Could you explain a bit about the law of karma?

A. Everyone today knows about the law of karma and experiencing the fruit of action. It was once the possession of the East, but it is now a global insight. Everyone knows that this great spiritual law of cause and effect pervades human life. It is also duplicated in the physical world of gross material sciences. You bring into being a certain cause; it brings into being a certain result. You sow a seed; it produces a plant of its own kind. Even so, in the psychological and psychical realm, if you manifest friendliness, the world becomes friendly to you. If you manifest hostility, the world responds in a like manner. The world is like a mirror. What you give comes back to you, and so it is said, "Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap." Every day this law of cause and effect is demonstrated before us, but we never pay attention. We do not understand the implications of what we see happening. We do not realise that we make our life by the way in which we keep on producing causes-mental, verbal, and physical.

If we are wise, we shall ever exercise discrimination. For instance, "My mind is harbouring this thought. Next moment it will propel me to engage in an action corresponding to this thought. What will be the effect of this action upon my spiritual life?" Thus an aspirant thinks of the consequences of his action in relation to the reaction it is likely to bring into manifestation. This is the hallmark of the wise seeker, for that is the one supreme task in his life. He is engaged in moving towards the sublime goal of God-realisation. Therefore, he engages in all such actions that will enhance his progress towards the goal, and he will abstain from all such acts that are likely to detract him from the fulfilment of the quest. One should live in the light of the awareness of this great law, which is our greatest friend, which is the sure guarantee of success in our spiritual life. It can help us steer clear of many avoidable difficulties. If properly understood and properly applied in the living of our life, it is the one thing that can ensure us that we will attain the goal without fail. It is a law that is the outcome of the great wisdom of the Universal Soul-for the highest good and benefit of Its own part, the individual soul.

What we strive for, we get. What we do not strive for, God may grant us or we may not get it. Therefore, we should pray to the Lord, "Grant us inner spiritual strength to resist temptations and to control the mind." We must work hard to develop inner strength that will help us to resist temptations and to control the mind. Thus will our knowledge of karma become fruitful and effective in success, in attainment, in glorious fulfilment. God bless us all to become strong in the Spirit, to make the flesh also partake of this inner strength and to be obedient to the call of the Spirit.