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Pastimes : Let's Talk About Our Feelings!!! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: E who wrote (25937)	11/14/1998 6:42:00 PM
From: Sam Ferguson	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 108807

I'm not trying to sell you on karma. There are hundreds of books explaining if you wish to know more. I was trying to be be helpful with a general idea. E. we cannot control what happens to us but we can control how we react. I have done that for myself not the world at large. You appear lost in despair over your tragedy and it may be helpful to join a group therapy session with other mothers dealing with this.

To: E who wrote (25937)	11/14/1998 7:39:00 PM
From: Rick Julian	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 108807

Karma is a reflection of the laws of cause and effect. Until people are willing to consider the metaphysical implications of this universal principle they are destined to remain mired in the physical and mental planes of perception--planes which are foggy (if not opaque) windows to higher levels of understanding and growth. Regarding pity: When I rue others' situations I deny them their power, and in doing so assign them victim status. To most people, victim status (self-pitying) is quite comforting because it allows them to deflect personal responsibility for their actions on either one or all of the physical, mental, and spiritual planes. People are so willing to take responsibility when "good" things happen to them, but rarely when "bad" occurs. Yet cause and effect rule both situations. I would never pity Sam. Sam is a Man. Pitying him would disrespect the struggles he overcame on the path to his epiphany. Struggle and work are absolutely necessary for awakening. On some level we choose the form of our struggle. Sam owns the fact that he made choices (smoking, workaholism . . .) which resulted in his health problems. These problems were the crucible for his spiritual evolution. Other people avoid the opportunity Sam took advantage of, and don't fulfill their existential responsibility to evolve their souls. Sam could have chosen to die. He didn't. He chose to stay and work. Pitying him would dishonor his bravery, his struggle, his work, and the fruit it bore him. Rick pity: 1 a : sympathetic sorrow for one suffering, distressed, or unhappy b : capacity to feel pity 2 : something to be regretted