About Karma

What is Karma? Karma means action, work or deed; it also refers to the spiritual principle of cause and effect where intent and actions of an individual influence the future of that effect. For every action there will always be a reaction. Your thoughts and actions are powerful. They carry energy. They are like an echo. We have all taken a different path in life but somehow we are all linked. Whatever you do will always come back to you. Your thoughts and feelings shape the world within you. Your words and actions shape the world around you. You are constantly changing your world, little by little. Your actions create your future. What you are experiencing right now is what karma wants you to experience. Every feeling, every thought, has been prepared especially for you, so you can learn from your past. The reason your fate is never truly set is because you have free will. Therefore your future cannot already be written. That would not be fair. Life gives you chances. This is one of them. You can’t escape from your past, but learning from it will change your future. Good intent and good deed contribute to good karma and future happiness, while bad intent and bad deed contribute to bad karma and future suffering. Karma is closely associated with the idea of rebirth in many schools of Asian religions. In these schools, karma in the present affects one's future in the current life. With origins in ancient India, karma is a key concept in Hinduism, Buddhism Jainism, Sikhism, and Taoism. Karma is the executed "deed", "work", "action", or "act", and it is also the "object", the "intent" Karma is (1) the executed action as a consequence of that activity, as well as (2) the intention of the actor behind an executed action or a planned action. A good action creates good karma, as does good intent. A bad action creates bad karma, as does bad intent. Karma, also refers to a conceptual principle that originated in India, often descriptively called the principle of karma, sometimes as the karma theory or the law of karma In the context of theory, karma is complex and difficult to define. Karma theory as a concept, across different Indian religious traditions, shares certain common themes: causality, ethicization and rebirth. Different schools of Indologists derive different definitions for the karma concept from ancient Indian texts; their definition is some combination of (1) causality that may be ethical or non-ethical; (2) ethicization, that is good or bad actions have consequences; and (3) rebirth. Other Indologists include in the definition of karma theory that which explains the present circumstances of an individual with reference to his or her actions in past. The relationship of karma to causality is a central motif in all schools of Hindu, Jain and Buddhist thought. The theory of karma as causality holds that (1) executed actions of an individual affects the individual and the life he or she lives, and (2) the intentions of an individual affects the individual and the life he or she lives. Disinterested actions, or unintentional actions do not have the same positive or negative karmic effect, as interested and intentional actions. In Buddhism, for example, actions that are performed, or arise, or originate without any bad intent such as covetousness, are considered non-existent in karmic impact or neutral in influence to the individual. Another causality characteristic, shared by Karmic theories, is that like deeds lead to like effects. Thus good karma produces good effect on the actor, while bad karma produces bad effect. This effect may be material, moral or emotional — that is, one's karma affects one's happiness and unhappiness. The effect of karma need not be immediate; the effect of karma can be later in one's current life, and in some schools it extends to future lives.

The consequence or effects of one's karma can be described in two forms: phalas and samskaras. A phala (literally, fruit or result) is the visible or invisible effect that is typically immediate or within the current life. In contrast, samskaras are invisible effects, produced inside the actor because of the karma, transforming the agent and affecting his or her ability to be happy or unhappy in this life and future ones. The theory of karma is often presented in the context of samskaras.

Karmic principle can be understood, suggests Karl Potter as a principle of psychology and habit. Karma seeds habits (vāsanā), and habits create the nature of man. Karma also seeds self perception, and perception influences how one experiences life events. Both habits and self perception affect the course of one's life. Breaking bad habits is not easy: it requires conscious karmic effort. Thus psyche and habit, according to Potter and others link karma to causality in ancient Indian literature. The idea of karma may be compared to the notion of a person's "character", as both are an assessment of the person and determined by that person's habitual thinking and acting

The Law of Karma Karma is a Buddhist term which comes from Sanskrit and relates to fate and action. You alone are responsible for your actions. It is the law of cause and effect, an unbreakable law of the cosmos. You deserve everything that happens to you, good or bad. You created your happiness and your misery. One day you will be in the same circumstances that you put someone else in.

The Invisible Factor Do you really believe that when you leave this world there will be nothing? That you won’t exist? I’m not talking about religion. I’m referring to you, your soul, your mind. Call it anything you like. There will always be something left when you go. Those who fear leaving this world the most are the ones with regrets, the ones who hurt others. Let’s look at an example. Imagine a situation. Think of a person you don’t like. Think of a way to upset that person. Now imagine that you have executed your plan. You smile as you see this person feeling uncomfortable and eventually hurt and upset. You have just created “bad karma” for yourself.

You deliberately harmed someone. Your intentions were bad. It is intention that creates karma. Good intentions will always create “good karma”. You can hide your intentions from others but not from yourself or the universe. You are a small cog within many other cogs. When you move, you move all the other cogs.

You Will Never be Happy at Someone Else’s Expense

You came from the same source as everyone else. One day you will go back to that source. We all will. You will never be happy if you hurt those around you. When you think you are alone there are always observers. The most important one being you.

If you take away intention then there is no karma. If you genuinely didn’t mean to harm or hurt someone then the law of karma is now absent. It is your intention that invokes karma, good or bad. No one can violate natures law of karma.

You might well ask, what about those who have been bad? I see them doing so well! Where is their karma?

Some Secrets Echo Through Time

Karma is not linear (it does not operate in a straight line). The universe is complex, beyond human understanding. So is karma. You might think someone has escaped, but that is not possible as the video below explains.

You may be powerful or weak today but your destiny can be reversed at any moment. Your life can change in an instant. This happens to people every day.

Is Karma Real? Yes, karma is real. Karma is your bond to the past. Karma is a universal law. It cannot be broken. Karma teaches you and makes your knowledge of the world more complete. The universe wants you to understand the suffering of others. To do this you must experience life from many different perspectives. It is essential to understand why you did something and what the consequences were. A karmic experience allows you to reflect and correct your mistakes. It is only when you step into someone else’s shoes that you begin to really understand how they feel. You will continue to have the same experiences until you learn what others have felt and experienced because of you.

Your Future is an Echo of Your Past

Accept – Most people are fighting an inner battle against something you know nothing about. Therefore you must not judge them. You haven’t walked in their shoes. You don’t know what they have been through. They might have been abused, faced hardship or never been loved. If you judge, then you will be judged. Accept others as they are.

Forgive – Forgiveness relieves you from pain. It takes a great person to forgive. Revenge will harm you. Forgiveness does not mean you are happy with what was done to you. It means that you are kind and loving enough to move on. You will be setting a great example for others. Great things happen to those who forgive.

Be Grateful – Be grateful! This is so important. Did you eat today? Are you healthy? Do you have shelter? Those who are thankful are happy. Express your gratitude. It will give you inner peace.

Reflection – The good and bad you see in others also exists in you. What you see in others it is just a reflection of yourself. Always look for the good in everyone.

Energy – Give love and love comes back to you. The energy you send out ALWAYS comes back to you. If you radiate happiness and positive energy then that is what you will receive back. That is why when you are in a good mood the world seems so beautiful. You are sending out wonderful vibrations.

Reaction – If others need help and you give them very little then one day if you need help you will also receive very little. The way others behave towards you is their karma. The way you RESPOND will determine your karma.

Chance – By now you must have understood that nothing happens by chance. Everything happens so you can learn. The Buddha said, “The greatest achievement is selflessness“.

You Will be Tested on Everything You Say Any criticism you make will eventually be made against you. If you want to criticize others, be prepared to for them to scrutinize you. Judgement has a negative effect. The more you judge people the more you will be judged.

Be grateful, not arrogant for any abilities you may have that are better than someone else’s. A beautiful person becomes ugly when they put down those who are not like them. How can a person be blamed for the way they look? Who are we to judge? Everyone is beautiful in their own way.

There are no “other people”. We are all one. When you kick a tramp on the street you are kicking yourself. When you harm another, you are harming yourself. The law of karma transforms you into a better person. The more you are aware of the meaning of life, the fewer lessons you will need before you achieve your dreams. The repetition of lessons in your life is not punishment, it is help in learning for your future.

You Don’t Have to be Seen to Make a Difference Being kind to others is the same as being kind to yourself. Kindness gives others hope. Your inconvenience is minor if you stop to help someone. But for them it means a great deal. Kindness is the most valuable gift you can give to someone. It changes them. By lifting up someone in need you automatically lift yourself. In that instant, you make the world a better place.

Give without hesitating. You don’t have to be seen by others. You are being observed by the whole universe. Isn’t that enough? The most important part of your life will be the unseen random acts of kindness you performed.

You have free will. It is you who makes the final decision.