Impromptu in Red: Bad-Action Blade Wheel. 16" x 10" | 41 cm x 25 cm. Smalti, porcelain, vitreous, framing spring clips, hardware, jasper.
Framed and photographed! So, about the bad-action blade wheel...
I read about a Tibetan Buddhist practice, My Bad-Action Blade Wheel, in Circling the Sacred Mountain, by Robert Thurman. It's been over a decade since I read the book, but I'll explain my interpretation of the concept and how I practice it.
A bad-action blade wheel is basically a kind of karmic balancing wheel. For example, let's say that I find out that a friend has spread negative gossip about me. I'm feeling hurt and angry. Instead of just lashing out, blaming, or feeling victimized, I say to myself:
That's just my bad-action blade wheel come full circle. I have treated others in a similar way in my past(s) and this is just a balancing-out of my bad karma. I am grateful to have balanced out some bad karma, and I pledge to never again cause anyone else the kind of pain and anger that I now feel.
Well, I find it to be a very good practice, with the keyword being practice. Of course, I'll still have to deal with my friend (or perhaps x-friend), but hopefully after I process the situation.