How we behave matters.

This isn't actually how karma works, but it's what my father taught me, who was my first Dharma teacher. He said, “Just think about your karma as a karma savings and loan. We all have an account, and as you reflect on your life, think about this; Is your account overdrawn as there has been more selfish, fear based, negative karma – which is withdrawal – withdrawal – withdrawal – withdrawal…Or are you starting to get balanced, as in a check book, as you continue on your spiritual path: deposit – deposit – deposit – deposit?

As we move into the next few chapter of ‘Heart of the Revolution’, into the practices of loving kindness, compassion, forgiveness and generosity, along with all of the topics in this course/series of talks, I want you to remember that every time you say, ‘may you be at ease’ this is a karmically wholesome thought to place in your mind. Every time you say, ‘I forgive you’… even if you don't mean it yet …or, ‘please forgive me’, this is karmically wholesome. This is a positive. It's a deposit in your own karma savings and loan.

It’s where we start. If you're suffering a lot…for sure you're overdrawn. When you come to the Dharma and you're suffering a lot, it's because – for sure – you're overdrawn. Overdrawn because you're reacting to the pain of life in a way that's making it worse. The Dharma teaches us to respond to the pain of life with compassion, with forgiveness, with karmically good actions that start to alleviate the suffering. And the more you make deposits, the more karmic action and wholesome positivity you get.

I invite you all to join me for the next few months for a Monday night course on my book “Heart of the Revolution”. Join me next Monday night, 7pm PST in person for, ‘Training the Monkey Mind; The Path of Practice for the Wild at Heart’.