This article explores the ways karma affects enlightenment.

A funny thing about karma is the often repeated notion about the necessity to make it "good" in order to experience enlightenment. The way I view karma is similar to a soap bubble surrounding a human being from birth. Metaphorically, all the rainbow colors making the surface of our soap bubble so colorful represent various frequencies of the energy of consciousness, just like they represent different frequencies of the electromagnetic waves perceived as the visible spectrum of light. As though looking from the inside of the bubble through different color lenses, different patches of color on the surface of the bubble paint the view in their respective directions in their respective colors. At birth, the bubble may be quite clear and translucent, but the more we run into other people and various sentient beings, the more stuff from their bubbles sticks to ours. Hence our perception of everything gets painted in certain colors associated with the consciousness of those we meet and learn from. We have to be learning a whole lot while growing up, so by the time we become adults, out bubbles are covered with a patchwork of various colors. Due to the beliefs that also rub off of the others onto us, we develop certain preferences as to the colors we choose to look at everything through. Some of the colors may be labeled "good" or "bad," depending on the belief system (pattern of colors) we choose to identify with. Such selective perception may eventually leave us with a rather narrow field of vision.

The longer we maintain such a tunnel vision, the more we tend to develop our identity on the basis of the filters we deem most important. The soap bubble that initially was extremely light and pliable can eventually grow into a heavy, rigid shell encapsulating us. Although it may serve as a protective shield at times, most often, it is the burden we carry around everywhere with us, because we cannot even imagine living without it any more. While many psychologists recognize that this is a poetic description of the ego, most Buddhists and Hindus would say that this is karma.

Making karma "good" is like decorating the walls of our prison cell while having the keys to the lock on its door all along. Remembering who we really are is about shifting attention from the walls of the bubble to the inner essence of the being inside of it. One of the most fascinating discoveries awaiting us when we make such a maneuver of consciousness is the sense of oneness between the microcosm inside and the macrocosm outside the bubble. How can we know that our inner nature is one with the nature of the world at large? It is possible to let go of some filters that constitute the walls of our bubble of perception thus opening window of perception. Well, at first that may feel as though opening a tiny porthole in the wall of the bubble, since it is often scary to let go of the protective layers that we have gotten so used to. With practice, this process of letting go and opening wider and wider windows may bring us to the point when there are no more wall but just window open all over the surface of our former bubble. This is what I call enlightenment.

Is it for everyone? Perhaps, it is much easier to experience it when the bubble is not as heavy yet, thus children may have an easier time experiencing it. But they tend to continuously learn from others, which may contribute new layers upon layers of fresh filters covering the open windows, of course, depending on their upbringing. This process (and I consider enlightenment a process rather than a final destination of a spiritual journey) usually requires some degree of independence and self-reliance, so munch so that we need to be OK with the idea of relinquishing any old beliefs and stereotypes of thinking that are a part of the social agreements binding us despite the fact that we never consciously agreed to most of them.

This strength of spirit and determination (called bodhichitta in Sanskrit) is what I teach and practice. I will probably write a book dedicated to this process in addition to my recent book entitled The Art of Being in the Flow. You are very welcome to ask me any questions related to enlightenment, although most answers can be found within.