karma=anxiety?

[Littlelady 2]

hi. im not sure if this is the right place to post but im hoping someone can help.  I'm dealing with a lot of anxiety lately and i feel like it's due to karma. For example,  if i do something "bad" or "wrong"  i feel like im constantly waiting to be punished somehow which is causing me anxiety and making me have irrational thoughts of whats going to happen. Most thoughs are about me being punished.  The thing is,  i don't know if the thoughts are irrational or not.  it's making me paranoid also.  

Has anyone else been through this after making mistakes? 

[JOYCICLE 654]

You don't know if the thoughts are irrational or not ? Is that accurate ? Because I bet you do know that they're not rational. But I bet anxiety keeps saying to you it is rational and driving you to keep thinking .  I don't think karma comes to get you for every simple, innocent mistake you make.  It's not like that. If you're an ugly , mean , hateful person who goes out and injures others all day by taking their peace and their dignity or their money or their belongings, then that is an entirely different story. If that is the case, karma is the least of your troubles.  When you have these thoughts remind yourself the can be one  of two things LOGIC or PANIC. Which ones is driving you to feel that way ? 

[jonathan123 2368]

Well, there's good and bad Karma. The principle of Karma is that unless you learn you will go on making the same mistakes over and over and suffer accordingly. It is NOT about being punished at all because who or what  is punishing you? YOU punish yourself by wrong thinking and bad behaviour. I am NOT saying this applies to you, but understanding what Karma means is important

In the West we have problems with Eastern concepts like Karma.   Many think it only applies to this life, but the principle is based on reincarnation and that, although we do bad things in this life and get away with it, in the next life we will have to pay for what we do. Now if you believe in it or not is your choice. But be careful when dealing with Eastern concepts. You need guidance from someone who knows about these things. In many religions like Buddhism and Hinduism it's a basic concept and the lives of the adherents to such religions are ruled by it. 

[Littlelady 2]

On 22/07/2016 at 0:34 PM, JOYCICLE said:

You don't know if the thoughts are irrational or not ? Is that accurate ? Because I bet you do know that they're not rational. But I bet anxiety keeps saying to you it is rational and driving you to keep thinking .  I don't think karma comes to get you for every simple, innocent mistake you make.  It's not like that. If you're an ugly , mean , hateful person who goes out and injures others all day by taking their peace and their dignity or their money or their belongings, then that is an entirely different story. If that is the case, karma is the least of your troubles.  When you have these thoughts remind yourself the can be one  of two things LOGIC or PANIC. Which ones is driving you to feel that way ? 

hi joy. Thank you for your reply. Obviously i don't go out and injure people or anything but it still makes me nervous even when I've made a little mistake. Also,  i try to tell myself that im thinking illogical but another part of me still thinks there's a chance these "bad" things could still possibly happen.  Im hoping the thoughts are irrational but im struggling to make the decision whether they are or not.  i guess i will just have to learn to live with the fact i will make mistakes and just keep telling myself that its ok to make mistakes and that nothing serious is going to happen as the mistakes are quite trivial. 

[Littlelady 2]

On 22/07/2016 at 0:55 PM, jonathan123 said:

Well, there's good and bad Karma. The principle of Karma is that unless you learn you will go on making the same mistakes over and over and suffer accordingly. It is NOT about being punished at all because who or what  is punishing you? YOU punish yourself by wrong thinking and bad behaviour. I am NOT saying this applies to you, but understanding what Karma means is important

In the West we have problems with Eastern concepts like Karma.   Many think it only applies to this life, but the principle is based on reincarnation and that, although we do bad things in this life and get away with it, in the next life we will have to pay for what we do. Now if you believe in it or not is your choice. But be careful when dealing with Eastern concepts. You need guidance from someone who knows about these things. In many religions like Buddhism and Hinduism it's a basic concept and the lives of the adherents to such religions are ruled by it. 

hi Jonathan. I agree that its me punishing me but I also believe God is going to punish me sometime in the future,  that's what i see as karma. So im just waiting for it to happen anytime soon.  Then I'll make a mistake in the meantime and think that im going to be extra punished. I agree its a bad way to think but how can i not think that when that's what i believe happens? 

thanks Jonathan.  

[jonathan123 2368]

Hi. Littlelady.

We punish ourselves!! You see, there is big difference betrween the old Karmic God of Judaism and the loving God of Christ. In Judaism God does punish. Throught the Old Testament he sure did. "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth". But 2.000 years a go a man a called Jesus came along and said, NO!!' " Love they neighbour as thyself. Do good to those who depitefully use you". In other words, Love! Forgive!. If you really belive in God and are truly religious, you will kow God is Love. Love will never punish but forgive. Love is incapable of doing anything wrong, spiteful, mean or hurtful; it never gets angry or resentful. St. Augustine, a Christain saint said, "Love, and do what thou wilt". This was not a license to go and do bad things, but if you truly love you are inacapable of any bad act.

The world desperately needs love. "Love thy neighbour as thyself". It matters not what race, colour or religion you are or even no religion. . We are all human beings and if we cease to love one another then the future is hopeless.

I agree its a bad way to think but how can i not think that when that's what i believe happens? 

You are not forced to think anything. If you ask yourself where this idea came from you may have a clue as to why you think that way. Children are often told, 'If you are not good God will punish you'. This is an awful thing to say to a child and parents who do that should be ashamed. It instils a fear into a child that can emerge in later life as chronic anxiety. They look over their shoulder all the time waiting to be punished. No matter what you have done or not done, and most of our so called 'crimes' are ones of omission not commission, you are forgiven if you truly know what you did was wrong. You ask and receive forgiveness no matter what.

If you belive in Karma, and millions do, then you know that an act of good Karma can nullify a bad act. So do good, Love, be kind, considerate and understanding. Love one another and you won't be punsished or go wrong.

"Love one another, as I have loved you love one another". The words of Christ.

So im just waiting for it to happen anytime soon.

"As you believe so it shall be done unto you". If that  is what you believe then it's possible to make it happen. If you believe God is Love and loves you and would not harm you, then that will happen.

 

[Littlelady 2]

Thank you very much Jonathan.  Everything you have said has made me feel a lot better.  I guess it's about believing i have been forgiven and moving on.  Again,  thank you very much,  things are a lot clearer now.  I now see it as,  as long as i know i did wrong,  i will be forgiven and that I'll not be punished and that if i love and care for others,  there's no reason why I'd be punished. 

many thanks. 

[ashes 12]

17 hours ago, jonathan123 said:

"As you believe so it shall be done unto you". If that  is what you believe then it's possible to make it happen

That's new-age B.S. that shouldn't be 'confirmed' by anyone, especially in an anxiety forum where people often have fears that they will cause harm or harm will come to them.  What this really is, is more of that whole 'angel and devil on your shoulders' concept..  one whispering good things, the other bad.  They are just passing thoughts, no real harm ever came from just thinking them.

[jonathan123 2368]

Hi Ashes. Perhaps I should have explained. "As you believe so it shall be done unto you" was a request from Christ to have faith. Faith in good, in love and honesty. If you have that faith then it will surely be done unto you. If you truly believe something then you can make it happen. If it's negative then that to. Go tell an ISIS terrorist that he need not kill infidels. That all other religion are as valid as his. His belief makes bad things happen. A good man believes in good and that happens. We have a choice, and that is important. We can choose between doing good or harm.

What this really is, is more of that whole 'angel and devil on your shoulders' concept..  one whispering good things, the other bad.  They are just passing thoughts, no real harm ever came from just thinking them.

Then why, in HA, do we get in such a state thinking them? Of course they are harmless. You may know that and so may I, but tell the poor guy that thinks he has some disease if his thoughts are harmless. I suggest we all have 'the devil or an angel on the shoulder', it's which one we choose to listen to that makes the difference.

I was not suggesting that thinking about a disease will bring it about. If that's what you thought I meant then I can assure you I have no such belief, and I agree, it's nonsense. This does not negate the fact that thoughts can be powerful and often overwhelming.