Karma

Every moment of your life, you perform action – physically, mentally, emotionally, and energy-wise. Each action creates a certain memory. That is karma.

Sadhguru 

Karma is a vast topic and many spiritual gurus and yogis have written and spoken a lot about it. Nothing one says will be enough to fit in one blog or for that matter many blogs but that should not stop me from just penning my point of view as to how I view karma.

Karma affects our life in every way  from where we are born to our challenges, facial features, to every situation that happens to us to everyone we meet has a karmic significance. 

We constantly create karma from our thoughts, words and actions that we engage in consciously  as well as unconsciously because of our own ignorance. 

Karma or karm essentially means actions, work or deed and its effects or consequences. It refers to the principle of cause and effect where actions of an individual ( which is the cause) influences the future of an individual ( in other words effect). So this much used word karma is mostly understood as a system of checks and balances, debit and credit, good thoughts and bad intentions, good actions and bad deeds.

So, as an example while I am being sweet faced to my loved ones in actions  but carry loads of  negativity, grudges, ill feeling, resentments in my thoughts is also creating bad karma. 

 Good intent and good actions contribute to good karma and joyful rebirths whereas bad intent and actions lead to exactly the opposite 

Let me try and give you an real life example of karma that proves that what goes around does come around.

" On my way back home, an old lady asked me to give her a lift. It was quite hot so I decided to seat her in my car and dropped her to her destination. After driving a few kilometres, my vehicle ran out of petrol. All of a sudden an old man came and helped"

You will never understand the damage you did to someone until the same is done to you. That's why I am here

Karma 

I really understood this statement in my context when something not so good happened and despite the challenges involved in accepting the fact that this is because I must have done something in this life or in many lifetimes in my past, because of which I am struggling with what I am struggling. 

When the effects of karma continue across lifetimes as life is eternal and our past - present and - future is all linked, it causes rebirths. 

I am the owner of my karma. I inherit my karma. I am born of my karma. I am related to my karma. I live supported by my karma. Whatever karma I create, whether good or evil, that I shall inherit.”

Buddha 

So, if I have created bad causes, I can also create good causes by 

1)Choosing a path of kindness and compassion for self and others.

2) Working for others happiness. Mahatama Gandhi said "The best way to find yourself is lose yourself in the service of others". For example; One could donate time to a cause that we believe in (animal shelter is one such example), 

3) Bringing about a transformation in my deeds and thoughts.

4)Transforming our hearts full of negativity into something more positive and loving. 

5) Respecting the inherent dignity in each life.

6) Treating others like I would want to be treated. 

7) Taking responsibility of my own actions. 

8) Cultivating gratitude in our life. Being grateful for the meal in the table to the warm bed, to our family that helps and supports us in becoming the person that we are to the other aspects like our health. 

9) Letting go of all the baggage that is holding you down.

10) Taking new actions on a daily basis until they become a part and parcel of us 

These are just a few ways of creating good causes that we can practise and think of many more ways as well. 

Here's to becoming more aware of the karma that we create every minute of every day and working to keep our circle positive 🥳