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It is important to note that basic to this approach is the establishment of a strong moral structure and code of conduct. Again we see the relationship of morality, postures, breathing, control of the senses and control of the mind in achieving higher spiritual states of consciousness.
KARMA
And to these concepts let’s add another, that of karma: simply stated, we reap what we sow. In order to fully integrate spiritual and psychiatric theories we must be open to the possibility that our particular life situations, challenges, obstacles, failures and successes are influenced by forces other than those limited to this present life. There is the possibility that our consciousness has existed prior to this earthly life and will go on after it, and that this life is in large measure determined by previous ones.
The law of karma, of cause and effect, states that we are born to work out certain unfinished business from the past. The strengths and weaknesses with which we are born and which assure success or lead to failure are related to the way we led previous lives—to the choices we made and to our accomplishments and mistakes, our rights and wrongs. Our specific genetics and the environment into which we are born are the set of conditions we have earned, established now to provide us with a framework in which to overcome failures of the past as well as to profit from merits earned, as we journey toward transcendence of our earthly existence.
From our earthly level of consciousness, we may not be able to tell whether a life condition is in fact related to good or bad karma. For instance, being born into a wealthy family and endowed with physical strength may not offer the same chances for growth and learning as being born physically weak into a poor family—although most of us would certainly choose the former.
It is interesting to note here that Sai Baba tells us it is only on the earth plane that consciousness has the chance to evolve to the point of merging with the Godhead. He says there are an infinite number of dimensions of reality, but that only on earth can consciousness make such an evolutionary leap: from lower levels dominated by animal needs to higher consciousness in which the individual can merge with the universal. It is for this reason that yogis place great em-