Adam Leipzig gives a simple, precise and quick method for understanding our purpose and how to express it to the public.
He breaks the concept down into 5 parts for you to ask yourself. Some of the answers might not come to you right away; really think about each one and take your time to answer honestly.
1. Who you are
2. What you do
3. Who you’re doing it for
4. What those people want/need
5. How they change as a result
Fast. Easy. Simple.
Adam Leipzig has overseen more than 25 movies as a producer, executive and distributor. and has produced more than 300 stage plays and live events, and he was one of the founders of the Los Angeles Theatre Center.
What is Karma? Karma is the Sanskrit word for action. It is equivalent to Newton’s law of ‘every action must have a reaction’. When we think, speak or act we initiate a force that will react accordingly. This returning force maybe modified, changed or suspended, but most people will not be able eradicate it.
This law of cause and effect is not punishment, but is wholly for the sake of education or learning.
A person may not escape the consequences of his actions, but he will suffer only if he himself has made the conditions ripe for his suffering. Ignorance of the law is no excuse whether the laws are man-made or universal.
To stop being afraid and to start being empowered in the worlds of karma and reincarnation, here is what you need to know about karmic laws.
1. THE GREAT LAW
- “As you sow, so shall you reap”. This is also known as the “Law of Cause and Effect”.
- Whatever we put out in the Universe is what comes back to us.
- If what we want is Happiness, Peace, Love, Friendship… Then we should BE Happy, Peaceful, Loving and a True Friend.
2. THE LAW OF CREATION
- Life doesn’t just HAPPEN, it requires our participation.
- We are one with the Universe, both inside and out.
- Whatever surrounds us gives us clues to our inner state.
- BE yourself, and surround yourself with what you want to have present in your Life.
3. THE LAW OF HUMILITY
- What you refuse to accept, will continue for you.
- If what we see is an enemy, or someone with a character trait that we find to be negative, then we ourselves are not focused on a higher level of existence.
4. THE LAW OF GROWTH
- “Wherever you go, there you are”.
- For us to GROW in Spirit, it is we who must change – and not the people, places or things around us.
- The only given we have in our lives is OURSELVES and that is the only factor we have control over.
- When we change who and what we are within our heart our life follows suit and changes too.
5. THE LAW OF RESPONSIBILITY
- Whenever there is something wrong in my life, there is something wrong in me.
- We mirror what surrounds us – and what surrounds us mirrors us; this is a Universal Truth.
- We must take responsibility what is in our life.
6.THE LAW OF CONNECTION
- Even if something we do seems inconsequential, it is very important that it gets done as everything in the Universe is connected.
- Each step leads to the next step, and so forth and so on.
- Someone must do the initial work to get a job done.
- Neither the first step nor the last are of greater significance,
- As they were both needed to accomplish the task.
- Past-Present-Future they are all connected…
7. THE LAW OF FOCUS
- You can not think of two things at the same time.
- When our focus is on Spiritual Values, it is impossible for us to have lower thoughts such as greed or anger.
8. THE LAW OF GIVING AND HOSPITALITY
- If you believe something to be true,then sometime in your life you will be called upon to demonstrate that particular truth.
- Here is where we put what we CLAIM that we have learned, into actual
9. PRACTICE. THE LAW OF HERE AND NOW
- Looking backward to examine what was, prevents us from being totally in the HERE AND NOW.
- Old thoughts, old patterns of Behaviour, old dreams…
- Prevent us from having new ones.
10. THE LAW OF CHANGE
- History repeats itself until we learn the lessons that we need to change our path.
11. THE LAW OF PATIENCE AND REWARD
- All Rewards require initial toil.
- Rewards of lasting value require patient and persistent toil.
- True joy follows doing what we’re suppose to be doing, and waiting for the reward to come in on its own time.
12. THE LAW OF SIGNIFICANCE AND INSPIRATION
- You get back from something whatever YOU have put into it.
- The true value of something is a direct result of the energy and intent that is put into it.
- Every personal contribution is also a contribution to the Whole.
- Lack lustre contributions have no impact on the Whole, nor do they work to diminish it.
- Loving contributions bring life to, and inspire, the Whole.
When there is knowledge of any kind in our intellect (scientific, religious, beliefs, etc.) we will believe that knowledge to be true and we will try to act accordingly. This activity based on intellectual knowledge is what is commonly known as doing “good.” Every religion has its own body of knowledge. We have commandments, laws, spiritual guidelines, codes of conduct, traditions, instructions, etc.
Nevertheless, many times we fail to realize that any of those “good” laws or their combination cannot fit the immensity of life and living life, those things cannot fit the many possibilities of living life. Thus, many individuals will choose to live a life of restriction based upon the understanding of certain laws. Their lives could be described in a piece of paper as the commandments they follow.
Those “laws” are not life. Those “laws” or guidelines are “fingers pointing to the Moon.” The Moon cannot be described in lengthy books, thus, it is an illusion that 10 instructions or 1000 could fit every aspect of life.
To experience the Moon is the goal, not to be stuck in the fingers. Experiencing the Moon is not just one experience. There are many, based on timing, circumstances, sensibility, state of mind, etc.
When I appreciate a bird singing in the morning, my sensibility is opened. This wonder is not man created. This wonder of life comes from a pure source of beauty which is Nature. No one can dispute the existence of Nature. It is there, every day, every night. It is just that TV has a greater pull, the cubicle at work and plenty of coffee has more to offer to our sleepy minds than the kiss of the handsome prince from Nature, to awaken us; the sleepy beauties, from the nightmare of living life in the “rat race.”
Nature is not metaphysical. We cannot make a religion out of Nature as we could out of God, however; the sounds of Nature, the vibrations , the colors; the experience is completely alive and when there is sensitivity for beauty, we could perceive it; and that brings its own change to our sleepy minds. That receptivity to beauty is all we need to “do.”
Then the commandment comes: “ I must not be attached to Nature.” That is when the “fingers pointing to the Moon,” become our worse nightmare. Intellectually I can understand attachment and intellectually I will force myself “not to be with Nature on a regular basis so I don’t’ get attached to it.” :-) for this is my perceived “truth.”
That is the time when our “spiritual life” turns into one restriction after another.
We have not understood our mind. That is the problem.
The mind will like something. It will not like something else. It will be indifferent toward things. That is all folks! :-)
If the mind “likes something,” then it will get attached to it. If the mind, does not like something; then it will reject that. If the mind is indifferent, then nothing will happen. As long as there is “mind” in us, we will fluctuate between those 3 states. As long as the mind “likes” Nature; that is the thought of “liking,” has entered; then the commandment to “regulate,” things will use the other aspect of the mind; that is to reject something. “I must not be in Nature for too long..” Note that this is the war of the mind.
Indifference is not the key either, for indifference does not allow appreciation; when appreciation is lacking, life loses its zest, its sacredness. It becomes the “same ol’ thing.”
Here is where the teaching of “no mind,” or to go beyond the mind or to have an empty mind, becomes important. Even though, we have knowledge that life is a movie; our minds are continuously playing its own movie. We believe that movie of the mind to be true and become entangled in the issues which are merely a reflection on our own liking something and being attached to it or fully rejecting something else, which could turn around at any time.
Finally, in that state of duality of the mind, there cannot possibly be love.
To experience the Moon with the mind, is a recipe for trouble. As a matter of fact, there is no experience as long as the mind is in between.
What do we do?
Observe. That is become aware, conscious that this is happening. That is the study.
Is the mind “bad” then? No. Neither “good” nor “bad.” It just is. Imagination comes from it, dreams come from it; that is why life is really a dream for most of us; thus the need to wake up. :-)
Sharlene is in a relationship with Paul. It is known that Paul is a “good person.” Paul has great qualities to become a great husband; however; Paul is not spiritual enough for Sharlene. “He does not bring much spirituality with him;” she says.
They have been together for 3 years now and she is hoping for a turn around. Even though, Paul is a “nice guy,” Sharlene feels that she doesn't want to settle for something which is not fulfilling for her.
For most people, it is about seeing the “good qualities” that someone brings into this “relationship.” However, no matter what the other person brings to the table, there is no totality in Sharlene's love.
Sharlene feels what she feels and there is no turn around unless her feelings change. The issue is with her.
Sharlene had different experiences in life before her relationship with Paul. She had an idea in her mind on how love should be. Her previous relationship ended because Jann wasn't in love with her. There was not totality in Jann's love. However, Sharlene wasn't 100% into it either. There was something that she kept with her, for even though Jann was spiritual; Jann had his "own issues" which bothered Sharlene.
When there is that lack of totality or wholesomeness in love, there always will be a room for “wanting for more,” wanting for that which is not there, which is lacking; and then, the search for another one who brings those qualities will continue on. The mind keeps yearning for something which does not exist.
This is the story of most divorces, from the "wealthy and famous," to the infamous and poor ones.
The above, is a “normal” situation nowadays. Many people feel lonely. Many people feel that they are “getting old,” and better “take the first fish who bites the bait” before being empty handed. Some people are looking for someone to “make them happy.” Others, are hoping for a “Hollywood movie with a happy end,” to unfold in their lives. Many hopes, many dreams; but no knowledge of the spiritual laws in life. No one looks at themselves first.
A castle made up of a deck of cards is waiting to collapse. It will happen. It is just a matter of time.
Totality in love comes when our love is wholesome, when it is a complete love from “head to toe,” towards someone who is willing to share his/her life with us. If this feeling is lacking, if there is something telling us inside that “this is not it,” then that wholesomeness will be missing for sure. Then, the uncommitted “let us see what happen,” will be there for sure. This is the time when the mind starts compromising, the mind starts believing things that are not there, the mind hopes for changes to accomodate your own will. Forget about the other. At the end, it is about "me."
This commitment does not come out of “thinking.” It is something that we can feel from the beginning and unless we change, things will remain the same. That is, the other person will never be "spiritual enough."
There is a very important point to remember: We can only get to this point of knowing, when any type of “neediness” is gone from our system. If loneliness is there, if there is any unfulfilled desire which we want for another to fulfill, then; we are just wasting our time, for that totality in love will not be there, it will never be experienced. Why? As long as we are in a state of neediness, we will only look for someone to fulfill our own emptiness. We bring to that relationship our emptiness; and this inner emptiness will become a demanding voice sooner or later which will destroy that relationship through dependency or through lack of satisfaction.
Totality of love in a relationship, that kind of love where there is no need to sign a piece of paper to demonstrate commitment, that type of love which is wholesome, which is looking to share without any further motives; that type of love can only come across when we have resolved our own "ghosts," our own issues, when we have fulfilled that emptiness with the fragrance of victory by facing loneliness without escape; that is when "true" spirituality has been used to work in the self.
Through the law of karma, we will get what we deserve. Thus, it is in our hands, to make that “movie” a beautiful one. One emotional needy person plus another needy person does not equal happiness in the math of life.
