‘You how to get rid of the karma of eating a chicken?’ I joked.
‘No,’ he said seriously, ‘the karma of my teenage years.’
I knew Harry’s history. Abused by both parents, in foster homes galore, he rebelled in his teens.
‘Prison became home,’ he said matter-of-factly. ‘My thing was stealing cars. And boats. I always got caught but didn’t care, and offended again and again. I was in most of the young offenders’ institutions, borstals, and prisons. The very first time I entered a prison gates, a screw was waiting, you know, a warder.' He doesn't think I know what a screw is. 'As I walked passed him, the screw smashed me in the face and broke my nose. Every day we were made to do press ups, and sit ups, and forced to run around the yard until we dropped. By the time we came out, we were real tough guys! It was even better, because there was a gym where we could train to get really hard!'
I nodded. I used to be therapy trainer for three South London prisons, including HMP Coldingley, a category 3 prison for murderers, and HMP Feltham for young offenders. I’d had many conversations with inmates on what they’d do ‘on the outside’. While some seemed genuine in wanting to reform, many seemed likely to return.
‘But now,’ Harry continued, ‘I’m a spiritual guy. I don't believe in a particular God, but certainly believe something's there. I want to help others, and make a difference to the world before I die. How can I get rid of the karma of my past?’
‘There are many ways to release karma,’ I began.
Harry interrupted, and said, smiling, ‘I’ve deeply forgiven myself of past wrong doings.’
‘Well done,’ I said. ‘That’s all you need.’
Harry is a genuine guy. If he says he forgave himself deeply, he has.
Harry is different. Most people never dream of forgiving themselves deeply - their negative emotions make it impossible. His deep forgiveness of himself will be positively noted, and voted on by the Gods of Karma.