Karma — the activity of doing and being — is traditionally symbolized as a rope of many strands, holding the human self in the bondage of suffering. In the eight lectures included in this volume, Swami Rama analyzes the mechanisms of karma and the functioning of mind in order to demonstrate the kind of self-study each student of life must undertake to gain liberation, to attain freedom from the bondage of karma.

In the eight lectures included in this volume, Swami Rama offers a series of perspectives on mans most significant responsibility—that of self-understanding. Karma, the activity of doing and being , is symbolized as a rope of many strands, holding the self in the bondage of suffering and necessitating many reincarnations. The strands of the rope of karma are actions, thoughts, desires and the latent tendencies of personality which lie hidden in the depths of the subconscious mind. The effect of these constituent aspects of karma is to keep the mind in a state of constant agitation and outward-directedness in search of appeasement. The result is enslavement to the many objects, ideas, fantasies and pleasures which vie for the minds attention.

As long as the mind remains in this scattered and dissipated condition there can be no hope of freedom from karma. But in the pages of this book, Swami Rama analyzes the mechanisms of karma and the functioning of mind in order to demonstrate the kind of self-study each student must undertake to free himself from bondage.

Table of Contents:

Introduction

1. Living Experiences of the Dynamics of Karma

2. Dormant, Active, and Potential Karmas

3. How the Mind Creates Karmas

4. The Weaver of Destiny

5. Loopholes in the Law of Karma

6. The Propeller of Death and Birth

7. The Return of the Soul

8. Divine Birth: The Way of the Sages

9. Practices Leading to Heaven and Beyond

Excerpts: