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SUTRAS
ATTRACTION TO KARMA
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all karma that previously prevented us from acting on the impulse is temporarily inactive. It is now our responsibility to catch this opportunity.
Many impulses of this kind last only seconds. If we decide to follow an impulse later or postpone this decision, this almost always prevents the inspired action. Most karmic gateways to new activities close fast. Remembering afterwards how we missed the impulse usually leaves a sense of deep regret. Yet when we act spontaneous on the impulse, this always regales us with deeply satisfying feelings of elation, harmony and happiness.
The sutra alerts us to ten action-patterns - ten areas of life where impulses for new behavior can occur. Following these impulses always produces a positive feeling and offers us the opportunity for growth. 18 Once we become aware of the areas where these special action-patterns occur, we can systematically employ this mechanism to steer our life into a new direction.
The ten action-patterns focus our energy and attention on three main mechanisms of expansion:
18 We all know the situation: We are driving at rush-hour, the traffic is moving slow, so slow that we get irritated. And then one car off a small side-lane wants to move in in front of us. He's been waiting there for as long as we could see him, no one admitted him. Now the impulse pops up: 'Just let him in, I might be late, these ten more seconds won't make that much of a difference'.
How do we react? -
Are we allowing our anger to get the upper hand? Close up the space so he can't possibly squeeze in, decide for selfishness, against compassion? If we could only see our face now. Already full of anger, impatience, irritation, we just added disappointment at ourselves, regret for the opportunity lost and remorse however hidden. We feel ugly, and that annoys us too.
Or do we stop, one friendly gesture with our hand and he moves in relieved that someone took pity? - Just look at the reward. We feel good. Our anger, our impatience, our irritation is somehow diminished and some new, positive energy mysteriously reached our heart and mind. It seems unexplainable, but it's there.
one friendly gestus Just look at the remehow dimin
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