Guan Yin speaks. Day 11. Scrooge, a genius tale of karma
By: Kristin Strachan
Tags: Forgiveness, Chains, Guan Yin, Karma, Scrooge

“Blessings to you, this is Guan Yin. Do you think it odd that I should teach about a Christmas story? It’s not. Karma is karma, no matter what corner of the earth one might dwell, or what beliefs one might have. Karma is a Sanskrit word that simply means action.

Charles Dickens may not have intended his little Christmas story to become the widespread holiday watching event that it is, but I think we can be glad that it has. For a world that misunderstands and denies karma, it is a story that can resonate with anyone. And it truly is about karma, sometimes brutal in its depiction. Dickens lived in a time when daily life was a constant desperate struggle for survival.

In the early part of the story, Ebenezer Scrooge meets with the ghost of his business partner, who is trying to get across to him what lies in store.

“You are fettered,” said Scrooge, trembling. “Tell me why?”

“I wear the chain I forged in life,” replied the Ghost. “I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it. Is its pattern strange to you?”

Scrooge trembled more and more.

“Or would you know,” pursued the Ghost, “the weight and length of the strong coil you bear yourself? It was full as heavy and as long as this, seven Christmas Eves ago. You have laboured on it since. It is a ponderous chain!”

And,

“It is required of every man,” the Ghost returned, “that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellowmen, and travel far and wide; and if that spirit goes not forth in life, it is condemned to do so after death. It is doomed to wander through the world — oh, woe is me! — and witness what it cannot share, but might have shared on earth, and turned to happiness!”

Almost every scene contains a true teaching about how the actions, or lack of action, of any being affects the lives of the beings around them.

Ghost of the past:

All the choices and events of Scrooge’s life lead to his moment of ultimate choice, change or die, transform his heavy chain of karma, or wear it.

Ghost of the present:

He is guided to images of what is happening with other beings in the present, and where he stands in the minds and hearts of those beings. He is forced to see how his words and actions have impacted others.

Ghost of the future:

Scrooge sees his own death, and how little love or joy he has ever engendered in any being. He sees the aftermath of the death of Tiny Tim, and how he could have changed the course of that event through compassion and service.

This story is all of humanity either in the microcosm or the macrocosm.

We create some kind of karma in every instant of experience in the yin yang world. The way to transcend this is contained in 3 instructions. Stop human thought, replace it with what is sacred, serve others.

It is vital also to move the human perspective from victim-hood and grievance to a real forgiveness process. Do you think all your lifetimes were flowers and sunlight? Good deeds and kindness? Probably not. Come to understand that you and your ancestors have caused enormous harm and suffering throughout hundreds or thousands of lifetimes, even this lifetime. Acknowledge the suffering of others and ask forgiveness with a sincere heart. Forgive all souls. That is the beginning.

That is all. I love you.”

Flowed through Kristin Strachan. Guan Yin Lineage holder, teacher, student of Master Zhi Gang Sha, spiritual practitioner in Colorado.

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