At The Water's Edge
Karma
I think I have a different view to most of karma. I can't base my interpretation on past lives or reincarnation as I've experienced neither. What I have experienced is the awareness that as time goes around (sometimes very quickly) that life has presented me repeatedly with situations with both sides of a situation in order, so it seems, that I might finally understand the situation fully. And until I take on that understanding, which usually requires being less judgemental, the situation keeps presenting itself in my life ( usually with different people).
Possibly the best and simplest example I can use to illustrate this is the one that I sometimes refer to in my performances. I have two songs: Cold Heart and It's Just Not There. The first is an angry break up song; the second a song about a lover being in a situation that should be "perfect" by all accounts but isn't, i.e. they are two sides of a particular situation and having experienced both hopefully I now have a better understanding.
I can see that this works on a personal level too. So for example I can see how over recent years I've usually had someone in my life who winds me up about a particular issue. It is quite remarkable when you see the pattern. If the protagnist leaves my life (not by contract killing I might add though at times it has been tempting) another will come into my life winding me up over the same behaviour. It's like Space Invaders. The only common factor is me. What is it about me that keeps creating this particular situation? Again, the solution seems to involve a change in attitude, usually towards myself and also some action which hitherto hadn't been in my character. Once I have dealt with the issue it seems these protagonists either leave my life or there is no longer a problem.
Looking at this in a larger picture it seems to me life, or at least my life, is working in such a way to improve my understanding of others, myself and life. Once I finally do understand, it seems to me the problem doesn't return again. The understanding usually requires some shift in my ego, my viewpoint.
Another great song along these lines is Walk a Mile In My Shoes.
