Seneca's Daily Examination of Conscience

From the great Roman Stoic Philosopher, Seneca; one of the big three, along with Plutarch and Cicero, of Western Moral Philosophy. These three authors were indispensable reading in the West for over a thousand years and did so much to inculcate the refinements of culture and civilisation throughout Europe and America.

All our sense should be educated into strength: they are naturally able to endure much, provided that the spirit forbears to spoil them. The spirit ought to be brought up for examination daily. It was the custom of Sextius when the day was over, and he had betaken himself to rest, to inquire of his spirit: ‘’What bad habit of yours have you cured today? What vice have you checked? In what respect are you better?’’ Anger will cease, and become more gentle, if it knows that every day it will have to appear before the judgment seat.

What can be more admirable than this fashion of discussing the whole of the day’s events? How sweet is the sleep which follows this self-examination? How calm, how sound, and careless is it when our spirit has either received praise or reprimand, and when our secret inquisitor and censor has made his report about our morals? I makes use of this privilege, and daily plead my cause before myself: when the lamp is taken out of my sight, and my wife, who knows my habit, has ceased to talk, I pass the whole day in review before myself and repeat all that I have said and done: I conceal nothing from myself, and omit nothing: for why should I be afraid of any of my shortcomings, when it is in my power to say, ‘’I pardon you this time: see that you never do that anymore?

In that dispute you spoke too contentiously: do not for the future argue with ignorant people: those who have never been taught are unwilling to learn. You reprimanded that man with more freedom than you ought, and consequently you have offended him instead of amending his ways: in dealing with other cases of the kind, you should look carefully, not only to the truth of what you say, but also whether the person to whom you speak can bear to be told the truth.’’ A good man delights in receiving advice: all the worst men are the most impatient of guidance. (On Anger 3,36)


ps. there is a bit of a Seneca revival these days, check out what all the fuss is about:
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/2014/10/09/how-stoical-was-seneca/
http://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/series/CWLAS.html
https://www.amazon.com/Seneca-Six-Pack-Essential-Texts/dp/1530106311/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1477248587&sr=8-2&keywords=lucius+Seneca
https://www.amazon.com/Lucius-Annaeus-Seneca/e/B000APHM5G/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1477248664&sr=8-2-ent

Deepak Chopra - 3rd Global Conference on World Religions September 15 2016

On September 15, 2016, the 3rd Global Conference on World Religions after September 11 took place and a delegate from the Montreal Theosophy Project was duly dispatched to report on this momentous occasion. Despite the fact that scheduled Buddhist speaker Robert Thurman had to cancel as did  Native American speaker Phil Fontaine, all other speakers gave interesting talks and a refreshing theosophical spirit of open, eclectic, tolerant altruism was palpable throughout the day; we will be posting lecture reviews over the next few months...

Deepak Chopra on Science and Spirituality

Deepak Chopra gave a talk comparing and contrasting modern science and Advaita Vedanta philosophy with erudition, charm, wit, and warmth. He began sketching out the field of astrophysics and electro-chemistry, outlining the theories of dark energy and dark matter, particle and wave theory, poetically quoting Rumi:''We come spinning out of nothingness, gathering stars like dust.''

He then proceeded to question these fields by raising questions pertaining to cognitive science and theory of mind, stating that modern scientific fields are still struggling with what he terms the hard problem of consciousness: ''We do not know how we have mental and perceptual experiences'', adding, ''don't let science fool you just because it is very successful in creating technology''.
He then embarked on a summary sketch of the progress of science since the enlightenment period, ending with the quantum theories of Einstein, Bohr, Planck, Schrodinger, Dirac, Heisenberg as well as super-string theory. Musing on the immense progress in our understanding of the infinite expanses of astrophysics and the equally infinite minuteness of micro-chemistry, he wonders how we are to ''reconcile the micro to the macro''.

Making the interesting observation how modern scientific astrophysics theories on the fundamental causes of the formation of the universe seem to resolve into constructs that suspiciously resemble creation myths, he conclues that ''everything I told you doe not explain experience, which is all we have'' and ''we cannot explain consciousness on the basis of biology''.

Changing the focus at this point, he observes that ''if we start to reverse the way we think, if we change our ontological perspective, seeing consciousness as the fundamental experience, then we can begin to solve the problem'' and proceeded to embark on an accessible explanation of Advaita Vedanta philosophy, presenting such notions as ''we don't experience the body, we experience sensations, Tanmatras, in Vedantic terminology''; ''thought is a modification of consciousness''; ''the universe is what absolute consciousness looks like to itself when observed as a perceptual subject''. Quoting another poet, Tagore:''in this playhouse of infinite forms, I caught sight of the formless and so my life is blessed'' and again Rumi: ''Look at your eyes, they are so small and yet they see the whole galaxy''.

He notes that this transcendant reality can be grasped through self-reflection, with practices such as yoga. Returning to science, comparing theories of matter with Advaita notions of Maya,  he observes that ''we are the victims of the superstition of matter - no one has ever shown the existence of a substance called matter''.He pointed  out the limits of language using the example of the Buddhist Flower Sermon. Arriving at the crux of his argument, he observes how modern science balks at explaining the nature of thinking, cognition and consciousness, noting that this entails two possibilities: (either thinking, cognition and consciousness are) a hallucination, and that doesn't seem right; then if not a hallucination then they can't be material; therefore they must be out of space and time''. Hence, (referencing the Baghavad Gita), ''the real you is unborn and cannot die''.

Quoting the Vedic phrase ''Aham Brahmsi'', I am that I am, he later added that we are not the ego that the culture of narcissism  places so much value on and that we tend to sacrifice our souls for the sake of this selfish ego. As a remedy to this he proposes to listen to one's inner being and pay attention to who is listening, ''the presence you feel is the presence of your spirit or soul'', which is not the mind, and ''this presence that you feel is the presence that connects you with God''.

Chopra's lecture admirably succeeded in presenting the intricacies of modern science and ancient Indian philosophy in a contemporary language in a way that was understandable, interesting, and thought-provoking.

Theosophy Basics: Body, Soul, Spirit

Theosophy is known for its emphasis on seven principles; however, this concept can be simplified into a threefold division, often described as body, soul, and spirit. The interesting passage below gives a very theosophical description of this, with the holistic microcosm-macrocosm correspondence and, distinctive to Theosophy, a more modern-sounding scientific concept of spiritual evolution which correlates the Pythagorean Monad with an evolving soul, considered in atomic terms, with a traditional spiritual teleology. Note it is perhaps better not to consider the Paracelsian Three Spirits as identical with the Proclean Intelligible Triad, although of course they are related, the latter Triad corresponding to the later notion of the Triple Logos :

"Three spirits live and actuate man," teaches Paracelsus; "three worlds pour their beams upon him; but all three only as the image and echo of one and the same all-constructing and uniting principle of production.
The first is the spirit of the elements (terrestrial body and vital force in its brute condition);
the second, the spirit of the stars (sidereal or astral body — the soul);
the third is the Divine spirit (Augoeides)."

Our human body, being possessed of "primeval earth-stuff," as Paracelsus calls it, we may readily accept the tendency of modern scientific research "to regard the processes of both animal and vegetable life as simply physical and chemical."
This theory only the more corroborates the assertions of old philosophers and the Mosaic Bible, that from the dust of the ground our bodies were made, and to dust they will return. But we must remember that
" 'Dust thou art, to dust returnest,'
Was not spoken of the soul."

Man is a little world — a microcosm inside the great universe. Like a foetus, he is suspended, by all his three spirits, in the matrix of the macrocosmos;
and while his terrestrial body is in constant sympathy with its parent earth,
his astral soul lives in unison with the sidereal anima mundi. He is in it, as it is in him, for the world-pervading element fills all space, and is space itself, only shoreless and infinite.
As to his third spirit, the divine, what is it but an infinitesimal ray, one of the countless radiations proceeding directly from the Highest Cause — the Spiritual Light of the World?

This is the trinity of organic and inorganic nature — the spiritual and the physical, which are three in one, and of which Proclus says that
"The first monad is the Eternal God;
 the second, eternity;
the third, the paradigm, or pattern of the universe";
 the three constituting the Intelligible Triad.

Everything in this visible universe is the outflow of this Triad, and a microcosmic triad itself.
And thus they move in majestic procession in the fields of eternity, around the spiritual sun, as in the heliocentric system the celestial bodies move round the visible suns. The Pythagorean Monad, which lives "in solitude and darkness," may remain on this earth forever invisible, impalpable, and undemonstrated by experimental science. Still the whole universe will be gravitating around it, as it did from the "beginning of time," and with every second, man and atom approach nearer to that solemn moment in the eternity, when the Invisible Presence will become clear to their spiritual sight.

When every particle of matter, even the most sublimated, has been cast off from the last shape that forms the ultimate link of that chain of double evolution which, throughout millions of ages and successive transformations, has pushed the entity onward; and when it shall find itself reclothed in that primordial essence, identical with that of its Creator, then this once impalpable organic atom will have run its race, and the sons of God will once more "shout for joy" at the return of the pilgrim.
(Isis Unveiled, Vol. I, pp. 212-13)

Astrology : Autumn Equinox – September 22, 2016

The Light that Shines in the Darkness

Capping off the eclipse season six days after the Lunar Eclipse, we arrive at the third cardinal station of the year, the Autumn Equinox, marking the halway point of the astrological year, the begining of the descent into darkness prior to the return of the light at the Vernal Equinox. H. P. Blavatsky, following Skinner and Seyfarth, writes :

“According to solar months (of thirty days, one of the calendars in use among the Hebrews) all remarkable events of the Old Testament happened on the days of the equinoxes and the solstices; for instance, the foundations and the dedications of the temples and altars” (and consecration of the tabernacle). “On the same cardinal days, the most remarkable events of the New Testament happened; for instance, the annunciation, the birth, the resurrection of Christ, and the birth of John the Baptist. And thus we learn that all remarkable epochs of the New Testament were typically sanctified a long time before by the Old Testament, beginning at the day succeeding the end of the Creation, which was the day of the vernal equinox. During the crucifixion, on the 14th day of Nisan, Dionysius Areopagita saw, in Ethiopia, an eclipse of the sun, and he said, Now, the Lord (Jehovah) is suffering something. Then Christ arose from the dead on the 22d March, 17 Nisan, Sunday, the day of the vernal equinox [Seyf., quoting Philo, de Septen]––that is, on Easter, or on the day when the sun gives new life to the earth.'' (Collected Writings, XIV, p. 136) (French Masonic Scholar  Ragon mentions that the traditional Vernal Solar Eclipse Easter symbolism corresponds to the Autumn Lunar Eclipse, La messe, P. 382).

Ragon further explains, regarding the Autumn Equinox, ''on that day, the Sun advances into the Southern Hemisphere and consequently gets farther from us who inhabit the Northern Hemisphere; also, from our standpoint, the days become shorter, the earth no longer produces, and, each day, it loses more of its color.

All these events, as natural as they are necessary, have given rise to different allegories that are very ingenius and spicy. The oldest and most universal is the battle between the Sun and the Prince of Darkness, fixed at the autumn equinox  and in which the latter gains the victory.

It is at the same period that is related the death of Osiris, of Mithra, of Bacchus, of Adonis, of Attis and all of the allegorical represetatives of the Sun, that are made to descend and sojourn in Hell, until their ressurection, fixed at the Spring Equinox. (Ragon, La Messe, p. 382)

Spacey, Argumentative Grand Cross

In the week since the lunar eclipse, most of the cranky, hazy aspects have faded somewhat, the main difference is that the Moon (in Gemini) has moved into an opposition with Saturn (in Sagittarius) neatly forming a Mutable Grand Cross with  Mercury (in Virgo) and Neptune (in Pisces). The Moon can be considered the hot angle in this configuration, giving a very social, trippy, emotional mood challenged by critical, rigid, argumentative issues from the other angles, thereby giving dynamic possibilities for dealing with relationship and social issues. Of course this configuration onlys last for a few hours, but can be quite powerful. Moreover, Mercury stationed direct only one day prior, and so the possibilities for misunderstandings, mishaps and malfunctions are still quite strong.

Old Wounds

Things get complicated though; there are two additionnal oppositions that pump up the intensity even more. There is a Moon/Mars opposition that gives a combative edge to the talkative Moon in Gemini and one can also consider Mars to be at the apex of a T-Square with a Jupiter/Sun conjunction (in Libra/Virgo) and a retrograde Chiron (in Pisces). This can indicate dealing with old wounds and self-esteem issues that will come to the surface around this time, in a very ego-centered manner. (It might be good to have some self-confidence, forgiveness and optimism-boosting strategies on hand, be it a Frank Capra film, a book of Roman Stoic sayings, a Mozart symphony,...whatever works for you.)

Creative, Cooperative Mystic Rectangle

Every cloud has a silver lining, as the saying goes, and amidst all these oppositions, we are graced with a sociable Mystic Rectangle connecting the Venus angle of the Mystical Rectangle to the Grand Cross via the Moon/Mars opposition; the other opposition of the rectangle being Venus/ Uranus (in Aries). This can mean personal relationships can become emotionally conflicted, but with the friendly Moon, Venus, Mars and Uranus Trines and Sextiles forming a favorable safety valve for original, creative, cooperative solutions. (Hopefully, this will allow UN relief efforts to enter Syria and the Peace Efforts to advance: http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/19/middleeast/syria-ceasefire-7-days/)

In about a week after this, the positive Sun, Jupiter and Mercury in Libra vibrations should kick in and the ensuing two months look to be the smoothest period of the year; so the Mystic Rectangle could be seen as an optimistic note for a calmer period prior to a stormier Winter Solstice.

 

Astrology: Penumbral Lunar Eclipse, September 16, 2016

Tests, Trials, and Tribulations
With three T-Squares with Saturn, Mars, Pluto at the apexes all within 35% of each other, this looks to be a very intense eclipse, like Hercules having to face Cerberus, the three-headed dog before descending into Hades, a step necessary for his spiritual initiation.  The Solar Eclipse was fairly intense, but quite clear and straightforward, whereas this one is similar, but more volatile, fuzzy, and complex. Hot on the heals of Jupiter's boisterous entry into Libra (September 9) and an exact Saturn/Neptune square (September 10), one could consider this period to be the beginning of a shift in the mood of planetary configurations that have marked 2016 so far. The motion of Mars in retrograde has limited its passage to Scorpio and Sagittarius all year and so its move into Capricorn in a few weeks will be another welcome change, although Mars still has important conjunctions with Pluto and Neptune, so combative Mars will continue to be a significant force all of this year.

Intense Intellect
Mercury (in Virgo), with still a week to go in retrograde motion, forms a stellium with the Sun, Jupiter and the North Node and is in opposition to both and Neptune and the Moon (in Pisces) along with squares with Mars and Saturn (in Sagittarius) and a trine to Pluto (in Capricorn). This could make for a very dynamic, talkative, critical, outgoing motivation for rational precision that feels hampered by strong but vague feelings and intuitions. This give a lot of energy for ambitious problem-solving resolutions such as the current Syrian diplomatic strategy and can be successful if excessive zeal is kept in check. (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/12/syria-seven-day-ceasefire-begins-violence)

Sensitive Emotions
Although well-situated in warm, intuitive, sensitive Pisces, the Full Moon does not benefit from any easy aspects and so has to contend with the Jupiter, Sun, Mercury oppositions and Saturn, Mars squares alone, except for a conjunction with a retrograde Chiron, which only adds to the sensitivity factor. The ever-present Neptune in the same sign, with the longstanding trine to Pluto does give an underlying spiritual inspiration to the mix.

Assertive Leadership
Pluto's trines with the Sun and Mercury means that Pluto is giving support in dealing with the five planets in opposition along the Virgo-Pisces axis. This could give something like a strong desire to engage in altruistic service to worthy causes, but with disagreements and conflicts due to power struggles and rigid attitudes. The Pluto, Venus, Uranus T-Square could give some pretty freaky behaviour, or ideally, focused, creative, and cooperative problem-solving.

Although something of a portent of new planetary patterns, this eclipse deals with similar challenges seen during most of the year with the long-standing, recently dissolved Saturn/Neptune/Jupiter T-square and so is quite complementary to the earlier Spring eclipse at the equinox. There seems to be a strongly polarized opposition between an active, critical, rational force and a meditative, sensitive, intuitive force. Achieving a balanced measure between these two energies would be ideal, albeit challenging. And there are the other oppositions of optimism/pessimism, realism/idealism, control/freedom, conservatism/revolution, practical/mystical that involve all of the aspects with the outer planets making this eclipse a critical point in achieving a balance with these issues.

Although the easy aspects are a little sparse here, there is a tremendous amount of energy that can be put to good use. Probably a key strategy would be a balanced handling of the positive Mars and Pluto aspects, which could be a kind of Karma-Yoga approach (placing duty above personal benefit) to a strong, proactive sense of leadership. Therefore qualities of selflessness, inclusiveness, fairness, listening to others in a open, cooperative way could help balance the inherent gung ho tendencies at play here.

It is probably preferable not overextend oneself on this day and the good traditional Asian advice of fasting, chastity and copious bathing/showering at this time would be most beneficial. Peace.

Theosophics Basics: Karma, part 2 of 2

7- Karma operates on three planes (physical, psychical, and spiritual)
Karma is considered to operate on the five lower planes. In simpler terms, it can be considered from three levels: the physical, psychic and spiritual, that is pertaining to the act, the intention and the underlying harmony:

As a necessary consequence of the septenary division of man, it is evident that we are capable of generating force on different planes of existence. The consideration of the working of Karma on all these planes is too complicated to be treated of here, and we shall, for the sake of convenience, adopt the trinitarian division. In this view of the case the Karma of an individual is divisible into three classes, physical, psychical, and spiritual. 

The physical Karma would be the act itself; the psychical Karma, the intention or the mental counterpart of the act; the spiritual Karma has relation to the harmony underlying all Nature. From the law of spiritual dynamics, elsewhere stated, it is clear that this classification is in the order of ascending power. The Karmic value of an act is the resultant of these three sets of forces. (Chatterji/Holloway, Man, Fragments of a Forgotten History, 124)

8- There are three types of Karma

The Theosophical perspective follows Hindu philosophy in dividing Karma into three groups:

First — that which has not begun to produce any effect in our lives owing to the operation on us of some other karmic causes. This is under a law well known to physicists, that two opposing forces tend to neutrality, and that one force may be strong enough to temporarily prevent the operation of another one. This law works on the unseen mental and karmic planes or spheres of being just as it does on the material ones. (Ocean 93)
Second — that karma which we are now making or storing up by our thoughts and acts, and which will operate in the future when the appropriate body, mind, and environment are taken up by the incarnating Ego in some other life, or whenever obstructive karma is removed. (Judge, Ocean of Theosophy ,94)
Third — that karma which has begun to produce results. It is the operating now in this life on us of causes set up in previous lives in company with other Egos. And it is in operation because, being most adapted to the family stock, the individual body, astral body, and race tendencies of the present incarnation, it exhibits itself plainly, while other unexpended karma awaits its regular turn. (Ocean 94)

9- Karma is collective

Like reincarnation, although explained on an individual basis, the law of Karma is based on the idea of non-separateness, hence the idea of the interdependance of humanity. So Karma is considered to be distributive. There is national Karma and global Karma which is composed of the sum total of individual Karma. Each person has a degree of responsibility for the conditions of the environment one lives in and one’s individual Karma cannot account for all the conditions one is born in:

 It is held as a truth among Theosophists that the interdependence of Humanity is the cause of what is called Distributive Karma, and it is this law which affords the solution to the great question of collective suffering and its relief. It is an occult law, moreover, that no man can rise superior to his individual failings, without lifting, be it ever so little, the whole body of which he is an integral part. In the same way, no one can sin, nor suffer the effects of sin, alone. In reality, there is no such thing as "Separateness"; and the nearest approach to that selfish state, which the laws of life permit, is in the intent or motive. (Blavatsky, Key 202)

10- Karma operates through the cycles of nature and human evolution:
It is true, on the other hand, that the exoteric cycles of every nation have been correctly made to be derived from, and depend on, sidereal motions. The latter are inseparably blended with the destinies of nations and men. But in their purely physical sense, Europe knows of no other cycles than the astronomical, and makes its computations accordingly. Nor will it hear of any other than imaginary circles or circuits in the starry heavens that gird them —
“With centric and eccentric scribbled o’er
Cycle and epicycle, orb in orb . . .” (Secret Doctrine I, 645)

11-Awareness of Karma is essential for spiritual progress

Karma points to the path of ethics and responsibility and also a spiritual path. By listening to one’s inner voice, one can transform the outer person and avoid being lead astray by the inner astral being and thus elevate oneself to one’s ideal celestial prototype, the choice of one’s orientation is intimately connected with Karma:
 Those who believe in Karma have to believe in destiny, which, from birth to death, every man is weaving thread by thread around himself, as a spider does his cobweb; and this destiny is guided either by the heavenly voice of the invisible prototype outside of us, or by our more intimate astral, or inner man, who is but too often the evil genius of the embodied entity called man. Both these lead on the outward man, but one of them must prevail; and from the very beginning of the invisible affray the stern and implacable law of compensation steps in and takes its course, faithfully following the fluctuations. When the last strand is woven, and man is seemingly enwrapped in the net-work of his own doing, then he finds himself completely under the empire of this self-made destiny. It then either fixes him like the inert shell against the immovable rock, or carries him away like a feather in a whirlwind raised by his own actions, and this is — Karma. (Secret Doctrine I, 639)

12- Karma can be improved through human cooperation

This state will last till man’s spiritual intuitions are fully opened, which will not happen before we fairly cast off our thick coats of matter; until we begin acting from within, instead of ever following impulses from without; namely, those produced by our physical senses and gross selfish body. Until then the only palliative to the evils of life is union and harmony — a Brotherhood in actu, and altruism not simply in name. The suppression of one single bad cause will suppress not one, but a variety of bad effects. And if a Brotherhood or even a number of Brotherhoods may not be able to prevent nations from occasionally cutting each other’s throats — still unity in thought and action, and philosophical research into the mysteries of being, will always prevent some, while trying to comprehend that which has hitherto remained to them a riddle, from creating additional causes in a world already so full of woe and evil. Knowledge of Karma gives the conviction that if
“. . . . virtue in distress, and vice in triumph
Make atheists of mankind,”* (Secret Doctrine I, 644)

Theosophy Basics: Karma, Part 1/2

Karma, Kismet, Fate, Providence, Destiny all of these terms point to a more or less intuitive belief that in an underlying sense of justice and harmony in life and that we do not live in a nihilistic world of random, hapharzard causality. A fundamental doctrine in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, it is similar to the western term of Providence, (Greek=Pronoia), a term that was greatly discussed in ancient western philosophy.

1-Karma is the Ultimate Law

The Theosophical world view places a primordial importance on the concept of Karma, considering it the ultimate law, the one law which is pervasive throughout the manifested world:

As I have said, we consider it as the Ultimate Law of the Universe, the source, origin and fount of all other laws which exist throughout Nature. Karma is the unerring law which adjusts effect to cause, on the physical, mental and spiritual planes of being. As no cause remains without its due effect from greatest to least, from a cosmic disturbance down to the movement of your hand, and as like produces like, Karma is that unseen and unknown law which adjusts wisely, intelligently and equitably each effect to its cause, tracing the latter back to its producer. Though itself unknowable, its action is perceivable. (Key to Theosophy, 201)

2- Karma functions on several different levels
William Q. Judge gives the following succinct definition, presenting  the two basic notions of Karma as a moral law and Karma as the general law of cause and effect.:

Applied to man's moral life it is the law of ethical causation, justice, reward and punishment; the cause for birth and rebirth, yet equally the means for escape from incarnation. Viewed from another point it is merely effect flowing from cause, action and reaction, exact result for every thought and act. It is act and the result of act; for the word's literal meaning is action. Theosophy views the Universe as an intelligent whole, hence every motion in the Universe is an action of that whole leading to results, which themselves become causes for further results. Viewing it thus broadly, the ancient Hindus said that every being up to Brahma was under the rule of Karma. (Ocean of Theosophy, 89)

3- Karma is the essential principle of Harmony

Although ascertaining the specific nature of the cause and effects of Karma is difficult, it can be basically understood as one of harmony:

For the only decree of Karma — an eternal and immutable decree — is absolute Harmony in the world of matter as it is in the world of Spirit. It is not, therefore, Karma that rewards or punishes, but it is we, who reward or punish ourselves according to whether we work with, through and along with nature, abiding by the laws on which that Harmony depends, or — break them.(Secret Doctrine I, 643)

4-Karma is the Law of Universal Justice
Therefore, on the human plane, Karmic law is one of justice which punishes the wrongdoers and rewards the virtuous with complete impartiality:

 But if you ask me to define its effects and tell you what these are in our belief, I may say that the experience of thousands of ages has shown us that they are absolute and unerring equity, wisdom, and intelligence. For Karma in its effects is an unfailing redresser of human injustice, and of all the failures of nature; a stern adjuster of wrongs; a retributive law which rewards and punishes with equal impartiality. It is, in the strictest sense, "no respecter of persons," though, on the other hand, it can neither be propitiated, nor turned aside by prayer. This is a belief common to Hindus and Buddhists, who both believe in Karma.  (Key 198)

5-Karma is aTranscendent and Impartial Power
It can be considered to be governed by a higher spiritual power:

What we believe in, is strict and impartial justice. Our idea of the unknown Universal Deity, represented by Karma, is that it is a Power which cannot fail, and can, therefore, have neither wrath nor mercy, only absolute Equity, which leaves every cause, great or small, to work out its inevitable effects. The saying of Jesus: "With what measure you mete it shall be measured to you again" (Matth. vii., 2), neither by expression nor implication points to any hope of future mercy or salvation by proxy. This is why, recognising as we do in our philosophy the justice of this statement, we cannot recommend too strongly mercy, charity, and forgiveness of mutual offences. (Key 199-200)

6- The notion of Karma is the foundation of ethics
The doctrine of Karma has pre-eminently served as a basis for ethics and the Theosophical approach likewise proposes the notion of Karma as a key to ethics based on responsibility and peace:

We cut these numerous windings in our destinies daily with our own hands, while we imagine that we are pursuing a track on the royal high road of respectability and duty, and then complain of those ways being so intricate and so dark. We stand bewildered before the mystery of our own making, and the riddles of life that we will not solve, and then accuse the great Sphinx of devouring us. But verily there is not an accident in our lives, not a misshapen day, or a misfortune, that could not be traced back to our own doings in this or in another life. If one breaks the laws of Harmony, or, as a theosophical writer expresses it, “the laws of life,” one must be prepared to fall into the chaos one has oneself produced. For, according to the same writer, “the only conclusion one can come to is that these laws of life are their own avengers; and consequently that every avenging Angel is only a typified representation of their re-action.” (Secret Doctrine I, 643)

Part 2