So, if you save a woman from drowning, you're building Karma, but if you get yelled at by a lifeguard, that isn't part of that same karma stream. Maybe that's HIS Karma stream… maybe it doesn't have anything to do with you and you got caught in the current.

Besides, I don't think karma is always "out there". It's mostly "In here". Your Karma might not be a winning lottery ticket. It might be an improved ability to deal with assholes so that the next asshole doesn't bother you as much.

I remember the first time I heard Gandhi's explanation of Karma (paraphrased then and paraphrased now), told to me by a dear friend who's a devout Buddhist on her way to becoming a nun, from the looks of things…

The story goes that Gandhi attained life-changing insight on the nature of Karma when he was warned by the South African authorities that they would break his arm if he burned his papers during a peaceful protest (the papers identified he and fellow Indians as 2nd class citizens).

As he felt the fearful response of possible retaliation arise, and realized the inclination to capitulate under duress would be ultimately a denial of his innate freedom, it came to him that if his arm was broken it would be the result of past Karma ripening, not a result of current karmic pay-back /boomerang. That, in effect, the idea of 'psyche!' or Karmic gyp is a false one (tho it sure as hell doesn't feel like it!).

Apparently, this understanding on the nature of Karmic ripening made it possible for him to become who he was to become, the leader of an long oppressed people into independence and the last century's first best example of effective non-violent resistance.

Sorta turns everything on its head, this: if you take this, not only is what just happened not a direct causal result of what happened the moment before, but it means I simply can't blame a living soul. It puts a quick, clean and decisive kaput to victim-mindedness.

I really enjoyed reading your post, thanks for writing it. I agree with G. I also offer that, perhaps the reactions from the irate lifeguard, ungrateful couple and "blase'" attitude from the kids you helped, were additional gifts that universe had to offer you. I don't think we should go around doing good deeds with the expectation that we will have good karma circle back to us. We should do good deeds because they come from a place of love and the desire to help, without wanting anything in return.

Regarding the Doberman…I'm sorry he attacked you, that sounds horrifying. However, I find it curious that he hung around. Perhaps you were meant to help that dog in another way…especially if it was sickly and scrawny…animals have many, many gifts for us, even if that doesn't appear to be the case. Maybe it was the dog who also needed rescuing. No animal (or human) should live on this earth and suffer.

Namaste,
Virya

Hilarious piece. I particularly like the part about telling the child not to grow up to be an asshole. I wish I could have had such nuggets of wisdom from my own alcoholic and neglectful father.

Maybe I’m a cynic but perhaps your good deeds are not so much actions that deserve to be rewarded but you paying back the universe for some on the unsavory things you've done in your life. We all like to believe that when we do something good or heroic, the universe should instantly return the favor in some grand gesture. However, it might just be the universe getting its due for the time we cut off that old lady on the freeway or laughed at someone's ugly child. Just a little food for thought.

-G

Great post! It is often seductive to buy into the "karma is a boomerang" idea, particularly when we do good stuff and obviously deserve to win the lottery. But the fruition of past karma can come at any time and is never negated by virtuous acts in the present. Maybe all of your life-saving interventions will manifest in a future birth when you desperately need saving (or really NEED to trip over a hundred-dollar bill). For now, I would be grateful that the manifestations of past not-as-awesome-as-saving-a-life actions have come & gone with relative ease (and by relative ease, i mean "not rabies").

Gassho