Karma is a playbook of things to come

 Q: I see you doing things. How can you say that you never perform actions?

 

 A: The radio sings and speaks, but if you open it, you will find no one inside. Similarly, my existence is like the space; though this body speaks like the radio, there is no one inside as a doer.

 

 Q: I find this hard to understand. Could you please elaborate on this?

 

A: Various illustrations are given in books to enable us to understand how the jnani can live and act without the mind, although living and acting require the use of the mind. The potter's wheel goes on turning round even after the potter has ceased to turn it because the pot is finished. In the same way, the electric fan goes on revolving for some minutes after we switch off the current.

 

(Be as you are. The teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi edited by David Godman)

 

Karma is the subconscious manifested. It’s a playbook of things to come so that we may be able to grasp consciously what is hidden in the depth of our being. It’s naïve to think that we can work ourselves into heaven. The only way to break free from the cycle of “subconscious drive— action—psychological injury—subconscious drive—action …” is insight into the oneness of body, mind and world. Maybe there is a stage when the actors become completely free in the way Ramana Maharshi describes, but until then, just having insights into the oneness of everything is already rewarding enough. Anyone who lives 60-80 years is a bit wiser about their implicit life story. Our goal is to get our arms around it while still having both feet in life.