc.   Of course you would want to know if they have a plan and ask if they had tried to commit suicide  in the past.  If they have tried what stopped them.  The very fact that person is talking to you is a reason they want to live and if necessary point that out.

For sure you want to get a commitment from that individual not to carry out  suicide even if it is for a day or less.  For example, if they were planning on using a gun, ask the person to give you the gun. Another example if they were going to turn on the engine in the garage to follow through with suicide ask for the car keys.  So, have a safety plan in place.

Also important have that individual state the reasons they were going to commit suicide and state the safety plan that is in place.  By doing that will reinforce their commitment to stay safe.

After that you would want to have the person connect with people who will be their for them within the safety plan besides yourself;  it could be a trusted family member, therapist, counselor and so on.  In this course, even the person who was playing the part of wanting to commit suicide brought up different emotions.

As a society we need to have more workshops in place and especially in the schools. Our world is experiencing numerous difficulties  and more people will  want to let go of because of pain.  From a spiritual perspective the pain will be carried over into the next world.  Again, that soul will continue to suffer and when reborn will have to experience similar circumstances to learn his or her lesson.

I welcome  your comments.

I am sure like many of you their  have been numerous e-mails stating that you have won a lottery from some foreign country or someone is giving you their sob story.  Sometimes I e-mail these individuals to inform them that their deeds have dire consequences.

If they knew that their is no escape from greed, manipulation of others they would not try to take advantage of gullible individuals.  When a person dies they must play back on the others side (Astral Plane) all their transgressions.  They will do it with their astral body which is not dense as it is here on the Earth plane.

These individuals will play back their earthly life and feel the pain they have caused others ten fold and experience tremendous suffering.  When they take on another body they will also experience much suffering do to  karma (the sum of a person’s actions in this or previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences.)

There was an individual who, in a past life, had stolen from others and in this life had to pay the consequences of those past actions.  This individual was in a loan business as a salesman trying to help people get loans for their enterprises.  The salesman worked unknowingly with an owner who manipulated others.

It so happened that eventually the local authorities arrested  the manager for taking advantage of  others in order to make money.  The salesman, who was honest and truly trying to help other people obtain loans was also arrested.

It happened that an undercover police officer had recorded conversations between the manager and other people who were also trying to scam others.  The salesman was not privy of the goings on.  The salesman was arrested because of a past life stealing from others and had to experience being put in jail.

Yes, there is no escape and if the people of the world knew that karma and past lives are a part of our journey towards God these transgressions would not happen.

One evening I had a dream sitting a nice comfy chair feeling content.   Soon after my master, Meher Baba, appeared.  He took a book off a shelf and  gave me a book on Muhammad to read.  I felt great joy holding the book in my hand.

After that dream, I strongly felt that I should  obtain a book on Muhammad to have an understanding of His life.  In fact, I found the same book at a bookstore  that was given to me in the dream.  I felt Meher Baba not only provided a clue to a past life but also a connection to the passion I had felt believing in Him.

A few weeks back, I attended a local Mosque and the  first person I met said, “welcome to God’s House.”  It was a  wonderful feeling to be greeted in such manner.  However, just as I  had attended my local church with  its rituals and ceramonies the mosque provided the same sense of dogma.  Hence, I felt no need to return in my pursuit  of Islam and the Prophet Muhammad.

Many  people feel Islam and or Muhammad were advocates of war and wanting to convert the world to Islam which is the furthest from the truth.  In fact Muhammad honored both Jesus and Abraham and told his followers to respect both Christians and Jews.

The emancipation of women was a project dear to the Prophet’s  heart.  The Quran gave women rights of  inheritance and divorce centuries before Western women were accorded such status.  The Quran prescribes some degree of segregation and veiling for the Prophet’s wives, but  there is  nothing in the Quran that requires the veiling of all women or their seclusion in a separate part of the house.  Also the Quran makes men and women partners before God, with identical duties and responsibilities.

Yes, Muslims had more then one wife as that was the custom in that time period.  It was through Muhammad that He gave women more autonomy and  independence.

In future  blogs, I shall provide more information on the Prophet and Islam.

Well, it sure looks like we are in for a whole lot of trouble in the coming days, months, years, nest pas?

Does a person believe if they are on the spiritual path that they will be saved or shown the way out?  From my perspective all one can do is hold on to God and just let go.  In order to let go people must have faith that the soul is beyond form and we never truly die.  Yes, it is difficult for the multitude to not be attached to their body, hence holding on to the body can become exhaustive and emotionally painful.

It reminds me of a story told to me years ago.  There was a person ( I will call A) who had just followed a master from India.  He amongst others were feeling quite blissful feeling love for their master as well as having many  of life’s questions answered.  It was a time of high ideals  filled with joy, hope, and love.

A  and others were taking an excursion in a VW Van.  The driver needed to fill up her gas before proceeding.  After getting the van filled all the way up,  A decided to move to  the front of the van not  giving any reason to others for doing so.  Just as he moved forward the van caught on fire and his fiance who was in the back  could not get out  and burned to death.

Yes, the painful episode brought up many feelings toward his master, God, and so fourth.  Was it karma for his fiance to burn to death, why did he and others survive,   how could God do such a horrible thing, etc.?  These are not easy answers unless one goes deeper into truth.

For me, as I  journey toward God, all I can do is Love  and follow the truth of the heart.  Yes, it was her time to leave the planet and for the others to survive.  This episode broke the “ideal bubble” and tested those who wish to follow a loving master.

One truth whether positive or negative, know that you set it up.  Nothing happens without a reason.  God does not do anything to us, He/She loves us regardless of our shortcomings.  Even Mother Earth must heal from the terrible consequences brought fourth by those who are ignorant of truth.

You are, believe it or not, given a wondrous opportunity to know who you truly are.  It takes courage to release the false because it is safe to hold onto it.  However, if you let go, your heart will sing and you will be free from the shackles of the past.

One terrible day I received a telephone call from my brother stating that my nephew who was six months old had died.  The reason for the death is not important as what transpired from those who profess to be in alignment with God.

My nephew was not able to have a service, which is  done when someone passes on, because the little tyke was not baptised.   My mother had  to ask a cousin to talk to the Archbishop to overrule the local priests refusal.  Once the  Archbishop gave permission the local priests had to obey.

Many read from the bible with their  various quotes because they memorized the  scriptures.  Few, as I have noticed, speak from their heart.  God does not listen to the mind he listens to the heart.

So many priests  hold onto the husk of dogma and formality but lose sight of what  God is.  God does not pay attention to dogma, rituals, and holidays.  He/She listens to the heart which is in dire need of being resurrected by the various religions.