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Mary T. Browne
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March 20, 2003
In this interview Mary T. Browne, author of THE POWER OF KARMA, discusses her definition of karma, soul mates, and the differences between bad karma and bad judgment.
Q: Why did you choose to write a book on karma?
MTB: First, I personally believe that there can be no lasting physical, spiritual, or psychological transformation unless we understand karma and its direct impact on all aspects of our lives. Secondly, at this time, the most frequently asked questions by my clients and at my lectures concern the law of karma. For example: "My mother died of cancer. She was the nicest person in the world. Why her?" "I do all my boss's work, yet he's never grateful and I'm still waiting for a promotion. Why is this happening to me?" "I starve myself, go to the gym, and count calories, yet I can't lose any weight. Why is my body like this?" "I do everything that I can to be a good person, so why is my life such a mess?" "Will I find my soul mate?" "Is everything in our lives predestined?" In responding to these various queries, it became increasingly clear that an understanding of karma, reincarnation, predestination, and free will was desperately needed for people wanting to experience lives filled with greater love, security, and balance.
Q: What is karma? How does it work? Is it predetermined?
MTB: Karma is the universal law of cause and effect. You reap what you sow. You get what you earn. What goes around comes around. If you give love, you get love. Revenge returns itself upon the avenger. Literally, karma means "action." Good action equals good karma. Bad action equals bad karma. Each individual is solely responsible for his or her own behavior, and every deed will produce a reaction equal to it in every way. Karma is justice. It does not reward or punish. People see more retribution than reward because their own behavior has been more selfish than selfless.
Many people think there's nothing they can do to change their karma, that it's preordained, so why bother? Karma doesn't predestine anyone or anything. We create our own causes and karma adjusts the effects with perfect harmony. Karma is not passive, it is active. We can, in an instant, make decisions that shape our future and transform the parts of our lives that are causing us unhappiness. We don't have to wait for good karma, we can make it now. Every moment is an opportunity to shape our lives into ones with greater karmic balance.
Q: Why is it important to know about our karma? What are some simple first steps people can take to change their karma?
MTB: It is important to know about our personal karma because there is no sorrow or pain, joy or delight that can't be traced to our actions in this or a former life. We are what we are because of our past deeds, thoughts, and desires. We are building our future through our present behavior. This book offers a very pragmatic, practical, and respectful approach to the understanding of karma.
One way to change our personal karma is to start spending some time each day examining our behavior in an effort to determine what in our life is causing us to have a bad reaction as opposed to a good one. Writing down these personal observations in a Power of Karma journal allows us to maintain awareness and helps us as we change negative behavior to positive. We can start to focus on the word "harmony" whenever we need to center or calm ourselves. Finally, the simple idea of "do unto others" will get us all to the goal line.
Q: You talk about the Karma Bank and the account that each one of us has in it. Tell us about that.
MTB: The Karma Bank is an impartial, honorable, incorruptible, infallible, solid institution. Our karma bank account is opened on the first moment of our first life on this earth. Every time that we perform an action that is positive, loving, and kind, it puts a deposit into our bank account. Every time we do something negative, it creates a deficit. The ultimate goal is to have our account in perfect balance.
Our karmic bank account is a synthesis of what we are doing at this moment as well as what we have done in the past. The future is there for us to shape in any way we choose. It holds a sum total of our every action and every thought in every life that has made us who we are. It is a complete record of our character. We can confront our problems and strive to find solutions, or we can go on repeating the same mistakes over and over. Each individual is completely responsible for his or her own investments. There are no excuses, like "I forgot to make a deposit, so my check bounced." Our karmic debt is ours and ours alone. It's important to remember that karma goes both ways. We must take credit for our wise decisions. The good things that come from having a secure account are our personal perks to enjoy; you get what you earn.
Q: What is the karmic boomerang? How can it be avoided?
MTB: The karmic boomerang is an action that backfires on its instigator. In other words, you get hurt in the same way that you intend to hurt someone else. Not all boomerang effects are immediate. Some take weeks, or even years, to manifest. For example, if you snap at a coworker or friend who doesn't deserve it, the negativity doesn't just disappear. It will boomerang back on you in some way. You will pay for your lack of respect by having someone else disrespect you.
Some surefire tips to help avoid the karmic boomerang include: Think before you act. Treat people the way you want to be treated. Don't take things that don't belong to you (i.e., spouses, jobs, money). Never seek vengeance. Remember that your soul records every action and you can't get away with anything.
Q: What's the difference between bad karma and bad judgment?
MTB: Well, for example, a person who is grossly overweight might say, "It's my karma to never be thin." However, a moment of reflection reveals that they don't exercise and eat enormous amounts of food. So, their weight is not about their karma. It's about their judgment, the bad choices they are making now. They did not bring this problem in with them from a past life. Remember, whenever a negative situation keeps repeating itself in a person's life yet, after careful introspection, appears to have no roots in their current behavior or psyche, it's most likely karmic.
Q: How can a disease or illness be a blessing in disguise?
MTB: An illness or disease does not always have to be a disaster. They can be karmic wake-up calls that force us to reassess our life, to see what is valuable. By providing the opportunity to contemplate moments of the spiritual, instead of just the physical, they can motivate us to go forward and become much better people.
Q: What about karma and love. Do we have a soul mate?
MTB: Ninety percent of all my clients desire to know how, when, or if they have found their true love or "soul mate." This concept teaches that, at some point in our existence, a split occurred that made it necessary to reunite with the other half of ourselves. The truth is, there is no such thing. We are complete within ourselves; we are one with the God force. All deep love relationships are reconnections from past lives. The intensity and the bond between two souls is stronger because of shared history, not unlike a friendship of twenty years as compared to an acquaintanceship of just a few weeks. These relationships are not soul mated. They are karmic.
Q: In today's tough economic times, people are fearful about their money. How can they change their financial karma?
MTB: If someone is in a panic over money, I would ask them to answer the following questions with complete honesty: (1) Are you attracting bad karma by wasting sacred energy worrying about money when you have more than enough? Be careful. This could cause you to lose what you have. (2) If you don't have enough money to cover your needs, are you creating bad karma by focusing on the problem rather than finding a solution? Reverse the focus immediately. Negative thinking equals lack; positive thinking equals abundance. (3) Do you believe it's your destiny never to have enough money? Money karma, like any karma, can change in an instant. If you don't have enough money today, this does not mean you will not have it tomorrow. (4) Are you whining instead of working? Stop it!
Also, expressing gratitude when you have money is really important. I think people forget that. If you have money, it's because you've earned the right to have it. There's no need to feel guilty. A person concerned with living a life that is enhanced by good karma will accept wealth, live comfortably, and help others.
Q: How do you, as a psychic, react to the events of 9/11 and the threat of war?
MTB: Not only was September 11, 2002, a physical, moral, financial, and emotional attack, it was a psychic attack. As someone who's been blessed to be able to see both sides of life, I am very grateful to know that all the people that died are fine now. They were given a heroes welcome, as they should have been. However, that does not justify the way that they left this earth.
The rising tides in the hatred of peoples against peoples, of religion against religion; of ruler against ruler has been a theme since the beginning of history. As a psychic, I am vigilant. I hope that we are
prepared if we have to fight to protect the integrity and humanity of the planet. Passive is not going to work in this case. This is an active problem. If we see the enemy and we do not stop them, then we are taking on the karma for allowing more destruction.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish with your book?
MTB: I want to give people a new way to view karma, one that allows them to understand their past and shape their future. From the minute readers pick up the book, there will be some tool, method, or case history that will give them courage and help them to deal with their conflicts and problems, be it a broken love affair, a job conflict, an illness, or even death. By understanding the universal law of cause and effect, they can instantly begin living a richer, happier, more balanced life.
© Copyright 2003, Mary T. Browne. All rights reserved.
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BIO:
A renowned psychic and spiritual healer with clients all over the world, Mary T. Browne had her first clairvoyant experience when she was seven. She is the author of two previous books, LOVE IN ACTION and LIFE AFTER DEATH, and has had extensive media exposure -- including more than three-hundred radio interviews, and television appearances on Weekend Today, CNN News, Good Day New York, America's Talking, and other programs. She has been featured in many magazines, including New York, Worth, American Health, Elle, and Psychology Today. Her client list includes many high-profile business leaders, as well as entertainment and media personalities. She and her psychic gifts were profiled by Frank Perry in his documentary film Across the Bridge, and writer-director Paul Schrader based the psychic character in his film Light Sleeper on Ms. Browne. She lives in New York City.
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