Guest Author - Andrea Gardiner, Ph.D.

We’ve all been told in one form or another about cause and effect. Sayings such as “you reap what you sow,” or “what goes around comes around” have been handed down through the ages. Most have also heard about karma to some degree. Ah yes, we’ve been told about that great Law that doesn’t forget, that great Law that sees all and makes sure that cause and effect is complete. Once ago karma was looked at as the Law of Consequence. It was seen as the punisher and rewarder of a person’s actions; however it has rightfully gone back to its place of simply dealing with “what is.” Karma is not only limited to this lifetime but extends itself through all lifetimes that are lived by an individual. Unfortunately, what has been done to karma by Western religions is now being done to the concept of reincarnation.

The idea of rebirth or reincarnation spans the religious bracket as does karma. Simply put, the idea of reincarnation understands that the Soul or Spirit lives many lifetimes in an effort to experience as much joy and exploration as possible. Yes, yes, we are also here to learn many soul lessons, but what better way to do it than in fun! But what of all those deeds and actions committed in those past lives? What are to become of those? Well if the subject were to be approached logically you would have to say that those actions and deeds must not be forgotten and must be accounted for. As a matter of fact Law of Karma, which spans reincarnated lives say so right? Well, let’s try to put logic aside for a second. This may seem irrational, however being non-rational (notice the use of words) usually helps to open up our hearts and minds to fully see the picture.

In my experience, karma and past lives are usually used to explain circumstances that seem inexplicable. These experiences are usually “unlucky” or unwanted in some way. However a close and heart felt look at what’s going on in this lifetime can usually serve as an adequate explanation. What I mean by that is this: our creative power always lies in any given Now moment. Divine Law dictates that as vibrational beings we cannot create from our past or our future, we can only effect change from our present. This change may occur in our past or our future but we cannot vibrate in a place or time where we are not.

The Law of Karma does not oppose this; let’s look a little closer at karma. Karma is Sanskrit for “action” and is the summation of all actions in this and past lives. Karma does not assign good or bad, right or wrong, it simply deals with what is. Now because karma is the summation of all, it must take into account your Now moment in addition to all reincarnated lives. However, your Now moments have the power to not only change the future but, (as mentioned earlier), it can affect your past. So in your new Now moment karma must sum up your new Now and past moment. And guess what, in the next Now moment, it will do the same thing, and all this summation reflects the culmination of your Higher Self.

Karma and past lives are not meant to be about rewards, punishment, or even justice. There is nothing in your past life that has creative power in this lifetime. Karma and reincarnation serves as the culmination of all learning experiences you have had the benefit of knowing and while these experiences hold influence they do not hold power. Only you hold creative power in your here and Now.