THE PATH TO AWAKENING

According to the law of cause and effect, nothing arises by chance, since every situation is the result of prior causes. In Eastern traditions, this law is called karma, a Sanskrit word meaning “action.”

Be mindful: contrary to popular belief, karma does not refer to divine punishment or reward. It is a natural mechanism in which every physical action (deed) or intentional action (thought or emotion) produces a corresponding effect.

It is therefore a general principle observed even by physics, not an esoteric theory.

Thus, everything that happens to us is the fruit of seeds we ourselves have sown in this life—or in a past life, if one believes in previous existences.

Understanding this law allows us to take charge of our lives and transform our future.

Indeed, by ceasing to act in ignorance of causes and effects, we fully exercise our free will and are finally able to make the right decisions.

Conditionned Flows

The law of cause and effect is intrinsically linked to the formation of the Universe 13.8 billion years ago, when matter began to expand into the void.

Since the Big Bang, all reality has arisen from a continuous chain of billions of conditioned flows.

For example, the Earth did not appear suddenly. After the formation of galaxies and stars, it represents the ultimate stage of a cosmic sequence that began with the Big Bang.

Of course, the same applies to us, human beings.

It is important to understand that the law of cause and effect emerges from a movement: it concerns conditioned flows that arise from point A and reach point B. There is, therefore, an underlying force setting actions in motion.

One only needs to observe a seed sprouting to be convinced: if tiny shoots can grow upright and transform into massive trees, it is clear that a phenomenal force is at work.

This force is called by different names, depending on one’s beliefs: consciousness, will, life, kundalini, breath, or even God.

How does this law work?

Let’s take a concrete example to better understand.

I decide to go on a mountain vacation → A week later, I arrive in the French Alps → The next day, I go skiing → I fall and break my leg → I am taken to the hospital → I am cared for by a lovely temporary nurse → We fall in love → We get married a month later.

In this example of conditioned flows, we can observe several things:

1) Independent conditioned flows intersect:

• If I had not decided to go on a mountain vacation, I probably would never have met the lovely nurse.
• I also would not have met her if she hadn’t been working that day as a temporary replacement.

2) Contrary to what one might think, “I decide to go on a mountain vacation” is not the beginning of the story. This choice is, of course, the consequence of a prior flow.

Let’s look at what happened a month earlier:

I have a dentist appointment and enter the waiting room → I sit down and leaf through a magazine while waiting → An article about a ski resort in the French Alps catches my attention → I check on my smartphone exactly where this resort is located.

In this striking example, we see that conditioned flows are continuous (everything arises from a prior cause from the very beginning) and interconnected (billions of different flows intersect).

Under these conditions, we realize that it is strictly impossible to have a complete overview of all flows from the very origin.

Residual Karma

According to the law of cause and effect, any event that occurs in our life is always the result of conditioned flows. Nothing happens by chance.

In reality, what we call “luck” or “fate” is nothing more than the unfolding of residual karma.

Of course, we believe that an event arises out of nowhere because it is impossible for us to identify all the conditioned flows that have led to its occurrence from the very beginning.

Some examples : 

I am walking down the street → I stop to greet an acquaintance coming from the opposite sidewalk → A flowerpot falls at my feet.

It is raining heavily → I enter a bookstore to take shelter → I come across a book that will change the course of my life.

I am caught in traffic → I miss my train → The train collides with a truck at a level crossing.

I know I have a one in nineteen million chance of picking the six winning lottery numbers → I play the lottery → I win the jackpot.

These examples are certainly simplistic, but they demonstrate that a prior cause is always at the origin of what we call “fate.”

Challenging the Law of Cause and Effect

So, can residual karma be reduced or even prevented? Is it possible to act in order to alter the trajectory of a conditioned flow?

The answer is, of course, yes—and the most reliable and effective means to do so is free will.

Here are some concrete examples:

I have a blood test that reveals high cholesterol → I change my diet → My cholesterol levels decrease.

A colleague at work stops speaking to me because I was rude → I invite this colleague to lunch and apologize → My relationship with them improves.

Naturally, the stronger the conditioned flow, the more difficult it is to change its trajectory. If you have smoked two packs of cigarettes every day of your life, it will be challenging to avoid cancer at some point.

Some Eastern religions affirm that it is possible to act in order to reduce the impact of residual karma. For example, Tibetan Buddhists pray to Vajrasattva and make offerings to purify their karma.

In the West, we address prayers to saints to obtain miracles. And it is undeniable that many miracles have occurred through the intercession of thaumaturges, such as Padre Pio or Charbel Makhlouf.

In the case of the 70 officially recognized miraculous healings at Lourdes, science is completely unable to explain how dying individuals suddenly recover.

Against all expectations, this demonstrates that our own continuum can be profoundly transformed by forces that defy any rational explanation.

The Continuum of the “Self”

Like everything that exists, our “self” is also driven by conditioned flows. Here are some concrete examples:

I have always trusted others; it is in my nature → I fall victim to a large-scale scam → My ability to trust begins to crumble.

My father always dreamed of being a singer and neglected me → I want my father to take an interest in me → I pursue artistic studies.

I have never been particularly drawn to spirituality → A friend tells me about Maël Tourrène’s program The Path to Awakening → I realize that I am awakened.

Moreover, if we believe in past lives, residual karma can explain the talents and challenges we are born with, as well as our physical characteristics.

I will take a personal example to help illustrate this:

One day, a medium told me that in my previous life, I had chosen love over my family clan. Not accepting my choice, my father supposedly shot me in the heart. It so happens that in this life, I actually have a hole in my chest related to a birth defect (pectus excavatum).

 I share my feelings in the Facebook group The Path to Awakening to help others.