Expert: Justin Choo - 7/5/2010

Question
Over the last several years I have challenged the religious beliefs I was raised with, with my evolving beliefs of how I see life.  I want to believe if I am a good person and do good things, the same will be returned to me.  However, I seem to feel I have an amazing amount of “bad luck”.  My family and friends even comment on this.  I know others, even a member of my family, who spends their lives doing bad to others, and they always seem to come out ahead in life.  If Karma is true, then why would this seem to be the opposite of what I experience daily?  Is it possible for someone just to have bad luck just because?  Is there a way I can cleanse myself of what appears to be “bad Karma” and move forward, or if you are destined to have “bad Karma” is there no way to avoid it?  And if I am destined to have it, how come these others who you would think deserve it, do not experience it?

Answer
Hi Cindy,

Karma is just one of the many factors that affect our lives, although a very strong factor.  So please remember not to ascribe karma to everything.  We must make our own effort to progress.  

What you see is like just a chapter of a book.  Evil people may seem to carry the day.  And you may think that good people always suffer.  This is far from the truth.  Evil people live in fear and guilt.  Good people is free from guilt.  Good people enjoys the peace of mind that they have not harmed anyone.  Bad people suffer perpetually in their mind due to their hidden guilt and fear.  Outwardly you may see these bad guys gaining points.  Even so; it is just a short period of their lives.  You never know what will become of them later on.  

So this is a simple answer for you.  Remember to view life like a book.  What you see or experience is just a chapter, or even just a paragraph.

If we consider karma, then we have to bear in mind that we have a storehouse of past karma, the good and the bad.  We will never know when each will ripen.  However, right now we have control over our fate.  It is up to us to choose the right path to live our lives.

Hope this helps.

Justin Choo