KARMIC EXERCISE #3

[kentuck]

Warning: The last time we did this exercise, someone almost choked on a pretzel. This exercise lets the reader clear their mind and permits Karma to work on its own schedule... Many of the newer DUers may not be aware of this exercise.
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Initial instruction was to have 4 names of DU'ers that you most appreciate and bring
those names (secret to only you), along with a mental image of 5 small pebbles.

One of the purposes of this exercise is to instill faith and restore hope in our friends
that may feel all is lost. Your words and your thoughts are precious. We cannot know
the impact of our words, but we know in our hearts that words spoken with honesty
and truth have so much more strength and possibility than those spoken with intent to
deceive or spoken not in earnest. Words have colors. Some are green and are poison
when spoken. Others are red and are as lovely as a rose.

But it is words that compose our thoughts and reflect what is in our hearts. And it is
our thoughts that create actions. And it is actions that give birth to Karma. Peace to
all.


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KARMIC EXPERIMENT #3

Further instruction is as follows: This exercise is an effort to expand honesty,
openness, sincerity, clarity, and truth. We will meditate on a mental tableau that will
strengthen and assist the Karmic forces that are independent of us all. Our purpose is
to promote the good, not to punish the evil. Karma works in its own way.

These are only words that are symbolic of actions that are beneficial to good Karma.
Thoughts are only words that precede all actions and Karma is the result of the actions
themselves. With our words, we wish to create thoughts. With our thoughts, we wish
to create actions. With our actions, we create Karma - whether we wish or not.

The first step is to imagine yourself at your favorite lake and the waters are very still.
It is a warm day and there is no wind. The sky is blue with several large white
thunderhead clouds above. They are reflected perfectly in the still waters of the lake.

You have five pebbles, one for yourself and one for each of your four friends. You
stand at the edge of the lake. It is very quiet. You pitch the first pebble underhanded
out into the lake. Ripples flow from the impact and the perfect reflection is disturbed
from the small waves created by the pebble. After about a minute, all is still once
again.

You pitch the second pebble and meditate on the ripples as they come closer to you.
For just a moment, the sun glistens upon the water. You squint your eyes.

You pitch the third pebble and you reflect upon the beauty of nature. The reflection in
the water transforms into another reality. The water ripples to the edge of the bank
before it finally settles and returns to a level and tranquil canvas of nature.

You think of your friends as you pitch the fourth pebble into the deep. You hear the
pebble hit the water and you see the water jump at impact. You watch the ripples race
each other until they finally disappear into stillness.

You look at the perfect reflection that lies before you as you hold the last pebble in
your hand. In an instant it is gone, as you pitch it high and far out into the lake. In the
middle of the lake, you see a large fish jump out of the water and you see the small
waves as they ripple outward in concentric circles. After a couple of minutes, the
waves are lapping the shoreline. As you turn to walk away, you feel a slight breeze
upon your forehead. You sense that something has changed.
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