Namaste all,
I have a hard time dealing with feelings of guilt in my life. As for what this has to do with dharma, I know everything has a role and place in the universe - such is the concept of dharma at its most basic. So why do I feel constantly guilty for everything?
If you're wondering what brought this on, I read this forum thread here on
the Hindu woman who died after being denied an abortion, and while it was indeed a horrible atrocity, for some reason, whenever I read/hear about things like this, my first thoughts after "how horrible" immediately jump to "what did I do to cause this? Why am I guilty? Why are people judging me for this?"
My mind works in ways I cannot fathom, because even to me these days this thought process seems delusional. I'm not the doctor who denied this woman treatment. I'm not the politician who penned the law that allowed this atrocity to happen. Heck, I'm not even a citizen of Ireland. And yet my brain still finds ways to connect me with this doctor and make me feel guilty.
White like the doctor? Check. Male like the doctor? Check. Westerner like the doctor? Check. And yes, I know the way I live my life can do harm to the planet and its people by way of products I buy, taxes I pay, etc. But...why am I so quick to associate myself with evil?
Dharma made me feel better in many ways by showing me that I'm supposed to exist, that my role in this universe is a good one. So why am I so quick to tack on guilt by association?