The Law of Compensation

nd that brings us to number six, the Law of Compensation which is essentially you reap what you sow. This Law is about becoming your best, and doing the best you can do. It is about our belief in ourselves, what we can achieve and what is possible. Earl Nightengale defines the Law of Compensation as, The amount of money we earn is always going to be in exact ratio to the need for what we do, our ability to do it, and the difficulty there is in replacing us. The more you invest in yourself and your abilities, the more difficult you will be to replace and, hence, the more you are worth or the more you are compensated. By far my favourite explanation of the Law of Compensation comes from Robert Kiyosaki, who describes the Law in terms of massive action netting limited return in the beginning and over time, minimal effort yielding massive returns. He gives an example with health that all of us can relate to. We decide that we want to improve our health, so we start exercising and dieting and, within a week, we quit because we are sore and hungry. We took massive action over a short period of time and quit when we didnt see results quickly. Kiyosaki hired a coach to get him over that initial period of great action and limited results. After two years, the Law of Compensation kicked in. He was stronger and healthier and was able to maintain that level with minimal effort. You can put this same strategy to work in your business. For the first few years you need to put in massive effort. You see limited returns during these early stages, so it is easy to give up and quit. But, if you stick with it, you will get to the stage where your business continues to grow and prosper with minimal effort. The lesson in the Law of Compensation is not to quit. If you quit, you have to start all over again with the period of massive effort for limited return. Persevere and you will be rewarded. Winners never quit and quitters never win. Bob Proctor tells us that if we are unsatisfied with our current situation, we need to change! We need to better ourselves and grow on a personal level in order to improve our situation. If you commit to investing even a few minutes every day to your personal growth and development, by a year from now you will be a completely different person. Similarly, in your business, stick to a daily plan of actions. Understanding the Law of Compensation helps you to avoid frustration and stay the course, knowing that you will be compensated in the long run. This is one of my favourites of the 11 Laws because it helps you to focus on the long term and it motivates you not to quit. It helps you to keep your eyes on the prize! What are your thoughts on the Law of Compensation? Your comments are welcomed and appreciated. Share this on your social networks if you think it provides value to your followers. Wishing you great success! Wendy Hewlett

Dr. H. Spenser Lewis Speaks: "Man has in many ways to emulate or reduce to material form the cosmic law of compensation; and while he has made a miserable failure of it in most ways, still, the spiritually minded person has succeeded in establishing in his own life and in the rules of his affairs, some principles which are truly representative of the Cosmic Laws of Compensation - KARMA. Material rewards and compensation to others for their efforts in one's behalf create a false medium, an arbitrary one, created by man without having the least relationship to the ideals of the Cosmic law. While many people seek compensation from others, the Cosmic law of compensation also operates to bring to each one of us a true compensation for what we have done. And in each element where man's method of compensation fails to reward or punish, adequately, for each good or evil deed, the Cosmic law properly, efficiently, and sufficiently compensates and makes full adjustments. Man may scheme and plan to prevent the Cosmic law of compensation from operating in an individual case, and he may try to stay the great Cosmic laws from adequately adjusting the compensation of his acts. He may even succeed for a time in escaping what he believes is imminent, but it is a fact that no one has ever successfully avoided, evaded, or escaped the operation of the Cosmic law completely and continuously. Men and women may cheat one another of their just rewards, and people may fail willfully or unconsciously to make proper compensation to others, but the Cosmic law never fails. It is immutable, of course, but it is also fair, just, and really worthy of our admiration when we understand the principles of Cosmic compensation. I have met many men and women who believe most implicitly that whenever they do a kindness or an unselfish act for someone else or contribute in any way to the health and happiness of others, they can expect some reward of Cosmic blessing, suddenly and uniquely, at almost any hour. They had learned from experience that the Cosmic brings its rewards not only suddenly, but at a most propitious moment, and that by helping others or giving in whatever way they could they could to the needs and happiness of another, they were accruing a certain amount of Cosmic blessing or help that would come to them just when they needed it. I do not mean to say that such persons constantly had in mind the reward or return of their blessings whenever they planned to do something for someone else. I have noticed from many reports, and from intimate contact with those who follow such principles in their lives, that most of the unselfish or kindly acts performed by these persons were unplanned and wholly spontaneous, and that it was only as they were performing the act or immediately thereafter, that the thought came to them that in compensation for their rashness or liberality there would be a proper return. It is but natural for anyone promptly to question the logic of a spontaneous act or sudden urge, and to wonder whether it is worth while, diplomatic, or reasonable. It is such moments of consideration of the spontaneous act that these persons generally conclude that though it was sudden and probably urged by an emotional impulse, the Cosmic was conscious of the urge, and the whole-hearted response to it, and would compensate accordingly. The laws of Karma and Cosmic Compensation reveal that one can do an injustice to another, or take advantage of another or even live a dual existence without bringing into their life inevitable suffering and sorrowful adjustment. Hence, the mystic's comprehension of ethics and morality has a clear and more definite meaning to him, and elicits obedience to Cosmic Law which man is reluctant to give a mundane law or laws of man's invention. As a man chooses, sows, so shall he reap and pay. The Law of Compensation - Karma. Nature in every department of manifestation demands justice, equalization, and Compensation. It is so old in the understanding of men that most of his self-made laws, even among primitive tribes and races are based upon observations of its working. The manifestation of the Law of Compensation constitutes the 'great school of experience'. Through this school man has come to learn of his powers and limitations, his weaknesses and strength, his advantage over all other living creatures. From childhood unto old age, man learns that his evil acts are essentially a sin against his own career for which he must suffer or pay. He learns, too, that his noble deeds, unselfish acts, and idealistic thoughts bring balanced rewards. Each experience with the Law of Compensation - Karma adds to the molding of his creed of

life, his guide of conduct, his code of thinking. The memory of each experience, each lesson, remains a stone in the structure of the character that he is building. Personality or character is thereby evolving from childhood onward through every hour of conscious existence. Thus the Soul of man, the immaterial part of his dual being, the consciousness of the self, is an evolving entity which mystics call 'personality' or Ego. And because of its very nature, because of its association with the immaterial part of his being, personality is a spiritual, eternal, and immortal entity. In society and in our private personal affairs, man must be true unto himself, and this self must be the inner self, if man is to be true at all. He must let the Divine power within him dominate the physical power of his body and the world around him. He must let the beauty and grandeur, and the sublime thoughts of the Divine Mind of his being fill him with inspiration and comprehension of his real place in the universe and of his relationship to all other beings. He must let the God Consciousness of his soul control and direct his health and activities of the physical self so that it may truly be the servant unto himself. In this way will man rise to power and glory and attain the highest degree of success and happiness in his affairs."

Kiyosaki: The Law of Compensation

Don't quit at the top.

Most of us have heard the saying Winners never quit and quitters never win. Yet, few of us have heard of the law of compensation. I explain the law of compensation like this: Returns are minimal in spite of massive effort at the start, yet returns can be massive with minimal effort over time. Ill use two personal examples to further illustrate. The first example is health. It was easy being healthy when I was young. I was full of energy, so sports and physical challenges were fun. But as I got older and the spring left my step, exercise became harder, and eating, drinking and watching TV became easier. By the time I was 50, Id put on 50 pounds. During those years, I would make a resolution to get healthy, and begin working out and eating less. By the following week, however, Id lost no weight, and I was hungry and ached all overso I quit because Id put in a lot of effort for very little return. Finally, after realizing I needed help, I hired a coach to get through the initial period of maximum effort and minimal returns. After two years, the law of compensation kicked in. My health and strength returned, and I could exercise less, still gain strength, and eat and drink what I wanted. Unfortunately, I went on a two-month vacation, kept eating and drinking, stopped exercising and gained 20 pounds back. Im currently with the same coach, once again going through a period of maximum effort for low returns. My second example of the law of compensation has to do with wealth. In 1978, I lost my first major business, which shot up like a rocketand came down like a rock. I struggled to regain my momentum, and lost another business two years later. I was down for about four years, working hard for very little return. But by 1994, I retired financially free at the age of 47.

In 1996, my wife, Kim, and I launched our financial education board game, CASHFLOW 101. I wrote Rich Dad Poor Dad in 1997 and self-published it after every publisher turned it down, and for three years Kim and I worked hard explaining the game and promoting the book. In 2000, Rich Dad Poor Dad made The New York Times Best-Seller List. In 2000, I appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, and the rest is history. Today, when it comes to health, Im paying the price for disobeying the law of compensation. Im glad I caught myself at 20 pounds rather than 50 pounds. When it comes to wealth, I am reaping the benefits of following the law of compensation. Today, with very little effort, my returns on my years of investment are phenomenaleven in a bad economy. I write this article for those of you who are struggling with success. Press on even though your returns on investment are small. If you quit, like I did with my health program, youll have to go through the same crummy period of maximum effort with minimal gains again. Remember that winners never quit. Success is not a stop sign. Obey the law of compensation.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 ~ 1882) explains compensation in clear terms: For everything you have missed, you have gained something else; and for everything you gain, you lose something else. Again, in his journal dated January 8, 1826, he writes, The whole of what we know is a system of compensations. Every defect in one manner is made up in another. Every suffering is rewarded; every sacrifice is made up; every debt is paid. The title of this article, then, means there is no exemption, no exception, or no escape from this law of life. We cannot have successes without failures or hardships without gains. For every gain, there is a loss. We lose the wood to gain fire and heat. We lose the heat to cook the food. We lose the food to nourish our body, and so it goes. This law of nature is about balance, harmony, and equilibrium. It is similar to the Law of Conservation of Energy in science. (Energy may neither be created nor destroyed and the sum of all energy remains constant.) Another aspect of the Law of Compensation is we will reap what we sow. Isnt it true that if I plant tomatoes, Ill reap tomatoes, and if I plant weeds, Ill reap weeds? So, it should come as no surprise that if I plant seeds of love, I will be loved, and if I plant acts of kindness, others will treat me kindly. But if all I sow is anger, all I reap will be hostility. When we practice the Golden Rule by treating our neighbors as we wish to be treated, we live in harmony with this principle and will reap its benefits. Or, as Ralph Waldo Emerson put it, It is one of the most beautiful compensations in life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself. Another term to describe reaping what we sow is karma. In Sanskrit, karma means action or deed. In the spiritual sense, it means both our actions and the consequences that flow from them. Those who believe in karma believe that their fate is governed by the choices they make. The happiness they experience or the suffering they undergo is a result of how they use their free will. So, its just another way to describe how we reap what we sow.

Yet another term used to describe the same thing is The Law of Action and Reaction. That is, for every force, there is a counter force. The greater we stretch a rubber band, the greater its snapback. The more I scowl at you, the angrier you will become; the more you smile at me, the more pleased I will become. We could also express this idea by calling it the Law of Cause and Effect, or just by saying that virtue is its own reward and wrongdoing causes suffering. The Law of Compensation, or sowing what we reap, is not about God punishing the wicked and rewarding the holy, but simply His law of natural consequences. If we fall into a fire, we are burned not because were evil, but because of the heat of the flames. So, it is wise to become familiar with the laws of nature to avoid unnecessary pain and unhappiness. Once we understand for every gain there is a loss, we can free ourselves from envy and live contentedly. Blessed are the contented, for they are never poor. Woe unto the discontented, for they are never rich. Blessed is she who has little and wants less, for she is richer than he who has much and wants more. Blessed, too, is he who realizes that a little is a great deal when it is enough. And, as Socrates (469 ~ 399 BC) taught, He is the richest who is content with the least. There is a time for contentment and a time for discontentment. When we use discontent to raise ourselves to a higher level, we are living in line with the Law of Compensation. For at such a time, we realize that there is no gain without loss, or no gain without pain. We understand that our success depends not on what we take up, but what we give up. So, we willingly sacrifice time and comfort to reach our goal. And if we experience a temporary setback, were not discouraged because we understand that hidden in our problems are blessings waiting to be discovered. In the same way, when we are pounded by adversity, we find solace in the Law of Compensation, looking forward to the benefits that await us. Also, we dont make the mistake of comparing our lives with those of others. For although their gains are clearly visible, their loses are hidden from view. Neither do we allow our imagination to exaggerate the extent of our losses or others gains. We also keep our balance by remembering that all is relative. After all, bad is never good, until worse happens.

he Law of Compensation is one of the most important and basic laws of life and has sometimes been described as the great law. The ancient enlightened ones called it the law of karma. The scientifically-minded may call it the law of cause and effect or the law of action and reaction. Ralph Waldo Emerson called it the law of compensation. When Jesus talked about it, He explained it as the principle of sowing and reaping, giving and receiving, and doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Emmet Fox, commenting on this teaching, said, If the average man understood for a single moment the meaning of these words and really believed them to be true, he would immediately revolutionize his whole life from top to bottom, turn his everyday conduct inside out, and he would be so changed that his closest friends would hardly know him. Some persons doubt the existence of such a law, because its workings are often so slow that they are not readily perceived by human understanding. Some persons believe that since this law doesnt seem to work consistently in the world, it must come into operation in the next world. And with this belief many persons have carried on in the face of the vicissitudes of life with cheerful courage, comforting themselves with the faith that they would get their reward in some future heaven. This law of perfect justice and fair compensation permeates the activities of humankind whether we know it or not, whether we see it or not. Every day is a day of judgment, for every day of our life we are reaping the harvest we have previously sown, whether good or bad. And the law guarantees that in the long run every virtue is rewarded, every wrong is redressed in silence, in certainty, in Divine order. What does this law mean to you in your everyday living? It has many practical applications. First of all, knowledge of the great law should cause you to make a constant effort to keep from letting anything that is evil or negative go out from you in thought, word, or deed. In the final reckoning, the thief steals from himself. The liar lies to himself. The person who is cruel is hurting himself, for he is attracting to himself, under inexorable law, as much pain as he is afflicting. But in like manner, the good one does is blessing himself, and the giver is giving to himself. For he is setting into operation, in his own behalf, the law that guarantees that as he has given, so shall he receive; as he has done, so shall it be done unto him. This is the great law of compensation. And we never understand life or the experiences of life until we grasp this real truth. Understanding this law should always bring you greater tranquillity because it is deeply comforting to know that regardless of appearances to the contrary, you will eventually be compensated through every virtue, and no good will go unrewarded. When you really understand the workings of this great law, you know that you dont have to hold resentment or anger toward anyone. You no longer need to feel any concern if what you have been doing for others goes unappreciated. You no longer have to harbor ill will toward those who

have treated you unjustly. You can let go of all feelings of anger, resentment, injustice, or unforgiveness. You can rest in the comfortable assurance that the law of compensation will even every score and balance every account. Whatever your would-be grievance, know that God is taking care of the situation and is working in and through the minds and hearts of all involved. Go peacefully about your business and let the law balance your accounts. If there is something in your life that you dont like, in order to remove it from your experience you must first uproot it from within your soul or your mental attitude. On the other hand, if there is something missing from your life, build it into your soul and mentality, and the law will maintain a perfect balance by making it manifest in your world. Once we accept this great Truth, once we free ourselves of the human weakness of trying to blame circumstances and people for our troubles, then and perhaps for the first time were ready to stand up to life with a new-found strength. It is in thinking that we find the key to the law of compensation, for it is not so much what we do in the outer as what we think in our inner selves that counts the most. Develop an attitude of looking for the good. Give expression to constructive, beneficial thoughts and feelings in every situation. When you express appreciation of others, things will no longer upset you, others will appreciate you instead of being indifferent, you will find warm smiles directed your way. Never fail to say something good. As you learn to appreciate others you will increasingly find yourself surrounded by those who will in turn appreciate you. When you understand the law of compensation, you will realize that your whole life is centered around the spirit of giving giving love, appreciation, praise, time, support, efforts and substance. The comeback will always follow. And dont just do your share, go the extra mile. It is not enough to give love and friendship; give it back with an extra measure. Likewise with justice, kindness, cooperation, and devotion give back dividends. In any situation, find some way to give. Give your way into a new consciousness. This is one of the most important starting points in the study of Truth, and the law of compensation is one of Truths most fundamental laws.

God is Blessing You, Right Now! Some individuals believe that they are given the rights for everything even if they give nothing in return. They believe that the planet is obligated to sustain their needs. On the other hand, there are other individuals who believe that being deprived of earthly goods is good and righteous. They believe that they will only receive the riches they deserve as soon as they go to heaven. Nonetheless, none of these beliefs is right. You will know this once you have already understood the Universal Laws and the Law of Compensation, as well as its appropriate applications. The Law of Compensation asserts that we will only receive what is rightfully ours. But if we have worked hard yet we have not been rewarded, it means that we did not apply the Law properly. The Universal Laws work similarly with math and science. They always have accurate results. The possibility and supply remain constant at all times. And it is our responsibility to appropriately make use of the Law of Compensation to improve our lives. This is because our present condition relies on the way we apply it. If we fail to realize this, it is us who will suffer the consequences. And we must know that it is through our thoughts that we are able to apply the Universal Laws. There are some individuals who were born and grew up in a complex situation. This is because they have never attempted to change their condition. They have never even thought of changing it. That is why they have continued to suffer. They have not realized that setting their minds into believing that they can improve their condition is what they needed. Then, you must also do your very best in every task you take. You will attract better and bigger opportunities if you continue to become better every time.

Success Key: The Law of Compensation, Part I

[Ed. Note: Todays Post is Part I of III on the highly crucial Law of Compensation. Part I of this essay defines the Law, Part II examines the nature of the Law in greater detail, and Part III explores how we may implement the Law in our daily lives to our advantage and benefit].
The Law of Compensation, Part I The Law of Compensation: Defined

In the Success Post that accompanies The Law of Success Lesson Nine: The Habit of Doing More Than Paid For by Napoleon Hill (Posted in The Success Manual Free Download Library and The Napoleon Hill Success Library on January 22, 2011), we discussed, among other matters, The Law of Compensation. Interestingly, after that Post was published, I came across several references to The Law of Compensation, which provided me with the Opportunity to further reflect upon the Law what it is, how it works and how we may better invoke it to our benefit. That reflection and study is embodied in this Post and the two to follow.

The Law of Compensation is such a simple law; yet, it works with amazing precision in our Lives each and every day. What exactly is the Law of Compensation? Quite simply, it is that principle that we reap what we sow. As St. Paul stated approximately two thousand years ago: Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap. Gal. 6:7. In this case, the sowing concerns the Garden of Thought, Emotion and Action. What we think, how we feel and how we act all determines what is returned to us with mathematical precision. In his master classic, Working with the Law, Raymond Holliwell defines it thusly: Compensation means equal returns for that which is given; it means a balance of that quality or service that is extended to another . . . You can only build on that which you create. It is also known as Karma and what goes around, comes around.

The cover to The Beatles' 1969 album, Abbey Road. Image the property of the respective copyright owner. All rights reserved. For educational purposes only. Or, as two, young Brits in the 1960s lyrically penned it, And in the end, the Love you take is equal to the Love you make. Perfectly stated. (The End is a song by The Beatles composed by Paul McCartney (credited to Lennon/McCartney) for the album Abbey Road. It was the last song recorded collectively by all four of the Beatles, and is the final song of a 16-minute medley that dominates side two of the LP version of the album.) Throughout his illustrious career as a preeminent Success Teacher, Napoleon Hill often referred to the Law of Compensation as the Golden Rule (he also referred to it, as noted in Lesson Nine of The of Success in Sixteen Lessons, as The Law of Compensation). In an article in Hills Success Unlimited magazine, Napoleon Hill explained it thusly: Inherent in the principle of applied faith is the sustained application of the Golden Rule in your daily life. For more than four thousand years, men have been preaching the Golden Rule as a suitable rule of conduct, but, unfortunately, the world has accepted the letter while totally missing the spirit of this universal injunction. We have

accepted the Golden Rule merely as a sound rule of ethical conduct but we have failed to understand the law upon which it is based. The law is this: We reap what we sow. When you select a rule of conduct which you use to guide yourself in your transactions with others, you will be fair and just if you know that you are setting in motion a power that will run its course (for good or bad) in the lives of others, returning finally to help or hinder you according to its nature. It is your privilege to deal unjustly with others, but if you understand the basis for the Golden Rule, you must know that your unjust dealings will come home to roost. The law does not mean merely the flinging back upon you your acts of injustice and unkindness toward others; it goes much further and returns to you the results of every thought you release. Therefore, not only is it advisable to 'do unto others as you wish them to do unto you,' but you must 'think of others as you wish them to think of you,' to avail yourself fully of the benefits of this great universal law. [See also Post, Success Key: The Golden Rule - A Lost Success Key?, March 3, 2010]. Similarly, Holliwell further notes that, Sooner or later we must come face to face with this Law of Compensation, and inevitably, our own comes to us and only what is our own. Because the Law of Compensation works to equally balance our reaping with our sowing, the Law may be invoked with accuracy and precision. As Raymond Holliwell again profoundly instructs in Working with the Law: The Law that we reap what we sow is mathematically accurate. Each experience through which we pass operates ultimately for our good. If we attract the unpleasant, it is often because some dormant or neglected phase of our nature needs to be awakened and developed; also, we learn from the experience to create something better. Hence the degree of contentment and satisfaction attained in whatever sphere of life we may dwell is largely dependent upon our ability to use constructively the experiences of life; for, in every case, the Law of Attraction will only bring what may serve us in our upward development. To interpret this Law in a simple form, it should be stated that whatever we attract, we require and whatever we need is always good. This is a correct attitude to adopt, because all experience is for our good and we must be able to see it in that light. Consider the last two sentences of this passage from Holliwell again: To interpret this Law in a simple form, it should be stated that whatever we attract, we require and whatever we need is always good. This is a correct attitude to adopt, because all experience is for our good and we must be able to see it in that light. If we can truly comprehend the full meaning and import of what Holliwell states here, the magnificence of the Law of Compensation cannot be overstated. Whatever we attract, we require. Whatever we require (need) is Good. Therefore, ALL experience (what we attract) is for our Good.

God seeks to draw out the Good in us through each and every experience the Desirable and the Undesirable. As such, under the Law of Compensation, every experience is not only a manifestation (Effect) of what we have sowed (Cause) in the past (Result), every experience is a Divine Opportunity for us to GROW and PROSPER - Spiritually, Emotionally, Intellectually, Physically and Financially. In fact, I would take this a step further and submit that every experience is a Divine-Mandated Opportunity to GROW and PROSPER. In that sense, the Law of Compensation is more than just what goes around, comes around. The Law of Compensation is our Infinite Creator providing us with what we need. We must be able to see it in that light.

The Law of Compensation

Posted by Brian Tracy on Nov 17, 2008 You Get What You Give Ralph Waldo Emerson, in his essay, "Compensation," wrote that each person is compensated in like manner for that which he or she has contributed. The Law of Compensation is another restatement of the Law of Sowing and Reaping. It says that you will always be compensated for your efforts and for your contribution, whatever it is, however much or however little. Increase Your Value This Law of Compensation also says that you can never be compensated in the long term for more than you put in. The income you earn today is your compensation for what you have done in the past. If you want to increase your compensation, you must increase the value of your contribution. Fill Your Mind With Success Your mental attitude, your feelings of happiness and satisfaction, are also the result of the things that you have put into your own mind. If you fill your own mind with thoughts, visions and ideas of success, happiness and optimism, you will be compensated by those positive experiences in your daily activities. Do More Than Youre Paid For Another corollary of the Law of Sowing and Reaping is what is sometimes called the, "Law of Overcompensation." This law says that great success comes from those who always make it a habit to put in more than they take out. They do more than they are paid for. They are always looking for opportunities to exceed expectations. And because they are always overcompensating, they are always being over rewarded with the esteem of their employers and customers and with the financial rewards that go along with their personal success. Provide the Causes, Enjoy The Effects One of your main responsibilities in life is to align yourself and your activities with Law of Cause and Effect (and its corollaries), accepting that it is an inexorable law that always works, whether anyone is looking or not. Your job is to institute the causes that are consistent

with the effects that you want to enjoy in your life. When you do, you will realize and enjoy the rewards you desire. Action Exercises Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action. First, remind yourself regularly that your rewards will always be in direct proportion to your service to others. How could you increase the value of your services to your customers today? Second, look for ways to go the extra mile, to use the Law of Overcompensation in everything you do. This is the great secret of success.

he Law Of Compensation
Do unto others as you would that they should do unto you."The Golden Rule. "As ye sow, so shall ye reap."The Law of Compensation. The first of these is a command, but the second is an edict. It does not only imply, but it is a clear statement that we will be paid in the same coin with which we pay others; that not by hook or crook can we hand out tinsel and have gold returned. The Law of Compensation, now becoming more generally known as the Law of Karma, is the Law of Exact Justice. It promises, without the possibility of evasion, the reaction upon us of all destructive thoughts we think, desires we countenance or acts we commit. Whatever natural or spiritual Law is set into motion by us, that Law must be appeased. We must pay "unto the utmost farthing" every debt we owe, be this on the physical, moral, spiritual or Soul plane. This is the one universal, all-embracing Law taught by the Ancient Initiates and was by them known as the Law of Karma, or the Law of Reaction. The Nazarene called it the Golden (the highest, noblest, best) Rule, and the great writer Emerson first gave it the designation Law of Compensation. If we suffer, there is a reason. It is because in some manner we have been untrue to ourselves. If we do an act that is not constructive, we violate a Law; we do that which is either against our own best interests or is in some way detrimental. If it is detrimental to another it is by its very nature against our own best interests. In either instance, we attempt an interference with the Divine Law and this brings a reaction according to the actual harm done. When we suffer in some manner we are merely being obliged to accept the penalty resulting from personal acts, the pain or loss being due to the normal action of the Karmic Law. Do unto your neighbor, your friends, even your enemy and your foe, even to those unknown to you with whom you must deal as you would have them do unto you. If you do this you will be in harmony with the Law, you will uphold justice and work out your own destiny. It is not at all difficult to thus deal with those whom we love; the struggle comes when we are called upon to deal justly with one who has dealt unjustly with us,

or who we know is trying his best to take advantage of us. It is then we are tested for our innate honesty and justice. This definition of the Law does not in any sense imply that we should permit anyone to take advantage of us, to bring us loss or sorrow if we are able to prevent it. If we did so, we would be equally guilty in the commission of the wrong. On the contrary, it requires of us that we seek justice in all dealings with others; that we do all in our power to prevent acts of wrong, the while we pursue methods that are just, and such as we would ourselves expect of others. Were men without enemies, loving all and beloved by all, there would be little need for the operation of the Law of Justice, since we are all normally inclined to give all that is good and desirable to those we love. However, under such a condition this world would not be a school of trial and experience, a school where needed lessons must be learned; but a haven of the blessed, the world to come as foreseen by John the Revelator. We reap as we sow; neither more nor less. The Nazarene did His best by both teaching and demonstrating the Law. When we sow thistles and thorns we should not be so foolish as to expect a harvest of wheat and corn, nor should we expect others to supply us with the food that would have been ours had we sown wisely. We came into this world because of our own longing to know both good and evil. We descended or "fell" of our own free Will. No one forced the decision upon us. God never made a thing, never placed anything where it did not belong, or to which it did not gravitate by its own free action and under the Law of Attraction. We left, were drawn from the plane of purity, because we desired it. With our descent we were forced by the creative fiat to be governed by the Absolute Law and to abide by its reaction upon us. The Soul never suffers as a result of doing deeds of kindness and helpfulness. If there is suffering, it is the reaping of reactions from actions by us. The body may be tortured and the mind agonized as a result of our efforts in behalf of others, or by the acts of others, but this never reaches the Soul and is as so much "bread cast upon the water, which, after many days returns laden with many blessings." When we perform deeds of kindness or acts of benefits unto others and they in return persecute us or cause us loss, defame or scourge us, and these are the cause of suffering to the body and agony to the mind, then this pain and suffering is transmuted and when it, or what there is left of it, finally reaches the Soul, it becomes the fuel for the Fire of the Soul and brings life with it. The Law is absolute over all that exists. That which appears as most evil to us is neither more nor less than the reaction of the Law and in its final action, punishes the guilty and blesses those who are innocent. There are those who protest that they have suffered, or are now suffering, not due to sins of their own, but due to the machinations of others. The Nazarene passed through mental and physical agonies, not because of His own misdeeds, but due to the ignorance and maliciousness of others. In the final analysis, He was rewarded for the suffering; He lived constructively; He helped others to help themselves and showed them the way; in a

sense He suffered for this, but the Cross brought Him Immortality. He sowed goodness and kindness, helpfulness and generosity; He reached Sonship with the Father. Some will say: "Why was He persecuted and made to suffer; why was injustice heaped upon Him, though He sowed only seeds of love, mercy and justice?" He did not actually reap these things, He accepted them and transmuted them into eternal life. Here, as nowhere else, is exemplified the Law that: "...things are not always what they appear to be." Souls, this includes the Soul of the Nazarene, came to earth in order that they might come to know "good and evil." These things cannot be known unless we experience; to experience we must suffer. If we retaliate with passion for passion, we create greater suffering; if we accept it without hatred, resentment or malice; if we transmute it, then we experience; we come to know both good and evil, YET WE KEEP OURSELVES FREE. This is just what the Nazarene did. The Nazarene overcame all enmity and became the interpreter of the Law to all humanity that would accept Him. He sowed the seeds of correct (righteous) behavior. He lifted the Soul to the Godhead by both His inculcations and His works. Is it not written that He understood this and said: "I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me." Those who had the idea that they might destroy Him and end His ministry were actually helping Him in the process of transmutation and the final attainment of Godhood. Unenlightened men do not know the real meaning of the emotion of love. What they feel and think is love is a selfish emotion for their own benefit. These imagine they have the power to destroy; they are able to destroy only themselves and others of like nature who are under the same law. In the ultimate, as we do, so will we be done by. If we are guilty of a premeditated unkind thought or wicked act, we will draw unkindness to us. We surround ourselves with the atmosphere, or aura, of other minds harmonizing with our own. The things we think, the words we utter, the acts we commit, the desires we harbor, all these compose the human being. A pure, kindly thought never caused an evil deed, a destructive act. The free, exalted mentality cannot accumulate thoughts of envy, hatred, jealousy or malice and therefore does not store in the Soul the poisons these passions create. He who defrauds you in exchange for a favor, who takes advantage of you, abuses you, does not in the last analysis actually hurt you, unless as a result of this experience, resentment and hatred is born in you. It is then not what another has done that is harmful to you, but the poison of your own passion. Another's ungrateful acts are potent to hurt your feelings, cause you loss, possibly sorrow. If you accept these without the feeling of hatred or resentment, the mental reaction will transmute the ill and unjust treatment in the Fires of the Soul and this will be of help in bringing the seeking Soul to Individualization and Consciousness. We by no means wish to convey the idea that one should sit calmly by and permit actual loss in return for a favor, persecution as payment for a kindly act, hatred for a

kindness. On the contrary, both justice and manhood obligate us to demand justice, the payment to the "utmost farthing," but this must be free from passion, in the same manner and with the same feeling that the father who dearly loves his child nevertheless punishes it for deliberate disobedience or any act that is contrary to the code of good behavior. Such punishment is meted out in sorrow and where there is sorrow in the heart there cannot be malice or hatred also. If you have been kind and helpful to a person and he in turn hates or despises you for doing so, he does not thereby hurt you; he but hates himself and brings upon himself the reaction of that feeling. Some will explain, "It is not possible for one to think kindly and do good all the time." Possibly this same statement had been made to the Nazarene when He said: "Let the tares and the wheat grow together until the harvest [the period required for the awakening of the mind to its possibilities and before you are capable of judging what is right], then gather first the tares [the things you have learned to know as conferring no lasting benefit or which are not of any constructive use] and bind them into bundles to burn [to transmute into the Flame that builds the Soul] them; but gather the wheat [all that is good or can be used for a good purpose] into your barn [store it for the building of the Conscious, Immortal self]." As we gain in wisdom we will be enabled to gather the tares one by one, the thoughts that work for evil, the desires that are productive of evil and the acts that create evil. It is then we can separate without loss the good from the non-good and undesirable, storing that which is of use in building an Immortal Soul and at the same time helping others who are on the way or may be weak or as yet not able to see clearly. If we do unto others the things we honestly believe to be good or right, we are within the Law and we are gathering "the wheat" for future use. Those of evil intent are not always altogether blind. They are nearly always able to differentiate between that which is good and that which is evil, between the constructive and the destructive. When they do those things that are not for good, they are aware within themselves that they are not doing that which is right, but they proceed nevertheless, harboring the mistaken idea that it will either benefit them or work to their profit. How few, in giving vent to their thoughts, have stopped to think or to reason of the possibility of the thoughts being a snare to help in the degradation of the Soul, of their being envious, lustful or malicious, and therefore directly harmful? Such thoughts are creative of a deadly poison, a virus that saturates the entire being; body, mind and the spiritual self. By giving such thoughts a place in the mentality they first create a poison and then transfuse it throughout the entire being. This may ultimately work to the destruction of the body by the creation of disease and end by the demoralization of the spiritual self. It is written that the Nazarene demonstrated all the Laws of Love and Kindness; that the multitudes, though they did not understand Him, or had little sympathy for Him, nevertheless knew Him as "that great serene man." He was able to remain calm and

serene though all the evil forces of the world and hades were arrayed against Him. Why? Because THERE WAS NO EVIL IN HIM. THERE WAS NOTHING WITHIN HIM TO OPEN THE DOORS OF HIS BEING TO THESE FORCES. HE WAS IMMUNE BECAUSE HE WAS PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY AND SPIRITUALLY CLEAN. Here is a mighty lesson for all those who do not fear to learn. Every act, though known as "pleasure," which usurps honor, truth, duty or loyalty, is a destroying archangel. They open the door of the self to other evils. Lustful, sensual thoughts, the keen thrill of delight felt over the downfall or destruction of a hated or envied one, even though "justified," are delusions that create poisons in the Soul. Justice must come to the evil doer, but we should sorrow, not feel pleasure, in the enemy's reaping of the "reward." All evil has its origin in the mind. Its birth is in the mind, although we could truthfully state that most evil enters through the eyes and is impressed upon the mind by the desires created as a result of sight. Evil is like a destructive tenant domiciled in a beautiful palace. If permitted to remain, it quickly destroys all that is beautiful within. Sin is doing that which the Law forbids. Sin is not good for either mind, body or Soul. It is not really an evasion of the Law because that is something no man can accomplish. It might be said to be an "attempted evasion." The Law cannot be set aside. It cannot be side-stepped. It cannot be broken. The commission of that which is not good is an attempt to sidestep the Law, but it always fails because the Law is. It is inflexible. It will not bend. It will not excuse. Man consciously disobeys the Divine or governing Law in the foolish belief that by so doing he can gain that which he has not earned, which does not belong to him or which will not work a benefit to himself or another. It is seeking a possession without first "paying the utmost farthing." When we are unkind, we transgress the Law of Kindness; every time we speak falsely, we know not the truth. In either instance we have violated a Law. When we permit hatred to enter the heart, even though we have been wronged or reviled, it is as though we had encouraged the most poisonous serpent to enter and find a resting place there; moreover, we know not love and love is the "saving grace." We are as we think. Each thought is indelibly impressed upon the Soul and becomes a part of it as certainly as the spoken word is recorded (impressed) on a recording tape or record. It is there to bear "witness against" us. Through thoughts that lead to desire and then to action, we build or destroy the Soul. We are the architect, the builder of what may be a Temple of Solomon the King or of Demon the destroyer. The one certain method by which evil may be destroyed or eradicated is to give up thinking evilly, substituting constructive, creative, uplifting thoughts; by planning business, social and spiritual success based on a firm, honest foundation.

When destructive thoughts creep into the mind, stop short, call a halt and immediately replace them with thoughts of beautiful, desirable things, with plans for some important work to be accomplished. In the beginning this requires deliberate effort, but by practice we quickly become proficient in the process of substitution. If we succeed in this method of substitution we lose our inclination of trying to force others to our way of thinking, to do as we do or want to do. This one thing has been the curse of the ages and is a habit of most people whatever their activity or position in life. No one, however high in power or position, has the right to force others to his way of thinking, or to try to force them to believe as he does. Every man has free Will. Each man must assume responsibility for his own acts. Every man has the right to either destroy himself or build unto eternity. If we act justly and amiably toward our fellow men, if we offer help in time of need, if we point out the way when they seek, we build all these qualities into our Souls. If men fail to appreciate our efforts in their behalf, if they condemn and persecute us, we reap the reward while they reap the penalty. Our duty is done and that is all the Law demands. Doing the part assigned to us by the Law helps us to build our own Immortal Soul "unto eternity." When we become conscious that a righteous man is made to suffer by those of evil minds or malicious inclinations, we should shrink from sitting in judgment; it is not necessarily an indication that he is reaping the fruits of former sowing. It may well be that he is "laying up spiritual treasures in heaven" that will benefit him when he will be most in need. Even though there may be sorrow and suffering because of injustice, this is nowise an indication that the Soul is not climbing upward toward Conscious Individualization or that the heart within is not at peace. As you seek the solution to the mystery of life, analyze your thoughts before you give them an abiding place in your mind; remember that thoughts are as seeds; they create desire and desire does the sowing. The grain and fruit will ripen in due season and will be according to the sowing. Karma, the Law of Compensation, is the reaping of that which was sown by you and never that sown by any one else unless, as sometimes happens, you were the cause of his sowing. You do not reap another's sowing unless you are responsible for it or accept it as your own. You cannot excuse either a thought, a desire or an act under the plea that another was the cause of it, because you are not justified in hating anyone, irrespective of what that one may have attempted to do to you or caused you to do. Whatever others do, they must compensate for, must "pay to the utmost farthing" unless, as already said, you react to it in like manner. Ignorance will not excuse us for any thought, desire or act. If we are ignorant and therefore guilty of an undesirable act, we must suffer for it and as a result gain experience which will teach us the right from the wrong.

There are few so ignorant as not to sense the difference between right and wrong, good and evil; few sin in blindness. The violent commit violence because they love violence or falsely believe benefits will result to them from it. Those who are spiritually blind dwell in darkness because the darkness hides the evil of their desire. Every living being consciously or unconsciously seeks for, and clings to, that which is the dominant feeling within the innermost self. Love seeks love because it can harmonize only with love. Evil seeks that which is destructive because only in doing so does it find satisfaction. All the rules of life, every Law of being is written in the fiat: "Love ye one another." "Bear ye one another's burden." "Do unto others as you would be done by." Man requires no other Law. If he follows the spirit of this inculcation he will attain to the highest estate and accomplish all that the Saviors and Initiates of the past ages did. "Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart [let none but thy Soul dwell within the Temple], with all thy Soul, with all thy strength, and with all thy might," and it is certain that there can be no evil within the heart, no evil things come forth, no destructive thoughts find entrance there. Above your heart would be written as it was over the ancient temples of Initiation: DAMED BE HE WHO ENTERS HERE WITH EVIL INTENT. He who loves his fellow man, weak as he is, likewise to that degree loves his God and, to the same degree, builds an Immortal Soul. We may not condone the weakness and evil in other men, but we can love them for WHAT THEY MIGHT BE. It requires no effort on our part to love those who love us, who are good, kind, gentle and at our service. We naturally are drawn to them, gravitate to them, respond to their love; but it requires real effort to hush the critical, condemning, judging self and have a kindly feeling for the lowly outcast, the man engaged in deliberately destroying body and Soul. It is difficult to call him "brother" and offer to help him to reestablish himself in society and the good opinion of men. Nevertheless, it is through such efforts made in the right attitude of mind and feeling in the heart THAT WE ARE ABLE TO GAIN MOST FOR OURSELVES. Most of us are familiar with the story of the man who went down Jericho's road only to fall victim among thieves, who, stopping him, stripped him of all he possessed, wounded him and left him to die. Few of those who have read the story really appreciate what this Jericho road really means, even though all but a very few of us have fallen by the wayside of this same Jericho road. We are daily traveling this road. Thieves are continually lying in wait, watching for an opportunity to take from us all things of value. Little do we appreciate the fact that the sinful thoughts and destructive desires of the heart are the "thieves" and "robbers" taking from us all that is of real value, leaving us by the wayside, denuded of everything but the husks of life. Many have said that man is possessed of many devils. In a sense this is true. Every passion is a "devil" clamoring that we do his (its) bidding, that we satisfy the weakness or desire. Bunyan in his Pilgrim's Progress was correct in picturing every passion or evil within us as an animal clamoring for attention. The destructive forces which are part of us might almost be thought of as possessing personalities. Their influence upon us has the cunningness of demons who appear to

know just where the weakest point is in even the strongest and have the power to cause this weakness to betray us when we least expect it. Knowing this we yet permit ourselves to be the victim time and again. We indulge time after time in sinful pleasures but are never satisfied. Regardless of what man does to satisfy evil desires, sin (nonbeneficial desires) keeps right on demanding more and more. It is the usurer from whom we foolishly borrow money and who, having us in his power, demands interest on interest, and all the while we get deeper and deeper into his clutches until the interest is far greater than the total sum of the amount first borrowed. The evil passions within us are restless and ever in quest of a nameless something, like the wicked spirit spoken of in sacred literature: "It seeketh rest and findeth none." Constantly self-seeking, sapping our moral strength and power of resistance, taking from us all we possess and returning nothing to us but sorrow and regret. Sin consists in constantly doing things that have no constructive value for us or for humanity. These (sins) are the thieves waiting for us along Jericho (life's) road. Against these we must ever be on guard, fortified by a knowledge of just what they are and how dangerous to our welfare. The priest comes by the way, finds the victim which the thieves have left to die, but selfrighteously passes him by, taking the other side of the road. The wayfarer is the Soul journeying down life's pathway, fighting continually against the unrighteous desires of the flesh, the carnal man. The priest here is the bigoted selfrighteous mentality that refuses to offer help in other than the present accepted dogmatic, creed bound, usage-corroded manner. It is the mind that reverences the opinion of the world at large more than it loves the Soul within. This mentality of the hidebound orthodox is worldly-wise and heartless, cold and unmoved by misery and suffering. Its verdict is: "He did not comply with the edicts of church or common opinion so let him suffer." The Levite comes by; he stops only long enough to look upon the sufferer, then like the priest he also passes by. The Levite is the possessor of the proud, haughty, self-righteous mind, self-satisfied and seldom does more than to pause long enough to satisfy curiosity and offering the age-old, "I told you so." Then, after long last, approaches the despised Samaritan, an outcast from the association of good society, of the self-appointed guardians of smugness, misnamed goodness, that countless millions of self-righteous personalities who believe themselves saved by a blind faith irrespective of their unhallowed thought, unholy desires and acts in daily intercourse with other men. It is the Samaritan who, unacceptable to those entrenched in authority and generally unacceptable to society, is nevertheless possessed by a mind filled with kindness and compassion, ministers to the needs of the suffering and neglected Soul, who gives ear to the voice of sorrow and suffering and responds to the cry of distress. This Samaritan is the mind that has learned to think for itself. Unconsciously it performs righteous deeds without even a thought of what others may think or of any reward to be received. This is the mentality that will ultimately bring to birth the

Illuminated, Individualized Consciousness. It is the one of whom God will say: "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." The earnest, aspiring Soul does not seek either recognition or reward; the efforts made are in themselves rewards. It does not expect glory; it performs its duty for the sole reason that it is possessed with a longing to fulfill its destiny. It unconsciously does unto others as it would have others do unto it. The Nazarene was, or possessed such a Soul. He lived the truth BECAUSED HE LOVED THE TRUTH, so that others might profit by His works and His example. In the very beginning of His conscious existence He realized that man, as a Soul, cannot exist by the material breath of life alone. Worldly fame, glory and position, while desirable if honestly obtained, will not in the least help to build a Soul or bring it into Consciousness. These worldly possessions are like building a palace on a foundation of sand. The first real storm will wash away the foundation and the building, though beautiful in appearance, is destroyed. The Soul alone is eternal. If we build on this rock (the Soul) we will have built unto eternity. There are as many different Souls as there are bodies they inhabit. There are selfish, jealous, envious, malicious, hateful, resentful and cold but self-righteous Souls. All these are built on a foundation of sand. They exist for a day, then pass to be known no more. These Souls are not destroyed by God. He neither condemns, damns nor destroys them. If they are destroyed or lose personality, it is as a result of their own thoughts, desires and acts or lack of action; the sins of omission being as great as those of commission. God does not punish. He does not destroy. Man punishes himself. Man is either his own Savior or destroyer. "The Soul that sinneth it shall die." Could there be a plainer statement? NOWHERE IS IT WRITTEN: "The Soul that sinneth, it shall be destroyed by God." Fire and brimstone, the substances of the "hell" of orthodoxy, will burn up material substances, but have no effect upon that which is spiritual. The fire and brimstone, having the power to destroy the Soul, are created by the unregenerated mind and bring destruction to the Soul by starving it through refusing to supply it with the constructive material it needs: Love, compassion, kindness, generosity, forgiveness and the other emotions that have their domain in the heart. God neither countenances nor forgives evil; nor does He compromise with evil. He who compromises is lost. These are eternal fiats. The good in man's Soul either counterbalances the evil and "saves" him or the evil is greater than the good and is his destroyer. The Soul may reach a stage where it is momentarily balanced between good and evil, "weighed in the balance," as it were, but it cannot remain so for long. It must either push forward toward its righteous destiny of Cosmic Consciousness, or gradually retrograde. Nothing in nature can stand still for any length of time. In following Divine dictates, whether enunciated by the lowly Nazarene or the great Initiate Apollonius of Tyana, we soon learn that it is possible to overbalance, replace

evil by good, and thus build a Soul by deeds that benefit mankind and thereby build the Soul into Consciousness by deliberate effort. "Love ye one another" and "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" will gradually weaken and then sever every bond that has the power to bind you to the dead past or to the destructive evils of the present and help you to attain that freedom which is the rightful inheritance of every Soul that comes to earth. This is the "washing of your robes, making them white as snow, though they may have become as scarlet." He who wrote as John in Revelation tells us that those who wear robes of white are those who have succeeded in overcoming many errors. Man does not answer for the sins of others, nor for the hatred and wickedness of those who hate him. He suffers only for the deeds of which he himself is guilty or for the work he should have done or the services he failed to render to others less fortunate than he, and which might have started such others on the Path forward and upward. No man is or can become so truly and fully good as to remove the possibility of a temporary fall. He in whom abides truth and goodness may be tempted more frequently than the one in whom there is more evil. The man who is truly good may fall, but he will again rise through trials and tribulations that follow, and, readjusting himself, he becomes stronger than ever. No man has truly failed or fallen who will refuse to stay down, but arises and tries once more. Try, and try again, and you will succeed at last. That is the Law. We may pass through trials without sinning; nevertheless, the man who has sinned deeply and despite his experiences has developed the Will and strength to triumph over all that besets him is just as worthy as he who has sinned little but has been of little help to his fellow men. "Though your sins be as scarlet"; let this encourage you in your efforts to become free. All the tares a man may have sown are gathered together and then consumed by the fierceness of his own Soul's fire, will raise that Soul to greater enlightenment (Light) and build it to greater glory in the image of the Father. The Law of Compensation, the action of Karma, is absolute and cannot be set aside. God established the Law; we are judged by the Law. We must, and we will, reap that which we sowed; either now, soon, or in the distant future. Let nothing induce us to believe otherwise, lest it be the betrayal of our better self and to our own detrimen

Law of Compensation
by Swami Sivananda The law of compensation operates everywhere in Nature's phenomena. The seed breaks and a big tree appears from the seed. The tree comes out in accordance with the law of compensation. Fuel burns and is destroyed. But there is heat in accordance with the law of compensation. Many articles are cooked in the fire on account of the heat. If there is extreme heat in Bezwada, there is extreme cold in Mt. Kailas or Uttarkasi in the Himalayas. This is the law of compensation. If there

are ten scoundrels in a place, there are two Sattvic souls to bring compensation. If there is flood-tide at Puri, there is an ebb-tide at Waltair. This is the law of compensation. If there is day in India there is night in America. Peace follows a war and vice versa. Water becomes steam and the steam makes the engine move. The sulphuric acid in a jar of a battery is consumed but there is electricity produced in the bulb. You get light. This is the law of compensation. The law of compensation operates in the mental plane also. Every effect has a cause. Every consequence has an antecedent. There must be perfect balance between the cause and effect, between the antecedent and consequence. The law of compensation keeps up the balance, and establishes peace, concord, equilibrium, harmony and justice in Nature. Think deeply. Reflect and cogitate. You will notice that this law of compensation is operating beautifully everywhere in the phenomena of Nature. It is inexorable and relentless. No one can defy this immutable and irresistible law. If you do an evil act, you will reap a bad fruit in compensation. Sometimes a man complains: "God is unjust. I have always been a truthful man. I never do any wrong to anybody. I am always serving humanity. Yet I have this terrible disease, asthma." This is incorrect and unreasonable. You will have to connect the effect with the cause always. Whatever you suffer from may appear to be unjust. You may think that you do not deserve it at all. But if you try to find out the cause of this suffering, you will doubtless find that it is perfectly right and a just compensation. Then you will have satisfaction. Just try in a few cases. Then you will have no room for complaint or lamentation. You will understand the beautiful working of the law of compensation. The affairs of our lives are so very intricate and complicated that we find it difficult to trace the cause of the present suffering. Though we are not able to trace the cause, though we are not able to understand the working of the law, yet the cause is there. Our intellect is so feeble that it is not able to grasp the antecedent or cause of a suffering or event. A man may reap the fruit of compensation for his action either in this life or in the next. If we deny pre-existence and rebirth and take into consideration that life begins with this birth only and ends completely with the death of the body and there is nothing more, then it will be no compensation for the virtuous man who has done noble actions and for the wicked man who has done crimes. The chain of cause and effect, antecedent and consequence, will be broken abruptly. There will be terrible injustice everywhere. This cannot be. If you connect your present life with the past and the future lives, and then judge the present life from the standpoint of eternal life, then there will be perfect justice. Then there will be perfect compensation. Your present life has direct connection with the past and the future. There is perfect continuity of life all throughout, though you take several bodies. There is one common thread that runs through the whole soul-life of countless births. The life of the individual soul (Jivatma) consists of countless earthly lives. There is intimate connection between the past, present and future and the law of compensation operates with perfect justice and harmony. The physical body may change but the events and the law of compensation continue all throughout. Just as the daily life of a man has connection with the life of yesterday and the life of

tomorrow, so also one period of earthly life has intimate bearing with the previous and future lives. Then only will there be perfect justice and compensation. If you take an individual life as an isolated event that begins with the birth of the physical body and terminates with its death, you cannot find any correct explanation or solution for the affairs of life. You will be groping in darkness and despair. If the virtuous man who has not done any evil act in this birth suffers, this is due to some wrong act that he may have committed in his previous birth. He will have his compensation in his next birth. If the wicked man who daily does many evil actions apparently enjoys in this birth, this is due to some good Karma he must have done in his previous birth. He will have compensation in his next birth. He will reap the fruits of his evil actions in his next birth. He will suffer in the next birth. The law of compensation is inexorable and relentless. Your present life is nothing when compared with the whole soul-life. It is momentary. It is a mere fragment. Whenever you want to find out the cause or antecedent for anything, you will have to go deep into the affairs of the eternal soul-life. Then alone will there be perfect balance between the cause and the effect, between the antecedent and consequence. You will have to judge from a broad view of the eternal soul-life. The law of compensation embraces a wide range of the whole soul-life. Life does not end with the disintegration of this physical body alone. There is reincarnation. There have been countless previous lives also. You will have to take into consideration the widest view of the life of the soul. Then the line is quite clear. Then you will find a perfect, satisfactory solution for all the intricate and complicated affairs of life. Then there will be no room for grumbling or lamentation or misapprehension.

The Law of Compensation Napolean Hill Interviews Andrew Carnegie

(With thanks to Bob Proctor and Lanny Morton for generously providing access to this material!!) Napoleon Hill (author of Think and Grow Rich) is in Andrew Carnegies home. At the time of the interview Napoleon Hill is still a young reporter for a magazine and Andrew Carnegie is the wealthiest man in the world. Napoleon Hill: Mr Carnegie, most of the people I know, those who work for wages, or a salary, claim they are already doing more work than for which they are being paid. If this is true, why arent they doing a better job of influencing the wheel of fortune on their behalf to a greater extent? Why arent they rich as you are? Andrew Carnegie: The answer to your question is simple enough, but it has many angles, which I need to explain before you will completely understand it. In the first place if you will accurately analyse those who work for wages, you will learn that 98 out of a 100 have no definite plan or purpose greater than working for a daily wage. Therefore, no matter how hard they work or how much they do, or how well they do it, the wheel of fortune will turn on past them without providing them more than a bare living because they neither expect nor demand more. Ponder over this truth for a moment and you

will be better prepared to follow the logic of what I will present in the remainder of this lesson. The major difference between those who accept the limitation of daily wages sufficient only for a bare living and me is this. I demand riches in definite terms. I have a definite plan for acquiring riches. I am engaged in carrying out my plan and I am giving an equivalent in useful service to the value of those riches I demand while others have no such definite plan or purpose. Life is paying me off on my own terms. Its doing precisely the same for the person who asks no more than their daily wages. You see, the wheel of fortune follows the mental blueprint the person has set-up in their own mind and brings back to them in physical or financial measure an exact equivalent of that blueprint. Unless you grasp the full meaning of this statement of truth, you will miss the important portion of this lesson. There is a Law of Compensation through the operation of which a person may establish their own relationship with life, including the material possessions they accumulate. There is no escape from the acceptance of the reality of this law, for it is not a man-made law Napoleon Hill: I can understand your viewpoint Mr Carnegie. Stating the matter in another way, may we not say that every person is where they are because of the use they make of their own mind. Andrew Carnegie: You have stated the idea correctly. The major difficulty of most people who go through life poverty stricken is that they neither recognise the power of their own mind, nor make any attempt to take possession of their mind. That which a person can accomplish with their hands seldom brings more than a mere living. That which a person can accomplish through the use of their own mind will give them whatever they ask of life!