Karma

“How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours.”
― Wayne W. Dyer

The law of karma is a spiritual principle that states that every action has a corresponding reaction. This means that the choices we make in this life will have an impact on our future lives. The law of karma is a central tenet of many Eastern religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, though it is mostly associated with Buddhist teachings.

There are many different interpretations of the law of karma, but the basic idea is that our thoughts, words, and actions create a spiritual energy that affects our lives. This energy is often referred to as “karma” or “karmic seeds.” Good karma leads to positive outcomes, while bad karma leads to negative outcomes. We generally think of karma as being on an individual level, but karma can happen on several levels that all affect us. Let’s look at some of the other levels.

The concept of karma is often associated with reincarnation and past lives, but even if you don’t believe in reincarnation, karma applies. Previous lives—if they exist—shouldn’t prevent you from learning and growing now. I’m sure The Buddha would agree with that, as would the Sanscrit writers of Hindu scripture.

Community Karma

“To a large degree, everyone who comes to us is under some “blanket,” we will call it. They are enshrouded by “karma,” as they call it in the East. They come to us with hereditary factors; they come to us burdened by the guilt of their family, of their own acts, of the nation. And they really have to live out those debts whether they want to or not.” ~ Gene Savoy, Sr.

“Not only have individuals their own Karma, but families, races, nations and worlds have their collective Karma. In the case of races, if the race Karma generated in the past be favorable on the whole, the race flourishes and its influence widens. If on the contrary its collective Karma be bad, the race gradually disappears from the face of the earth, …” ~William Walker Atkinson

Karma can happen on the level of a community or group you are part of. A community can be a religion, a town or city, a profession, a political party, etc. So if your religion shows negative feelings towards members of a certain race, religion, or sexual orientation, that karma can affect you, if you don’t agree with the group’s official stance. Of course, those who do agree will get more negative karma than those who don’t.

If your profession is making cigarettes or guns, that profession will give you negative karma. If you are in that profession simply because it is the only job you can find, your karma will be less than those who choose to be there, but there will still be some negative karma.

Of course, there can be positive community karma as well as negative. If you are part of a community that tries to help people or animals, that can give you positive karma that can counter some or all of your negative karma.

Instant Karma

Many people think that the only kind of karma should be instant karma, but it isn’t. They think that just when a jet airplane starts moving right after the engines are started, the reaction of karma should be the same, but karma is different, and the reaction can come long after the action. Nonetheless, there are cases of instant karma that help illustrate the reality of karma. You can see examples of this on some of those funny video reality shows. We see some guy push another person into a swimming pool, only to slip and fall in himself. You see someone trying to sneak up on a dog and scare it, only to have another dog get behind him and scare him with a bark. The example I always think of is the news story from some years ago where a guy who liked to fish from his boat got a major case of instant karma. This guy liked to fish, but he didn’t keep the fish and eat them, nor did he throw them back. He left the fish laying on the deck of his boat to slowly suffocate. One day, when he leaned over the side of the boat, a shark grabbed him and pulled him into the water, where he drowned.

Karma isn’t Punishment

“Situations seem to happen to people, but in reality, they unfold from deeper karmic causes. The universe unfolds to itself, bringing to bear any cause that needs to be included. Don’t take this process personally. The working out of cause and effect is eternal. ”~ Deepak Chopra

The law of karma is often misunderstood as a system of punishment and reward. However, it is more accurately seen as a system of cause and effect. The choices we make in this life have a direct impact on our future lives. If we choose to act with kindness, compassion, and wisdom, we will create positive karma that will lead to happiness and fulfillment. If we choose to act with cruelty, greed, and ignorance, we will create negative karma that will lead to suffering. Karmic law encourages us to be a better version of ourselves.

The law of karma, a version of the law of Cause and Effect is not a deterministic system. We have free will to choose our actions, and our karma is constantly evolving. However, the law of karma does suggest that our past actions have an impact on our present circumstances. If we want to create a better future for ourselves, we need to be mindful of our actions in the present. Karma cannot be avoided just by pretending you don’t have any, or by saying it doesn’t exist. We all have to deal with our karma if we want to make progress.

“I see people leaving the Community from time to time, perhaps not in great numbers, but leaving nevertheless, thinking that they can go right out into the world and pick up where they left off. I don’t know what brought them to this Community. I do know that many of them have what is called a “karmic debt.” I see that in their eyes. They cannot escape the realities of their karma, so called. They are going to have to face that some time. There is no escape. It is like trying to escape the canopy of air around the world or trying to escape the effect of day and night. You can’t.” ~Gene Savoy, Sr.

Practicing Karma

“Like gravity, karma is so basic we often don’t even notice it.” ~ Sakyong Mipham

“Not only is there often a right and wrong, but what goes around does come around, Karma exists, chickens do come home to roost, and as my mother, Phyllis, liked to say, “There is always a day of reckoning.” The good among the great understand that every choice we make adds to the strength or weakness of our spirits—ourselves, or to use an old fashioned word for the same idea, our souls.”
~Donald Van de Mark

There are many ways to practice the law of karma. One way is to simply be mindful of our thoughts, words, and actions. When we are mindful, we are more likely to make choices that are in alignment with our values. We can also practice karma yoga, which is the path of selfless service. Karma yoga teaches us that by serving others, we are also serving ourselves.

The law of karma is a complex and profound spiritual principle. The good thing about this great law is that it works both for good and bad. It can be a powerful tool for personal growth and transformation. If we understand the law of karma and how it works, we can make choices that will lead to a more fulfilling and meaningful life.

Here are some tips for practicing the law of karma:

• Be mindful of your thoughts, words, and actions (law of focus). Limit negative thoughts.
• Choose to act with kindness, compassion, and wisdom (law of humility, law of patience).
• Serve others selflessly (the law of growth, as well as the law of giving and hospitality).
• Forgive yourself and others (law of creation).
• Let go of attachment to outcomes (law of change).
• Trust in the process (law of connection).

The law of karma is a powerful force that can shape our lives. By understanding and practicing the law of karma, we can create a more positive and fulfilling future for ourselves. And the more positive we make our own life, the more positive we make the world. So don’t let previous actions prevent you from changing into something better. Past life experiences are not a path we must follow always. We can change and learn. Karma works!