Have Financial Karma? What to Do

Before we discuss financial karma, let’s review what our relationship as humans is to the universe. As Daisaku Ikeda says,

“In the innermost depths of all beings, there is the primal life- force and it causes living beings to live. This same force supports inorganic matter and works it into the harmonies and rhythms of the great cosmic existence.”

We call it the Mystic Law in Buddhism. That life force is so close to us, it breathes us: we cannot take a breath without it. It permeates every cell and its intelligence controls the organs of our bodies without any conscious control from us.

We have learned that we are an individualized expression of that life force, and have the same characteristics. In the same way a wave has the characteristics of the ocean, so we have the same characteristics of life itself. We are eternal, have intelligence and consciousness, and we have the ability to be creative and bring thought into form.

The life force of the Mystic Law manifests as laws in this universe, for example, oneness of self and environment. We can see that the cosmos itself is operating with predictability and that there are many laws, physics, astronomy, chemistry, electricity, etc. It also creates the world of spirit, instincts and urges. Since there is order and predictability everywhere in the universe, there is going to be predictability in how the mind works to produce our goals.

The Mystic Law doesn’t have limitations. It is the 9th level of consciousness that underlies and permeates the phenemonal world.

When you consider that we are like a wave is to the ocean then we must have the same characteristics as the Mystic Law, or life itself which doesn’t have limits. Why then do so many limitations seem to appear in our world? Some of these can be in our financial lives.

Our Relationship to the Universe When Setting a Goal

Let’s think about what we are doing when we set a goal. Science says that there is a formless substance, a thinking stuff called the quantum field. I think of it as the first level of manifestation in the material world. It contains the potentiality of an infinite number of possibilities. It remains in a superposition state, a state of undefined potentiality, treading water until an observer comes along and the particles are observed. At that point they assume any one of the number of possibilities. Chopra and Kafatos in You Are the Universe say, that we, the observer are woven into the very fabric of reality.

When we set a goal we are impressing it upon this intelligent substance and if we hold to the thought of what we want, the cause, it will ultimately show up in the physical world, the effect. This is one of the predictable laws, the law of cause and effect or oneness of self and the environment. a different way of saying it, So why then are we often living what we don’t want if we have that creative power?

Training in Limitation

When we examine how we’ve been raised we realize that we are trained by the authorities in our lives who operate from cultural beliefs. We are taught these beliefs before we have the capacity to decide whether they are true so we just accept the model of reality that we are given. What might some of these be with regard to money?
• There is not enough to go around.
• Money doesn’t grow on trees
• Money is the root of all evil.
• If you become rich, you become selfish.
• Loving money isn’t spiritual.

Remember the definition of karma? With thoughts, words and actions we are setting a seed in our lives which will produce an effect when the time is right. As Nichiren says,

” If you want to understand the causes that existed in the past, look at the results as they are manifested in the present, and if you want to understand what results will be manifested in the future, look at the causes that exist in the present.”

If you look at these thoughts and understand that we are impressing them on quantum field and that they will actualize in the material world, you can see why we might not be able to manifest what we want.

What can we do about this? We need to work on mastering the mind, and learn how to direct what we are projecting to the universe, so we can create better future effects.

 Some Thoughts on How to Chant About Finances

1. I would chant and pray to change whatever is within my life, blocking me from creating the results I want.  Make a determination that you are going to overcome whatever you discover.
2. Start to pay attention to the thoughts you are thinking. Accept that present results reflect causes you have made in the past.

One way to become aware of what you are thinking is to observe your physical reactions. I just noticed that I am feeling constricted. What have I been thinking? Was I just thinking that there is never enough? Or I just noticed that I am feeling expanded, what was I just thinking. Was I just reading that we live in an abundant universe and then a feeling of expansion and loosening happened in my body? Your body responds to your thinking so it can be a barometer.

3. Then chant for practical steps you can take to deal with your financial situation. For example, do you need a financial advisor? If so chant for a good one and then chant for the courage to follow through with those recommendations. If you are having problems with credit card debt, chant to take responsibility for your situation and find the right person to help at the credit card company – sometimes debts repayment can be reduced to pennies on the dollar.

4. Practice gratitude on a daily basis for what you do have. Notice that half the prayers in our Liturgy are prayers of gratitude. Gratitude brings you closer to the source of your benefits.

5. Challenge your financial situation with the May contribution. When you succeed in meeting your goal, it will give you the confidence to address the other parts of your situation.

6. Chant for what you want financially and then notice any doubts that come up. If you notice them, change your attention and focus again on what you want. You have created a force for what you want, and maintaining a focus on doubt can neutralize it. When you continually hold to your vision and hold to the expectation your vision will manifest, you have created a drawing power that attracts to you what you are holding in mind.
Keep on keeping on. As we have discussed, our life is our curriculum and as we chant for goals and learn one lesson after another we are coming step by step to open up our potential and come closer to Enlightenment.

Summary

Today we discussed our relationship as individuals to the universe.
We discussed what we are doing with that relationship when we chant for a goal.
Finally, we discussed some common thoughts which can limit results and then talked about the ways we can chant to overcome those limitations when dealing with a financial situation.
We discussed a couple of practical things anyone can do to clear up the results of past causes.

Script download: Financial Karma What to Do

URL’s
1. Know How to Lessen Karmic Retribution? https://wp.me/p3V1J9-18W
2. Know What to do If Battling doubts? https://wp.me/p3V1J9-18x
3. Goal setting: Know What Works and What Doesn’t?https://wp.me/p3V1J9-18o

Comments:  As always thank you for your topic ideas and other comments.  I love hearing from you.  See you in two weeks.