You Have the Power to Decide If You Are Clear Enough
The Power of Clarity and Awareness.
Remember Eckhart once said something really classic: When you see someone in the throes of love, you should realise that they are simply caught up in their karmic patterns. On the surface, they appear to be passionate, but if you look closely enough, you will notice that they are actually in a karmic state, activated by some underlying signal. You know, when you see this person, just like a wife sees her spouse, a profound karmic signal strikes her spirit, and she becomes delighted about him rather than others.
Karma is analogous to a switch in an electrical circuit: when you turn it on, the pre-programmed programme begins to execute. This programme implies that before you resurrected, you constructed it so that you would attract and capture him. Once you’ve captured him, the next actions are predetermined: he must become impotent, and you must become more gorgeous.
This explains why enlightened folks in India are constantly laughing. They chuckle when they see someone so pleased or angry because they recognise the forces that drive everything. These forces propel a person to where they need to go, meet the people they need to meet, and fulfil any unfinished karmic lessons.
Understanding and Overcoming Karmic Patterns.
This experience is good because the inverse is also beneficial. However, if you can experience it from a more detached perspective, you may suffer less. You can accomplish it, but don’t take it too seriously. If you take it too seriously, you may suffer further. This is why the Buddha instructed Manjushri to employ the Surangama Mantra to rouse Ananda up. Ananda had already fallen into the karmic trap when Matangi, the gorgeous woman, attempted to locate him.
According to the account, Matangi was extremely beautiful, and many people desired her, but she turned them all down. Ananda happened to pass by her one day while she was getting water from a well. She instantly fell for Ananda — the karmic pattern had been awakened. She wanted just this monk. She waited at the gate every day to see when Ananda would arrive. When she saw him, she began repeating the unique mantra she had learnt to charm him. This mantra was specifically created to fascinate people, and she had learned it solely for the goal of charming Ananda, whom she adored at first sight.
The mantra attracted Ananda, who was fascinated by the magic and followed her inside her room. According to the biography, Ananda entered the room and then lay down on the bed. The mantra acted like hypnosis, compelling Ananda to obey her. Manjushri arrived with the Surangama Mantra just before breaking his vow, as commanded by the Buddha. The mantra removed the enchantment from Ananda’s body, and he awoke in humiliation, returning to the Buddha with Manjushri, who also brought Matangi.
The mantra enabled Ananda to awaken from the karmic spell, revealing that all was only inertia. Falling in love with someone and supposing it is passion — it is not; it is simply inertia. You’ve loved this person hundreds or thousands of times before. You fell for them every time, therefore it is memory inertia. When you see them in this life, the inertia kicks in again. You immediately feel at ease with them and find their words comfortable. The Surangama Mantra assisted Ananda in breaking free from this lethargy, recognising that it was only a memory or habit. You can continue the habit, or you can say no and choose a better path for your future.
The Challenge of Breaking Free from Inertia.
Inertia causes you to follow familiar paths — being with this person, living the same life. Familiar ways and people make you feel safe and comfortable, yet they can be overly predictable, habitual, and comfy, impeding further growth. As a result, you must break free from old habits and embrace new ones.
If Ananda had followed his memories and inertia and remained with Matangi, they may have lived as a normal marriage. They would not have been doomed, but he would not have made big internal changes. The Buddha awoke him, allowing him to select another route. This demonstrates that your karma is not fixed; you possess liberty and consciousness. If you wake up, you can select a different route.
So, when karma arrives, you don’t have to select it. Destiny is not fixed; you are not forced to fall into the karmic trap. You have the freedom to choose, but you must be totally clear, as Ananda and the Buddha were. Only with complete clarity can you leap out of the frame. You must recognise that unexpectedly becoming infatuated with someone is a habit. You can choose something else, recognising a new course with greater appeal and potential for progress. Someone has succeeded in this way, such as the Buddha, and Ananda recognised this and decided to follow in his footsteps.
Choosing another course is quite challenging! Overcoming existing inertia is difficult. People are afraid of the unknown and feel safe in their familiar surroundings. When faced with karma from previous lifetimes, you must make a decision. External circumstances follow karmic principles, bringing familiar individuals and experiences into your life.
Inner Desire and Autonomy.
In everyone’s heart is a small plot of land free of karma, containing just their deepest goals for growth and progress. If you listen carefully, you will discover this deep longing within your very essence. This ambition symbolises your independence and strength. Starting with your deepest desire, you may make an informed decision about your route.
For example, if you want to be a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner and meet someone who is connected to your karma, you must evaluate whether being with them will allow you to achieve your goal. If not, even if you have a karmic connection that spans multiple incarnations, you can still say no and choose another individual who shares your innermost goal.
Choosing based on your deepest desire offers a clear viewpoint. Your decision does not have to be influenced by individuals with whom you have karmic links, because karma is not fixed and can change.
Struggle and Freedom of Choice.
There will be opposition to change. Karma wants to settle accounts, and saying no will bring hurdles, such as Ajahn Mun’s wife, who wailed and clung to him. Karma will try to drag you back, claiming that your connection isn’t over until it’s completely settled. If you chose ambition over karma, you will face a variety of challenges and attacks. You must overcome this enormous inertia and live out your genuine self rather than the person your previous relationships perceived you to be.
You don’t have to always be with the same individual. As you develop, you may choose other people. With increased inner development, the individuals you chose may shift, and those that once suited you may no longer do so. Everything changes. You are not obligated to remain with someone simply because you have been mates for many lifetimes. Like Ajahn Mun, you may grow while your companion does not, resulting in separation.
According to energy rules, similar frequencies attract one another. If your frequencies diverge, further entanglement is impossible. There is no fatalism; your frequency decides who you will associate with. The person you’re with may change as your frequency changes. If nothing changes, someone else will take their place. Finally, you have the ability to determine whether you are clear enough.
