We continually face circumstances and conditions that are trying to show us the Way, but we miss. The “door” says pull, but we keep pushing and nothing can ever change no matter how hard we push. Few see this simple truth.

There will come moments when we have the chance to really change the way we live through the compassion of humility; moments when we can see that we are in a pattern that keeps repeating in our lives. This kind of Karma does not leave us until we become humble enough to recognize the state that we are in and what we are facing. When humility occurs we realize one thing: IT MUST END WITH ME. This means that no matter how much humiliation we must face personally or socially, it is in the best interests of our Karma as well as the Karma of others to take the “fall” for whatever comes to us.

Nothing is meager or unimportant in our lives – everything is there to offer us a door to the “other shore” of our being.

Everything that comes before us can serve to either offer us the chance to elongate our pride through stubbornness and keep the Karma ball rolling or help to humble us so that we stop our willful foolishness that perpetuates such cruelty. So it is best to live day to day willing to “take up the cross,” which means to be willing to put pride and self-righteousness aside for the sake of living a more spiritually compassionate life.

IT MUST END WITH ME.

This means to humble ourselves enough to allow the other person to have their “way” in order to step aside from the Karma we are both building up to. To simply allow Love to be our guide and let the other person be “right” while we explore our own inner state asking, “WHAT IS IT ABOUT ME THAT MAKES THIS POSSIBLE?” This question is essential.

Everyone and everything is placed in front of us to recognize our state of being…NOT to assess another person’s opinion of us. No matter what kind of ‘hit’ we might take emotionally, or even financially, it is best NOT to become involved with the Karma of any given situation. When we are true to our Heart through humility, how others judge us matters not and could possibly help us if we can receive it from a place of listening/observing without defensiveness.

We must simply step away from the whole situation with grace, generosity and kindness. Humble our inner sense of self-righteousness and let it END there in any way possible, with Love at the core of our actions.

As we do this spiritually powerful act, this movement of humility, the ego will react by telling us how foolish we are. But when we endure the ego’s thumping without criticism or self–abuse, a new sense of PRESENCE will emerge. A new breath will be taken above the waters of discontent and hatred. That breath, that moment, is the beginning of turning our Karma into a force of Love by allowing it to be the Presence of our being.

I offer you the following story as a powerful example of how to accept the seeming “unfairness” of what might be occurring in the outer world – please read it mindfully as there is deeply hidden beauty within:

The Zen master Hakuin was praised by his neighbors as one living a pure life.

A beautiful Japanese girl whose parents owned a food store lived near him. Suddenly, without any warning, her parents discovered she was with child. This made her parents angry. She would not confess who the man was, but after much harassment at last named Hakuin. In great anger the parent went to the master. “Is that so?” was all he would say.

After the child was born it was brought to Hakuin. By this time he had lost his reputation, which did not trouble him, but he took very good care of the child. He obtained milk from his neighbors and everything else he needed.

One year later the girl, the mother of the child, could stand it no longer. She told her parents the truth – the real father of the child was a young man who worked in the fish market. The mother and father of the girl went at once to Hakuin to ask forgiveness, to apologize at length, and to get the child back.

Hakuin was willing. In yielding the child, all he said was: “Is that so?” Please notice that Hakuin was willing to take the blow of being a social, moral and religiously fallen man. He did NOT argue with the situation nor did he confirm or deny what he was accused of. He realized that the child was deeply important and that all of the other foolishness would have kept the child from being properly cared for.

“IS THAT SO?” was his attitude – meaning that for now, and ever after, the child was in his life and he made it “so” as it were. He accepted his Karma with the child and the entire situation.

Karma is the flow of Life to us that we have proportioned to our own nature. If we have made of our nature fear and hate, that is what our Karma will reflect. When we make of our nature patience, compassion and insightfulness gained through meditation, we come to a place where Love can reach us and this will become our Karma.

The energy with which we meet anything in our life will be given back to us in the same proportion it was given…and even more. If we meet discontent with hatred, more hate will come out of this. We must let our energy be for Love. Let humility be the path to Love no matter how bitter the potion that must be taken in order to allow for Love. Allow others be “right” while we move along the path far less chosen. To those who hath the humility to live as Love, more will be offered as Love itself.