“The karmic law requires that every human wish finds ultimate fulfillment. Non-spiritual desires are thus the chain that binds man to the wheel of incarnation.” - Paramahansa Yogananda If we attempt to return to a place, it is naturally to assume that for one reason or another, we have left that place. We gave up a state of bliss to experience a state of conflict, one that is essential for soul growth. Perhaps the reason for this “fall” cannot be fully comprehended at our level of consciousness, but there is no doubt that we are living in the world of chaos, a world of the most selfless good, as well as the most unspeakable evil; a place where profound beauty and love exist alongside unbearable suffering and torment. We live day to day, triumph to tragedy. The tragedy part often makes people doubt the existence of God. How could God allow so much suffering? How could God hurt people this way? But we know better. We understand that God does not create suffering, man creates his own suffering. It is often our most difficult trials that bring us the greatest good. There is nothing like a good challenge to built character, but whatever we choose we must choose in the spirit of self-awareness and change for the better. Success is a good thing, but success at the price of the love of our family is not. Money is a good thing, but money at the price of our integrity is not. Misplaced desires, fears and selfishness have driven us all to hurt others, and the worst damage comes to ourselves. Hence, the wheel of Karma begins to turn, the concept of karma, reflects the universals law of cause and effect. What comes round goes round. What you sow, you reap as Sir Isaac Newton said about it; for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Karma is the mean of universal balance. When our actions create an imbalance, we must, at some point in time re-balance that energy. The source of karma imbalance is desire. Seen through the perspective of Karma, our world suddenly does not seem so tragic after all. Every experience is inevitably, and experience is growth, balance and justice. Crime and punishment become the most personal experience. Eg. The victimizer harms a victim. Until we understand Karma, we will realize that the victimizer is the cause of the harmful action, but we fail to realize that the victim also attracted the victimizer. On a deeper level, each sought out the other in order to learn a lesson. It is possible to release ourselves from our karmic ties by raising our awareness. We find our true release when we relinquish our attachments and give up our will to the divine way. We will always have the will to choose to learn through karma (the hard way) or to learn through awareness and release. The wheel must stop somewhere. When we begin to connect with our higher selves, we rise above our egos and we rise above the karmic cycle. We no longer desire revenge on those who have wronged us, we no longer wrong others by means of our distorted desire. We choose instead to desire the one thing that will never diminish us; to live in the loving spirit of creator. When we embrace our inner divinity, we fulfill ourselves, when we fulfill ourselves; we are able to help fulfill other with our love and support.