arma held by some Western thinkers,
who received it from the Greek mystics and occultists, who in turn are
thought to have received it from ancient Egypt. These people hold that
the Law of Karma has naught to do with Man's theories of ethics, or
religious dogmas or creeds, but has as the basis of its operations only
Universal and Cosmic Principles of Action, applicable to the atom as
well as Man--to the beings above Man as well. And that these universal
principles of action have to do with the evolution of all things in
Nature, according to well established laws. And that the evolving soul
is continually striving to find the path along the lines of evolution,
being urged to by the unfolding spirit within it--and that that "path"
is always along the lines of least spiritual friction, and therefore
along the lines of the least ultimate spiritual pain. And that,
accordingly, Spiritual Pain is an indication to the evolving thing that
it is on the wrong path, and that it must find a better way
onward--which message it heeds by reason of the pain, and accordingly
seeks out for itself a better way, and one that will bring less
spiritual pain and greater ultimate spiritual satisfaction.

This teaching holds that all material things are a source of more or
less pain to the growing and evolving soul, which tends to urge it along
the line of the least spiritual resistence--the least spiritual
friction. It may be that the soul does not recognize the direction of
the urge, and insist in tasting this material pleasure (so-thought) and
then that--only to find that neither satisfy--that both are Dead Sea
Fruit--that both have the thorn attached to the flower--that all bring
pain, satiety and disgust--the consequence being that the tired and
wearied soul, when rested by the Lethal slumber, and then re-born has a
horror and distaste for the things which disgusted it in its previous
life, and is therefore urged toward opposite things. If the soul has not
been satiated--has not yet been pricked by the hidden thorn--it wishes
to go on further in the dream of material pleasure, and so it does,
until it learns its lesson. Finally, perceiving the folly and
worthlessness of materiality, it emerges from its cocoon and, spreading
out its newly found wings, takes its flight for higher planes of action
and being--and so on, and on, and on, forever.

Under this view people are not punished "for" their sins, but "by"
them--and "Sin" is seen to be me