WILDERISM DOCTRINE---3. MINIMIZE KARMA

Version 4.01.01               11/04/2022

3.  MINIMIZE KARMA

Definition

I want to first give you my definition of “karma”.  It is whatever violates the natural flow of events. 

If someone is walking toward me on the sidewalk and about to pass, but I step in front of them for no reason, that creates karma.  If on the other hand, I suddenly see that I am about to step into a hole and step in front of them, no karma.

Suppose I am motoring my dinghy in the harbor and about to pass a rowboat with a fisherman.  I would slow down if I was going to upset them.  But first I would look behind me to see what kind of wake I was developing, and if small, I wouldn’t slow down.  Sometimes slowing down produces a bigger wake.  In either case, I am going to rock them a bit, so some karma is created, but not much.  I would do whatever would minimize the karma created.

The other factor is the cost to pay back the karma.  Sometimes I don’t want to follow the flow because I don’t like where I see it going.  In that case I can use “free won’t” and go against the flow, but I would have to be aware of the cost, be willing to pay it back later.  That’s the other part of karma, it needs to be paid back.

Physics

Remember that the definition of “metaphysics” is “the unifying principles of science, religion, and philosophy”.  So of course the “religious” concept of karma must have a counterpart in physics.  It is called Hamilton’s Principle.

This major principle in physics states that in any closed system (non-outside interference), the potential and kinetic energies of the system will tend to be equal.

The easiest graphic example is the pendulum.  At rest the pendulum is at the bottom, so no potential energy, and it is also not moving so no kinetic energy.  They are equal.

Now pull the pendulum to the side and up and hold it.  The potential energy is now the distance to the bottom, but the kinetic energy is still zero.  This is an unnatural state due to an outside influence, the hand holding the pendulum. 

Let it go.  According to the laws of physics, the kinetic energy will build up and potential energy will reduce until they are equal.   This does indeed occur, about half way down.  But after that, the kinetic energy continues to grow while the potential reduces down to zero, at the bottom.  This is due to momentum, the moving pendulum just can’t stop on a dime.

Now at the bottom the potential energy is zero, but the kinetic energy is at the maximum.  Again Hamilton’s Principle comes in.  The kinetic needs to be reduced to equal the potential, which again occurs halfway up.  But momentum continues to influence the pendulum until kinetic goes to zero while the potential is maximized.  This “tendency” to equals will continue forever except for outside forces like air-resistance.

Generalize this to a planet’s orbit around its star.  The potential is the gravitational attraction between the 2 bodies, and the kinetic is the speed the planet has around the star.  It turns out that when measured, the kinetic and potential energies are equal.

Now to return to metaphysics, let’s make an analogy to a living being.  if in our life we are more active (kinetic) than our potential, this is creating karma and the system we are in will “tend” to reduce the active down to the potential, but due to momentum we may overshoot that point and our activities may reduce too far.  Depending on the situation, that could be considered a “nervous breakdown”.

Ideally then, what we want is to have our activity level match our potential at every moment, then no karma is created.

Types of Karma

Did you notice that there was no mention of “bad” karma?  That is because advanced-metaphysics postulates that both “good” and “bad” karma exist. 

“Good” karma is when you help someone who shouldn’t be helped, thus slowing their process of growth.  What it means is that sometime in the future (next lifetime?) you will have to be the recipient of an equal amount of “good” karma, someone helping you in a situation where you don’t need it.  This can take you out of your natural flow. 

Obviously “bad” karma should be avoided---taking someone else out of their natural flow for your own gain.

But it is hard to categorize any particular act with karma, because if the act is within the natural flow at the time, then no karma is produced.  If you hurt someone who is about to hurt you, no karma, also depending on the level of hurt.

Decisions

It’s all about decisions.  Given an event which will require a decision, karma should be a part of what is decided.

Most of the time, the next step to be taken is obvious and there is no reason to not go along with it. 

What does the situation require? 

It is said that the cost is equal to the disturbance, but that it doesn’t need to be paid back to the same person.  The desirable option would be to incur the cost sooner than later, so 1) it isn’t left hanging, and 2) it might be possible to learn something from the experience.  It seems that “the good die young”.  Maybe because they don’t have any karma.  Maybe those with evil intentions can put off paying the karma until next lifetime.  That would explain babies born into unfortunate circumstances---left with no choice about whether to pay the karma now or not.

Back to “good karma”, before you help someone, examine your own motives.  If you feel genuine compassion and you have the means to help, then no karma is produced.  However if there is a feeling of superiority or a need to appease self-guilt, then watch out.

Working off karma

What is the mechanism enforcing the payment of karma?  I’ll leave that for the next tenet.

But I will say now that the indication that we are working off karma is this:  is there some kind of physical, emotional, or mental pain that we are going through that is not because of a bad decision or old age---An out of the blue type of thing, and not imaginary either.  Could be short or long lasting. 

A Wilderist looks at someone who is having a hard time and wonders what caused that karma, and appreciates the suffering the other is going through even while knowing that it is beneficial for the soul. 

And of course, if possible and in the flow, a Wilderist could try to reduce the other’s suffering.  However, sometimes the suffering is important, so it would be a mistake to fix it.  I usually go by how I feel at the moment of my decision, no hard and fast rule.

Class

It has been shown that as far as intelligence and skills and drive, there is no difference between people based on skin color, religion, gender, or anything else.  Every individual should be given the same opportunities as any other.  What is done with the opportunities will of course be varied.  A class system has no place in Wilderism.