Do We Choose Our Family?, Part 2

The law of reciprocal action

Everything that emanates from the human spirit, whether in the form of intuition, thoughts, words, or deeds is in fact a seed which reacts on its environment and marks it with an indelible stamp.

A spirit sows the expression of its will, that is, it takes decisions with the help of its free will. Are these decisions good or bad?

The spirit will find the answers to this question sooner or later through the Law of Reciprocal Action, which ensures that every cause is attended by its corresponding effect. We can also say that it “makes him reap what he sowed”, as expressed in the biblical passage “You reap what you sow.”

The identical corresponding reaction always present between the seed and the harvest ensures that one who had imbibed and developed noble qualities in a previous incarnation will also find himself in situations whereby he will be adequately compensated in a later earth-life. In the same vein, one who indulged in violence and oppression will eventually be a victim of such. The spirit who consciously lives through the consequences of his previous deeds will learn to appreciate the difference between good and bad decisions, which latter he may decide to get rid of. Thus, a number of circumstances determine the incarnation of the spirit in a young body. These circumstances are provided not only through the educational, professional, cultural, or political environment in which the child will develop, but also through the family circle. Indeed, as a result of their personality, social status, place of residence, and so on, the parents provide the conditions necessary for numerous experiences needed by their child. There is also another aspect of the Law of Reciprocal Action which aims not only at giving an opportunity to assess former decisions but also to atone and compensate for any wrongdoing resulting from these decisions. Actors from previous earth-lives must therefore meet again to make amends on the one hand and grant forgiveness on the other.

The meeting of people linked by karmic threads can occur in various circumstances and social environments, but the family circle proves to be most ideal. The love that naturally blossoms between family members – parental love for the child and filial love for the parents – is a powerful help for inner change and forgiveness. Those concerned need not, at the present time, be conscious of their past lives or be aware of their past relationships, that is, if they had been parents, neighbours, colleagues, and so on. Only the present time matters and it suffices that in reacting to events they modify their behaviour and inner stance positively so that atonement and forgiveness follow their actions. Through their combined workings these Laws ensure no arbitrariness when placing children in their parents’ homes.

Choosing our family

The incarnation of a spirit is an indication that its sojourn in the beyond has momentarily reached its term and it becomes necessary for it to pursue its developmental journey on earth to avoid stagnation. Based on the karmic threads and the personality of the soul concerned, the Laws guide it to the precise place suitable for it and to the parents it deserves. The number of eligible parents is not unlimited since very many specific factors must be taken into consideration.

A spirit is not in a position to freely decide which parents to choose so as to satisfy his likes and dislikes. More important factors which affect the overall development of the spirit are decisive and they exclude his personal wishes. The Laws ensure strict observance of these factors.

Parents whom we “reap” are the fruits of our past decisions and their resulting karma. There is a choice in that sense, albeit an indirect one since the choice depends on the decisions rather than their results: the parents correspond to the karma in question. There is therefore no conscious and thought-out decision as alleged by the expression “I have chosen my parents.”

In any case the workings of the Laws follow the greatest wisdom and total justice. Every child always gets the parents it deserves and the parents the child they need for their experiencing on earth.