The Pali term Karma literally means ‘action or doing’. Any kind of intentional action whether mental, verbal, or physical, is regarded as Karma. It covers all that is included in the phrase “thought, word and deed”. Generally speaking, all good and bad action constitutes Karma. In its ultimate sense Karma means all moral and immoral volition. Involuntary, unintentional or unconscious actions, though technically deeds, do not constitute Karma, because volition, the most important factor in determining Karma, is absent.
The law of karma refers to the law of ‘cause and effect’ that every volitional act brings about a certain result. You consume alcohol, you get drunk, you eat that slice of chocolate cake, your hips grow, You reap what you sow, if we plant an apple seed, the tree that grows from it will bear apples, not mangoes. And once the apple seed is planted, no amount of manipulation or beseeching or complaining will induce the tree to yield a mango. The only meaningful action that will produce a mango is to plant a mango seed and that is in effect the law of cause and effect, if you fart be sure you will smell it!
Every volitional action of individuals, are called Karma. Karma does not necessarily mean past actions. It embraces both past and present deeds. Hence in one sense, we are the result of what we were; we will be the result of what we are. If you want to understand how you are as you today are look to your past, and if you want to know what you will look like in the future observe yourself today. But In another sense, it should be added, we are not totally the result of what we were; we will not absolutely be the result of what we are, we will still get ill, old and die, nothing we can do today can avoid that. The present is no doubt the offspring of the past and is the present of the future, but the present is not always a true index of either the past or the future; so complex is the working of Karma.
Karma is neither fate, nor predestination imposed upon us by some mysterious unknown power to which we must helplessly submit ourselves. It is one’s own doing reacting on oneself, and so one has the possibility to divert the course of one’s Karma to some extent. How far one diverts it depends on oneself.
There are various types of Karma but they can all be divided into two meanings of karma universal and psychological. Universal dealing with-We are born into certain circumstances, cultures, places on earth, wealth or poverty, with specific genetics, talents and drawbacks. We don’t have any control over these circumstances, it is a universal law, in the same way that gravity is a law of nature. If you jump off a skyscraper, you will very likely die, and if you harm someone, you will be hurt at some point. Science has discovered that everything in nature obeys laws. These natural laws are impartial and indiscriminate
It is the Psychological meaning that I wish to concentrate on and this deals with events and occurrences that are dependent of you. The law of karma amounts to intentional actions of body, speech and mind, all of which have psychological consequences for the cause such that good actions bring positive experiences in their train, and bad actions bring negative experiences. For instance, if I make a habit of giving to the needy, then this generosity has certain consequences: I feel happier, because my concern has been habitually directed beyond myself, I feel inspired, because my giving identifies with my true self, I feel my life has more meaning, because my generosity has brought me into connection with a general sense hence the saying it is better to give than to receive.
Conversely, if I make a habit of fiddling my tax-return and stealing packets of coffee and milk from work, then there will be certain consequences, I feel unhappy, because of the edge of anxiety that HMRC will catch up with me, or the kitchen manager at work will notice my theft; I feel more anxious, as I need to be careful who I am honest with at work, I look at everyone and wonder if they know of my spiriting away trick of coffee and milk or I suspect people are talking behind my back, my life becomes a struggle, because I’m not able to relax into every moment with a good conscience, I stop socialising and making friends.
The Psychological law of karma can be understood on two levels, which indicate the vast scope of its implications in our lives. On one level, karma refers to the experience of cause and effect over a period of time. We perform an action, and sometime later we begin to experience its results. We plant a mango seed, and many years later we taste the mango fruit.
The other level of understanding karma has to do with the quality of mind in the very moment of action. When we experience a mind state of love, there comes naturally, along with it, a feeling of openness and love that is its immediate fruit; similarly, when there are moments of greed or hatred, in addition to whatever future results will come, we also experience the painful energies that arise with those states. Our direct awareness of how the karmic law is working in each moment can be a strong motivation to develop skillful states of mind that create happiness for us in the moment, as well as produce the fruit of well-being in the future
Another dimension of the law of karma helps in understanding how individual personalities develop. While it is true that there is no enduring entity, no unchanging self that can be called “I,” it is also quite obvious that each of us is a uniquely changing and recognisable pattern of elements.
This comes about because each of us has in our own way, both consciously and unconsciously, cultivated different mind states. If we cultivate loving, kindness, we experience its taste in the moment and at the same time are strengthening it as a force in the mind, making it easier for it to arise again. When we are angry, we experience the suffering of that anger as present karma and are also strengthening that particular pattern of mind. Just as we condition our bodies in different ways through exercise or lack of it, so we also condition our minds. Every mind state, thought, or emotion that we experience repeatedly becomes stronger and more habituated. Who we are as personalities is a collection of all the tendencies of mind that have been developed, the particular energy configurations we have cultivated.
We tend not to pay attention to this conditioning factor of our experience, thinking instead that once an experience has passed it is gone without residue or result. That would be like dropping a stone in water without creating any ripples. Each mind state that we experience further conditions and strengthens it. Just observe how people react at occurrence of innocent events previously they would not have noticed after experiencing locally or remotely at a terrorist attack.
No matter how insignificant a deed may appear, it does condition a future result, it also reconditions the mind. If a moment of anger arises in the mind and we get lost in it, we are then actually cultivating anger. If we get lost in greed, we are cultivating greed. Little by little we strengthen, the little moment may appear insignificant but could grow to affect future out comes remember a tiny drop of water looks insignificant and it does not matter. Yet drop by drop will fill a bucket!
All our suffering is relational and rooted in three poisons, greed, hatred, and ignorance- Greed conceals anxiety and fear of tomorrow’s loss and sadness or grief regarding yesterday’s loss, Hatred hides anger and aggression toward others which finally result in clinical depression by self-blame, pity, remorse and guilt. While Ignorance especially that of the illusion we create of the self/ego or soul.
Just as no one is needed to ensure apples fall due to the natural law of gravity, karma needs no police, even as it “polices”. Karma does not judge, though it has natural effects deemed good or evil by us, as determined by our corresponding intentions and the attitude with which we experience these effects.
We can use Karma in our lives by observing the following 12 ‘LAWS’
- THE GREAT LAW
“As you sow, so shall you reap”. This is also known as the “Law of Cause and Effect”. Whatever we put out in the Universe is what comes back to us. If what we want is Happiness, Peace, Love, Friendship and even Affluence, then we should be Happy, Peaceful, Loving, be a true friend, be grateful for what we have and give more than you receive.
- THE LAW OF CREATION
Life doesn’t just happen, it requires our participation, we are one with the Universe, both inside and out, and whatever surrounds us gives us clues to our inner state. The people around you are a reflection of yourself, your possessions, likes hates all reflect you. Take a look around, if you like what you see around you, be thankful and grateful, if not start making changes – remember birds of a feather flock together.
- THE LAW OF HUMILITY
Whatever one resists, persists in their life. Resistance feeds too much energy into unwanted things. This is sometimes called ‘Denial’. What you choose not to see that may be happening in your life becomes most difficult to deal with. Awareness is the key to change. Similarly, what you refuse to accept will also continue for you. Learn to forgive including yourself, Moving into the role of the observer of your life will always help you accept more clearly that which is tugging on your soul. Clarity comes when light is allowed to come in and shine.
- THE LAW OF GROWTH
“Wherever you go, there you are”. For us to grow spiritually, it is we who must change, not the people, places or things around us. We can only grow from what we know, the only constant is the inner you everything else including your body is all in constant change. Learn to open you mind and develop into what you want to become in the future. When we change who and what we are within our heart our life follows suit and changes too.
- THE LAW OF RESPONSIBILITY
Whenever there is something wrong in my life, there is something wrong in me, we mirror what surrounds us and what surrounds us mirrors us; this is a Universal Truth. We must take responsibility what is in our life. If something is not pleasing you, start making changes, do not expect others to make changes for you.
6. THE LAW OF CONNECTION
First connect with yourself – Understand yourself and develop confidence in your skills, knowledge, and ability to share those with other people
Then look to connect with everything else. Something we do may seem inconsequential, remember each step leads to the next step, and so on and so forth, and it is for the first step you took that you are now running.
Even when something comes to manifest in our world that seems to be disconnected with our reality, we must understand that everything in the Universe is connected. Each stage of life is directly connected to the next stage. The Past, present, and future are all one when we are expressing our internal world through correct action
7. THE LAW OF FOCUS
To experience profound transformation in any area of your life, you must first become conscious of the truth that the circumstances of your outside world correspond precisely with the nature of your inner world and what you give focus to consciously or unconsciously comes to your life – if you focus on not being late, you will be late because the focus is on lateness, you want a red car, you see red cars everywhere, like energy attracts like energy. To attract anything you intend into your life you must learn to focus your thoughts and your actions into the thing you want. Just like if you want to watch a show in a certain TV channel, you focus your TV by selecting that channel with your remote control and the show appears on your screen.
- THE LAW OF GIVING AND HOSPITALITY
We live in a world designed to allow ‘flow’, stagnation causes rot, hording is not natural. One of the most valuable commodity in our life ‘Air’ flows, we breath it in and then let go, if you try to hold your breath, you will die!, water, wind, fire and even blood they show a constant flow. This should include possessions; to have space you must first clear out. You take old shoes, dresses and handbag etc, give them away/throw out to allow you to buy new ones, otherwise you will have no place to put new things. And money also is no exception; you need to give to receive. Everything must circulate. Learn to give: love, a helping hand, money or kindness and see how much space you create for new and more of the same.
- THE LAW OF HERE AND NOW
Looking backward to examine what was, prevents us from being totally in the here and now. Yes look back to understand today then go about the business of creating for tomorrow’s reflection. Old thoughts, old patterns of behaviour, old dreams prevent us from having new ones. Life can pass you by if you do not stop and appreciate today.
- THE LAW OF CHANGE
History repeats itself until we learn the lessons that we need to change our path. Everything is in constant change, nothing stands still. Learn to accept change, be fluid.
- THE LAW OF PATIENCE AND REWARD
All Rewards require initial toil. Nothing comes from nothing. Patience is a virtue, all good things comes to those who wait. Rewards of lasting value require patient and persistent toil.
True joy follows doing what we’re supposed to be doing, and waiting for the reward to come in on its own time. Learn from our other behaviours in life, when we order an item on line, we patiently wait for the delivery, We do not after two days go back to the same website and order another of the same item! Even if it is late, we wait knowing it is coming.
- THE LAW OF SIGNIFICANCE AND INSPIRATION
You get back from something whatever YOU have put into it. The true value of something is a direct result of the energy and intent that is put into it or the cost you attach to it – a loaf of bread sold for £20 is very dear and I probably would not buy it but a shirt at the same cost will look appealing to me, a car advertised for the same price i.e. £20 I would not consider it a good buy. The significance you give is what sets a good or a bad value. Not the seller i.e. others, no it is you and you alone.
Remember every personal contribution is also a contribution to the Whole. Lack lustre contributions have no impact on the whole, nor do they work to diminish the whole. Loving contributions bring life to, and inspire the Whole.
Always remember
When a bird is alive, it eats ants. When a bird is dead, ants eat the bird. So, time can turn at any time, don’t devalue anyone in life. You may be powerful but time is more powerful than you. “One tree makes one thousand of match sticks, but one match stick can burn one thousand trees
You are a magnet where like attracts like. Your attitude and behaviour create an invisible energy that attracts the same and repels the opposite. Mean people attract mean people and circumstances while repelling kindness. Conversely, kindness and consideration attract nice people and favourable circumstances while repelling the undesirable.
Be patient. Karma doesn’t care about time. Things happen when they happen. There’s no way to know or predict when events or people are attracted.
Don’t miss what’s happening right now because you have a preconceived notion of what you want to happen. Too many people overlook the numerous blessings right in front of them while watching and waiting for something else. It’s as if you don’t open a present you received today because you are waiting for what you will receive tomorrow.
Karma doesn’t travel in a straight line. There are many turns, curves, and detours. You may even feel as if you are moving backwards. With the right attitude, things happen for a reason. Often, you have no idea what that reason is or where you are headed. But all things become clear over time.
Examine your past. Identify situations that were totally baffling when they occurred but now make sense in hindsight. Apply this realisation to the present and future. Although something doesn’t make sense now, the pieces will fall into place.
Karma does not discriminate. Your actions, either good or bad, set things in motion. You are at the controls of your destiny. Just as when you are driving, if you go down the wrong road you can change course in order to get back on track to your destination. Drive carefully to get safely to your intended destination.
And remember a successful life is not based on the avoidance of mistakes. It is impossible to live error free. Mistakes are invaluable learning experiences that karma doesn’t hold against you, when utilised they shape you to become a better person. However, repeating the same mistakes only digs a deeper hole making it harder for you to jump out.
So be Good and do Good.