Celts and Karma Searles Sat Sep 12 13:37:01 1998 Karma is a very misunderstood concept. In modern Newage terms, it is *br*considered to be actions in this life that repay the wrongs that we *br*have done through action or non-action in previous lives. In my readings *br*on Karma, Yoga, and Hindu thought, I have arrived at a different *br*understanding of Karma. To me Karma is performing "Right Actions." *br* This means that Karma is doing what needs to be done because that is *br*what must be done to complete the will of creation. Karma is a total *br*involvement with Life and a doing of what one knows must be done *br*in the truth of one's spirit.*p*It would seem to me that sometimes references to the Celts believing in another *br*life have been interpreted to mean that they embraced "karma" (whatever that*br*is). Those that know me and have heard my views on the subject in the many*br*discussions that we have already had on this subject know that I believe in*br*re-incarnation and that I also believe that the Celts believed in another*br*life. This belief takes many forms. Some of these forms are transmigrations. *br*Some are shapeshiftings. Some are Otherworldly experiences. Some are gifts from*br*the Sidhe. Some are manifestations of the gods, while others are a common*br*spirit running through families. Of course, there are even the ones that*br*sleep and do not die and the others that live backwards, as well as those*br*who are resurrected with and without a soul. There! That just about covers*br*the reincarnation aspects!<g>*p*Now for the Karma. As far as I can tell, a Celt with many lifetimes would*br*be dedicated to the principle of repaying debts, whether incurred in one*br*life or another. As far as things like sin, I don't think that they*br*embraced that idea until Christianity. They did think you could be*br*dishonored and redeemed (hence the eraic and honor price). Karma seems to*br*be a development and belief arising in the East from a bedrock of earlier*br*beliefs that were similar to the Celts. Buddhism owes much to its Vedic*br*and Hindu roots. Those roots are branches of the Indo-European tradition*br*to the Euro-Indian tradition (depending on which culture you think more*br*greatly influenced the other). I tend to view the relative mix of Indo and*br*Euro as a cyclical affair that has flowed back and forth over the aons. *br*Long live the Sind! Long live the Sidhe! Celts don't have Karma they have*br*debts, honor, and obligations (none of which vanish at the end of a*br*lifetime). Celts are people who live in honor and practice the "being-here-now" of "Right Action."*p*Searles*p*"Ní fili nad chomgne comathar nad scéla uile."*p*