Many try to trade off good karmas with grim ones; does that work?

Karma is a relatively new addition to English dictionary; so for the sake of clarity, let me explain its basic meaning. Karma means one’s deeds, doings or thoughts and effect, which one would experience as a result of the same.

Our life embodies karma and therefore, life and karma are inseparable. Karma is completely secular and scientific. Regardless of our beliefs or faiths, karma impacts everyone. Simplest example is you do good, result can’t be anything but good. If anyone argues to the contrary, it is nothing but illusion in understanding.

In day to day life, despite best of our intentions, we land up doing something wrong and then we try to compensate it by consciously or vociferously doing next few things right.

Does that really work?

Effect of bad is not equal to that of good!

Some years back, my supervisor, who was located in overseas country, planned a visit to Pune with his wife. I advised my secretary to book a hotel room and make sure that it is kept ready in time on day of arrival. I myself went to hotel to receive guests; but found that hotel staff had not kept the room ready despite reminder. Since it was taking too long to arrange the room, I got upset on reception staff. Then, they rushed and arranged the room.

I had good rapport with my supervisor, as my organization was always exceeding the targets. About 4 years later, during my routine meeting with supervisor, he suddenly mentioned to me for first time that he did not like the way I got upset on hotel staff during aforesaid trip. This set me to ponder whether I was so bad when I got upset, even though I was making sure that hotel staff does a minimum for my guests what was promised. In retrospect, it seemed to me that getting upset probably was not a good idea, since it left such scar in memory of my supervisor, which would not go away even after 4 years!

Let us take example of serving customers. You may have delivered to your customer 99 times on time and with quality; but if you fail 100th time, all what has been done previously would be washed away and in addition, one bad incident would reverberate may be another 99 times!

Why nature has a heavy bias for banes

Realities of world we live in are:

1. Our primary needs are health, happiness, hopes and safety, all of which are possible, if we are positive.
   We are very sensitive to anything, which would threaten these i.e. negative deeds.
2. Above always highlights negativity in far greater proportion than positivity!
3. Despite knowing fully well that anything negative is not good, we have natural tendency to lean on it!
   This paradox is borne out of the fact that anything negative is consequence of our emotions, based upon past memories which reside in our mind like a cache memory of a computer!
   This means negativity tends to surface effortlessly!!
4. To be good or positive requires efforts, since it is borne out of our consciousness.
5. Effects of being wrong or negative lasts much longer and so are the consequences!

Abandon trading off good with grim or bad

1. You are bound to face constant insinuation or inclination towards what is negative or bad – anger, anxiety, fear, frustration, greed, guilt, hurting others etc. and succumb to same!
2. You know what is good and do go for it; but not as often as you should!
3. Now a new fact:
   What is worst is to trade off or mix point 2 with 1 above!!
   Many believe trading off would lessen their loss; it actually increases.
   Belief that trading off would work brings many back to bad deeds with vengeance!
   Majority thinks it is its moral responsibility to do good to compensate for bad. This is bunk! Here below is why:
   1. When you trade off, you can never see clear image and implication of its constituents – positive and negative or good and bad. You only get a mixed or diluted picture.
   2. On the other hand, when you don’t trade off, you can actually see both parts as stand-alone.
      It is only then that you can truly understand greatness of one (positive) and gravity of another (negative)!
   3. No sooner you have clarity on 2 opposites; you would be able to master managing both.
      You surely need this, because life exists only because positives and negatives co-exist!

So, truth is on your table – trading off 2 opposites is biggest source of your troubles and traumas. Treat good and bad or positive and negative in stand-alone modes. Then, you would be inspired to meticulously manage both and make it merry!