The word dharma can seem complex by definition. It is not as definitive as the word destiny, yet it is similar. The main difference is that we are granted endless liberties with how to express our soul's innate purpose. Our dharma begins as pure, unforced soul potential waiting its time to be realized. There are four major forces at work affecting our individual and collective dharma.
Collective Subconscious Soul
The first factor is our universal, collective subconscious soul. Imagine that there is a collective energy soup, so to speak, where all souls source. At first, before we are conceived into physical existence, our only psychological input is from this collective unconscious. The Universe is an entity in itself, constantly organizing and purifying itself according to natural, scientific laws. Metals find magnets, thoughts find energy and energy finds form. Our souls came into human existence out of this process, and this is where our dharma organically originates. Your soul knows what you are manifesting to be, and there is a reason and purpose that you manifested specifically as you. You are part of the universal evolution process.
Somatic Input
As early as conception we are subjected to stimuli from our environment that reflect, harmonize or distort our source soul frequencies. Sounds, visions, colors, sensations, tastes, smells and so on. Before our conscious minds have developed, we cannot yet process these new experiences into any kind of order, nor do we have reference experiences to categorize them. Instead, we absorb them through our feeling body. These new somatic sensations that result from the interactions with our environment register as imprints onto our subconscious mind. This is the second factor affecting our dharma. The subconscious mind is very much like a recording album. It is impressionable.
Have you ever stared at an object for over a minute, then continue to see the same image in your vision after you have looked away from it? The more time that you focus on something, the stronger the impression will become. When you have images, thoughts and grooves (mental input) on your mind, you will begin projecting them -- much like a film projector casting images from the film. Have you ever noticed that you see more of what you think about?
Experiences that ignite emotion, including our reactions to our experiences set grooves that will continue to play on all levels of consciousness, whether or not they harmonize with our soul's purpose. Reactions continue replaying and strengthening the source emotion. These grooves began as energetic vibrations of sensation or feeling. Since they resonate frequency signals that attract similar experiences, we may likely continue to feed similar images and feelings, forming deeper grooves -- similar to how reactivity deepens the grooves of a source experience. This is the very reason that we continue to see repeating patterns in our lives.
Karma
With time, we build a database of reference points from our experiences. We begin perceiving, evaluating and forming a conscious mind. Once this is developed, the third factor comes into play -- that being our personal karma, which is based on the law of cause and effect. This is the reaction of our thoughts, beliefs and actions in response to our subconscious feelings. Our responses and reactions form our karmas. Karma is simply a Sanskrit word that implies action. A ball thrown against a wall will propel back equal and opposite to how the ball was thrown.
Similar to the word ego, our societies have erroneously placed incorrect connotations onto the word karma. Karma is not a bad omen or a curse. It is simply a direct response from our thoughts and actions. Our emotional consciousness will self-impose our own punishments and/or rewards according to what we already have defined as good or bad, therefore it is a limiting belief that a particular action (ex: stealing a loaf of bread from a market) will create bad karma. In this example, the person stealing the bread may believe that a sick child will be cured from the nourishment. Therefore, the thief believes his actions to be good, negating any assumed negative return of energy. One day that thief may see the market owner crying from her business losses. At that moment, the thief may realize the extended effects of his actions, at that time, he may self-impose negative punishment from his newfound awareness.
Based on what is imprinted on our subconscious minds (the grooves), we generate actions, reactions and beliefs. For example, if we enjoyed the taste of milk, we will want more. The sensation from drinking milk created a pleasurable memory onto our subconscious mind. This memory triggers an action to seek more. Since we are completely dependent on our caregivers during our early development stages, we begin the dialogue to get more milk. Since we do not yet speak or understand a common language, we cry from the pain of not having the pleasurable milk. This cry is often responded to with exactly what we sought -- the warm, soothing milk. One of our first grooves has been imprinted onto our subconscious and the addictive cycle of our bipolar world has begun.
The flow of energy localizing through your being begins with your somatic feelings (heart), followed by your perceptions (mind), manifesting as physical matter (body) and finally expressing through "like-attracted" life experiences.
Conscience
Out of this formulaic process develops the fourth factor affecting one's dharmic expression. That is one's conscience. Our communities typically reflect back rules and regulations, merits and demerits, all of which regulate behavior. One's personal conviction and conscious motivation to regard ethical or moral principles ultimately mold their conscience. During the period when the ego was developing relational skills, it was also learning awareness of others. If the ego continued to properly develop, the seed of a conscience was planted. If relational skills were not learned, the conscience was not conceived and the antisocial personality continues developing it's own beliefs, rules and regulations that serve only themselves.
Continue reading more from As I Am to learn more about these four factors, how they affect one's dharma and life and how to unravel energetic obstacles inhibiting the expression of your truest self.
At the core of us all exist the same desire -- we all want to be realized.