“I am the owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my arbitrator. Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that I will fall heir.” – Gautama Buddha
These words remind us that we are each responsible for our own actions and our own karma. It fits this time of year, the fall equinox.
In Jewish tradition Rosh Hashanah comes at the start of the fall season, and is a time of reckoning. Likewise, Hindu tradition sets two weeks aside for facing one’s own responsibility for one’s karmic lot. This time is especially aimed at overcoming victim consciousness around family issues. We need to recognize how we ourselves have been negligent in our thoughts and actions, or perhaps used bad judgement. Just as we want to be forgiven, we must forgive those we judge as having wronged us.
Here are Paramahansa Yogananda’s words on personal karma:
You should make a greater effort. Forget the past and trust more in God. Our fate is not predestined by Him; nor is karma the sole factor, though our lives are influenced by our past thoughts and past activities.
If you are not happy with the way life is turning out, change the pattern. I don’t like to hear people sigh and ascribe present failure to past-life errors: to do so is spiritual laziness.
Get busy and weed the garden of your life.
