Dear Steve,
Would you be able to outline how a so called Guru or master would take away your karma?
In my understanding, karma is a system that ensures, one moves through all phases of development on this planet.
Balancing karma is very simple. Let go of all attachments, forgive, and ask for forgiveness.
Rah nam
"Even he with the worst of karma who ceaslessly meditates on Me quickly loses the effects of his past bad actions (karma). Becoming a high-souled being, he soon attains perennial peace." Bhagavan Krishna
Kriya is one such technique of meditation which hastens evolution and absolves the seeds of past actions
or karma. Just as there are ways to travel across Australia; By car by train or by jet. So there are ways to find your own divinity. Techniques of meditation given by a God Realized Master can shorten the trip and mitigate much bad karma. Compared to walking Kriya is like taking a jet airplane to your goal and destination.
Jitendra