Who creates our reality?

February 22, 2019

How much of our experience is determined by ourselves as individuals, and how much of our life is influenced or shaped by social forces beyond our control? Are we innocent victims or pawns on a chessboard, or are we the authors, consciously or unconsciously, of all that happens to us?

These are some of the questions that occurred to me yesterday after reading a New York Times article by Astead W. Herndon entitled “2020 Democrats Embrace Race-Conscious Policies, Including Reparations.”

“Senator Kamala Harris of California (said) that government reparations for black Americans were necessary to address the legacies of slavery and discrimination…’We have to be honest that people in this country do not start from the same place or have access to the same opportunities,’ she said. (Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts) also said she supports reparations for black Americans impacted by slavery – a policy that experts say could cost several trillion dollars , and one that Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, and many top Democrats have not supported.”

There are a number of practical reasons why it is extremely unlikely that any reparations will ever be paid to African Americans: Where would the money come from? Who would be paid – long time residents only? Recent black immigrants? Would wealthy people such as Oprah Winfrey get a government check? How about mixed race people like Barack Obama – would he only get half a check? What about American Indians – should they be compensated for the taking of their land? Women and Jews have suffered discrimination – what about them? How do we measure who deserves what, if anything, from the government?

I agree with Kamala Harris that “people in this country do not start from the same place or have access to the same opportunities.” That is true the world over. And while I would agree that government, charities, and individuals should help those who are less fortunate if they are able to do so, there are many reasons for inequality besides discrimination, including poor health, dysfunctional families, alcohol and drug addiction, and other personal circumstances or choices.

And there’s another reason for inequality in the world. It’s called karma.

Thomas Jefferson was right: All men are created equal. But we are not equally wise, talented, or fortunate. In my view, our souls choose different circumstances in order to learn and evolve. One might choose a life of poverty in one lifetime, and a life of great wealth in the next. Or select the body of a Chinese male this time around, and a Peruvian female next time. In addition to choices of gender, nationality, ethnicity, and class, I think that we also choose our parents, health, and other factors that influence the quality of our lives. But as we live our various incarnations, we make decisions about how to behave and how to treat other people, and those decisions, intentions, and behaviors have consequences, or karma, that influences the trajectory of our lives.

In other words, what goes around comes around. We are not innocent victims of other people’s actions. We create our own justice.

That doesn’t mean that we have to be passive in the face of abuse. Even if our karma has attracted negative energy or people, we have the right to stand up for ourselves. But ultimately, we are responsible for our attitudes, conduct, and happiness, and if other people treat us badly, that is their karma for which they will reap the result.

I don’t believe in the politics of resentment, blame, and recrimination, though I certainly understand the desire and need to address social issues where there is imbalance and suffering. But I would rather focus on appreciating the people who are doing good in the world, and make whatever positive contribution I can to planetary awakening and harmony.

As the architect of my life, I owe it to myself and to others to be a wise, responsible creator of my world. And to have fun while doing it.