A Promise

A Promise is a Voluntary Spiritual Commitment. This commitment
can be either mental or verbal. A Mental Promise is usually made to
ourselves, while a Verbal Promise is usually made to someone else.

A Promise that is made to someone else can be as simple as
agreeing to be somewhere at a certain Time, or it can be as serious
as committing our allegiance.

Promises made to ourselves range all the way from "New Year's
Resolutions" to commitments for Personal and Spiritual Growth.

A Promise is an Oath, a Spiritual Commitment, a Bond (it is Binding).
A Promise is our "Badge Of Honor".

Whether we make a Promise cavalierly, or seriously, does not alter
the fact that a Promise is a Voluntary Spiritual Commitment. When
we make a Promise we create a Karmic Event.

Many ancient sects took this matter so seriously that they
refused to take any oaths. They did not want to risk committing
to something that circumstances might prevent them from honoring.
They understood that any unfulfilled Promise, or Oath, they
involved themselves in created a Karmic Debt which could impede
their Spiritual Journey. Even today there are sects in which it is
against their Spiritual Beliefs to take an oath of any kind.

Refusing to take an oath does not make a person weak. To the
contrary, it makes a person strong. This kind of person does not
deal in lies, deceptions or untruths.

When this person gives his, or her, Word on something it is their
"Bond", their "Knot"!

In addition to a Promise that is a Pure Voluntary Spiritual
Commitment, there are promises of deception and promises
made while under duress.

A promise that is made to "trick" someone else into giving us
something we want is not a Promise. It is a Deception. A Deception
is a Premeditated Lie and it brings the greatest Karmic Retribution.
Persons who deal in deceptions bring tragedy not only to
themselves but to those they associate with. The Spiritual Traveler
avoids these types of persons as they are Traveling upon an entirely
different Path than that of A True Seeker.

A promise, or oath, made under duress is an Involuntary
Commitment. Duress is when we are "forced" to agree to
something that is in violation of our Divine Nature, Personal
Beliefs or our Free Will. However, this does not alter the fact that
we have made a commitment of some degree (albeit under threat)
and that we may still have to face some sort of Karmic Consequence.

In the end, it is important to always realize that a Promise is, in fact,
a Spiritual Agreement. And just like any other agreement we involve
ourselves in, we must be prepared to either Honor it or face the
Karmic Consequence!

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Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.

© copyright Joseph Panek 2009