Forgiveness and Polarity

[Stranger]

Does one "accept" a punch in the face?

I don't. I return the punch and later forgive the person after a period of grumbling. That way, they have karma returned to them appropriately and I right myself with the oneness of the creation again.

If one prefers to be a punching bag and accept all things, I respect your decision though I may walk away shaking my head for a minute or so..

My understanding of karma is that if you punch me in the face, that's your karma and my catalyst. If I then return the punch, that's my karma.

We cannot neutralize karma by returning harm for harm. When we do that, Buddists would say we "spin the wheel of karma", i.e., build and perpetuate it.

Do it long enough on a social scale, and you get Middle East and a blind world (an eye for an eye). This wisdom is shared by most of the world's spiritual traditions.