Q: How is it that those who say they are spiritual do evil and hurtful acts? How do they justify this?

A: We can characterize seven major types of spiritual groups:

1. Practices of the Lower Astral Plane that Wiccans and Occult Initiates utilize
2. Practices of the First Cosmic and Supracosmic Paths that teach Occult practices to gain powers
3. Practices of groups that identify with a nucleus of identity, keep attention fixed on it, and transform it
4. Groups that advocate practicing love and holy virtues
5. Groups that teach discernment and wisdom
6. Groups that identify with the spirit and use it to unfold a Transcendental ensouling entity
7. Groups that coordinate unfoldment between spirit and ensouling entity at the cutting edge of spirituality

When we examine the karmic patterns that emanate from these traditions, we observe that:

• Types one and two generate primarily negative karma.
• Type three yields mixed positive and negative karma.
• Types four through six give rise to primarily positive karma.
• Type seven is mixed: this is dependent upon the karma that arises from the matrix of destiny karma and whether someone is concurrently operating from any of these other platforms.

Q: How can someone recognize he or she is involved with one of these negative karma producing groups?

A: There are several warning signs. Look for:

1. Thelema – This is the admonition to do whatever you want, regardless of how it might impact others.
2. Evasion of karmic responsibility – This shows up as entertaining ideas that your actions have no karmic repercussions if a certain altered state of consciousness is maintained while doing the action.
3. Permission to act on Lower Astral themes – The teaching condones, even encourages use of drugs, libertine and abusive sexuality, criminal acts, misuse of power, and spiritual enslavement of others.
4. Grandiose and narcissistic attitude –You come to believe that you are above the Karmic Law and you are superior to others.
5. Lack of empathy and compassion – You view only the personal outcome of the behavior for yourself without considering its impact on others.
6. Justification of evil deeds – You rationalize the commission of evil deeds as revenge, getting your just dues, or you are entitled to do, be, or have what you want, no matter who is harmed in the process.
7. Lack of repentance or remorse –You do not express any regret for engaging in negative actions that harm yourself or others.

The identification that leads to operating from types one and two must be broken.

• You need to make amends to those whom you have harmed.
• You must renounce the beliefs and behavior that lock these karmic impressions into place.
• You must give sincere repentance for each of your evil deeds must be made, together with resolving to never repeat them.
• You must stop any behavior that draws upon the energies of the Lower Astral.
• You must realign with the spiritual core of love and compassion, and release the desire to have power over others.

Continuing in this state of mind will continue to accrue negative karma. At a certain level of accretion of negative karma, this will devolve the ensouling entity at the cutting edge of spirituality.

Moreover, until this karma is resolved, you will be unable to pass into the Light of Liberation. These adharmic actions must be halted. You must remove these impressions from your mind and heart before you can become re-established in the harmony of Dharma.

Those wishing to learn more about the working of karma may enjoy our new eBook, Understanding Karma and Destiny. Those who wish to work on character reformation may enjoy our other new eBook, A Primer on Spiritual Ethics and Character