What’s Karma?
When you hear about karma, what comes to mind? Perhaps the expectation of a positive or negative outcome for what has been done in the past or present. If you had that thought, you’re not wrong! Karma is a cycle of a cause (action) and effect (reaction) that is not tied to any belief system; it is considered a scientific universal law that affects every single one of us, regardless of our individual and unique background. Why? You may ask. Simply put, universal laws are conclusions based on repeated science experiments and observations therefore, accepted universally. We human beings are made of energy and matter; electrical (impulses and signals) and chemical (reactions). In other words, everything we do and are is energy in motion. Yes! Including our thoughts and emotions so, whether you believe in Karma or not, this is pure physics, chemistry, and biology!
How does karma work? What does it entail?
In essence, you could say we are the force of karma as each one of us is a ball of energy; Karma is a sum of our actions; everything we do, say, or think, creates a corresponding energy that comes back to us in some form. Science states that energy cannot be created nor destroyed it just changes form. Therefore, there are 12 laws of karma that show us how energy moves among us. These laws can guide us to live a more intentional and fulfilling life by incentivizing us to be mindful of our thoughts, actions, and deeds. Read ahead! Those who become aware of these laws, will reap its rewards!
1. The Law of Cause and Effect –
What you put out; you get back.
Also known as the great law. This is one of the most common laws because we will never be able to escape the effect of our actions. Have you heard of the saying “we reap what we sow”? We are all governed by a chain reaction of events from a cause. A catalyst or an action brings an inevitable reaction producing an effect.
- Treat others the way you want to be treated; If you give love, you will receive love. Now think about respect, support, encouragement, you name it! Anything will come back to you.
- Do more of what makes you happy and surround yourself with people that bring joy and love to your life. It is not only about positive thinking; it is more so about a complete positive energy. Think about it this way; the more you engage with negative people, you will engage in negative thoughts or actions and then more likely you will feel unhappy, unfulfilled, stressed, anxious over and over until you change the situation (the action).
2. The Law of Creation –
Life does not happen by itself; we need to actively make it happen.
YOU are the co-creator of your life. Don’t wait for the world to come to you because it won’t. Life requires for us to be dynamic even if at times we feel static; we exist as life happens to us. You are literally, a new reality every moment that passes by. Imagine for a second that you get stripped away from your belongings; take away your car, your house, your job, your friends, your background, who are you? We live in a society where we constantly label or limit ourselves based on our surroundings or our possessions when in reality, we can be whoever we want and create the life that we want for ourselves. Every moment is an opportunity to create and redirect.
- Release anything you are holding onto to create inner freedom and be receptive to new narratives. Remember that holding onto what no longer serves us, will only bring suffering from attachment for not letting energy flow.
- Create a vision board and tap into your skills, resources, talents, more importantly be your most authentic self to create something that not only benefits you but others as well. As a result, a ripple effect of that energy will amplify the frequency of creating meaningful serendipitous connections and opportunities.
3. The Law Humility –
Your current realty is a result of your actions.
The reality you experience depends on what frequency you are tuned into. Acceptance is the beginning of change; we have to be humble enough to allow change to happen to us. “It takes two to tango” The law of humility emphasises the importance of understanding that you are not the victim of circumstances even when the entire world seems to be against you. Accept who you are and accept the society you live in, from there, move on to a solution.
TIPS:
- We are all interrelated, therefore energetically connected. On the other hand, everything starts from within as co-creators and the emotions we experience are one’s own. So, get comfortable, light a candle, close your eyes, began to visualize the discomfort and repeat to it “I’m sorry, forgive me, I love you, thank you”. This is a healing technique called Ho’oponopono by Dr Hew Len based on Hawaiian traditions and beliefs. Saying "I'm so sorry" acknowledges that something (it doesn't matter what) got into our body and mind. By saying "forgive me"we are asking to help us forgive ourselves. “I love you” transmutes the blocked energy (the root problem) into flowing energy reconnecting us to the Divine. "Thank you" is the expression of gratitude and our faith that everything will work out for the betterment of everyone involved.
4. The Law of Growth –
When we change ourselves, our lives change too.
We are in constant growth; wherever we go, whoever we meet, what we see or do matters because we flourish from within. What you feed your soul, body, and mind is a representation of your wellbeing.
TIPS:- To be the best version of yourself, focus always on your wellbeing whatever that may be for you; take time to re-center by taking a long relaxing bath, read more, take a power nap, develop new healthy habits like substituting your coffee with matcha or tracking your water consumption. Remember that you cannot love if you don’t love yourself first; you cannot help others if you don’t help yourself first; you cannot prioritize others if you do not prioritize yourself.
5. The Law of Responsibility –
You are the product of the choices you make.
Take ownership of everything that you are. Whether you say or do too little, too much, or nothing at all, you are playing a role. Your words, your tone, your silence, your feelings, your actions, your mistakes, etc, will always have an impact. Own it!
TIPS:
- Think before you speak and act; you cannot take your words and actions back once you put them out there.
- No one can tell another human being how to feel; If you have caused someone somehow to feel any sort of discomfort, take responsibility on your part by saying “I apologize for making you feel the way you feel.” It is a thoughtful acknowledgment of understating that the person feels the way they feel regardless of whether you intentionally or unintentionally did anything. It’s an act of kindness to respect people’s right to feel or react to things in their own way regardless of whether is warranted.
6. The Law of Connection –
Your past, present, and future are connected.
Each step leads to the next step yet, both of the first step and the last are needed to accomplish anything in life. Everything is connected and we are all connected. Today is shaped by the decisions we have made in the past no matter how seemly small; tomorrow will be shaped by the choices we make today.
TIPS:
- Celebrate strong connections. Here is a genuine simple thought! Who is the person that comes to mind right now or who are you most grateful to have in your life right in this moment? Perhaps you can think of someone who helped you once with something so simple yet changed your life forever? Let them know you are thinking of them! Text them or unexpectedly send them a card or a thoughtful postcard!
- Be thankful, practice gratitude, and stay motivated. Be thankful for your past as it has brought you, for better or worse, to your here and now with many lessons learned and many memories to cherish and reflect on to be able to grow. Writing three things daily that you are grateful for, will keep you stay motivated and will help you move onto your next venture. One day, you will look back (as you probably do with all your other accomplishments and memories) and see how it is all connects and intertwines (people, accomplishments, decisions, trips, love, etc.)
7. The Law of Focus –
You cannot think or do two things at once.
Sure, multitasking is possible. Casual or transactional situations can sometimes be juggled. However, be mindful of the importance of each situation (task, project, or even person) as it will correlate and translate to the level of focus you are giving. Have you heard the saying “Jack of all trades makes you a master of none.”? Imagine you are at a coffee shop and your order is ready. You approach the barista grab your coffee, say thank you and leave. Probably the experience would be ordinary and okay. Now, what would happen if instead, as you grab your coffee, you smile and make eye contact when saying thank you? A totally different experience for you and the barista with many endless possibilities; you feel good and the coffee tastes even better. Perhaps the next time, she/he/them remembers you and gives you an extra discount; you become friends; she/he/them could’ve had a couple of rough days and that simple gesture changed the baristas mind set to a more positive one.
TIPS:
- Be intentional about where you draw your focus. When you focus on one thing at a time, you accomplish much more. Get a notebook and write down your daily tasks and/or to-do lists.
- Focus on higher values such as love, kindness, and peace. You will be less likely to be distracted by heavy feelings of resentment, greed, or anger.
8. The Law of Giving and Hospitality –
Our behavior should match our thoughts and actions.
When you give, you open your heart to be a receiver. This law helps you to focus on the actual blessing that is giving. When you give to the things you believe in, help people in their time of need, and stand by when people need you, you’ll find that things come easy to you. Since you’re in abundance, you will enjoy the benefits and find yourself never lacking.
TIPS:
- It is the little details that matter. Learn how to be an active listener around people that you care about! People often like to talk about themselves giving hints on what they need in their life, what are they experiencing or would like to try.
9. The Law of Here and Now –
You cannot change the past and you cannot foresee the future.
You are here now, and that is what matters. This law teaches you to be present. If we are present, we are aware and mindful of what is actually happening around us that we are able to further savor the moment as in unfolds. Dwelling on the past or speculating over the future may bring feelings of worry, anxiety or stress and well, as obvious as it is, the past is past and the future has not happened!
TIPS:
- Emotions, thoughts, feelings, and events are momentarily just passing by us. Our breath being our one constant can help us come back to the present. Practice breathing techniques as these will not only ground you and keep you present; they will help regulate your nervous systema among other benefits.
- Being present will improve your memory, social skills, and relationships. Think about activities you can have with your friends and loved ones like puzzles and gameboards.
10. The Law of Patience and Reward –
we must be consistent in our karmic deeds today to see fruition in our future.
Determination will get you anywhere. You must endure a little more toiling and a little more discomfort to enter your season “hard work pays off”; The longer the patience the greater the reward.
TIPS:
- Everyone beats to their own drum! Life is not a competition. Make a list of all your accomplishments and milestones and see how the list is bigger than you thought! Life happens as we breath in and breath out, you should celebrate moments as they come; every birthday, your first kiss, your first job, your first house, learning more than one language, etc.
- Things take time specially the ones that require new skills and practice. “Rome was not built in a day. Manage your time, prioritize and delegate your tasks with to-do lists, be consistent, and lastly, ask for help when needed.
11. The Law of Change –
Change gives you a new path so that you can create a new future.
One of Gandhi’s famous quotes is “Be the change you want to see in the world”. It is a call to action. You have to learn the lessons from your patterns in order to stop history repeating itself. Step out of your comfort zone to break these cycles, adapt, and innovate. Be intentional about change in order to be the better version of yourself to have an extraordinary life.
TIPS:
- Understanding which patterns/routines serve you and which ones need to be changed and/or developed won’t come to you immediately. Here’s an idea! Start by making a list of things that you would like to change in your life. Brainstorm on how to address those changes and the desired outcome.
- “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result”. Einstein was right on point! Not changing your approach or outlook and expecting the same result is insanity.
12. The Law of Significance and Inspiration –
With kindness, we birth our future
We all are unique in many ways and perhaps it is why we all have something valuable to bring to the table. Our ideas, dreams, gifts, and thoughts are meant to be shared. Each and every one of us is a source of inspiration and have a special purpose in life; from one another we learn, we build, we get motivated and direct energy and isn’t that beautiful?! As you can see your big or little efforts go a long way. We all are able to contribute to make this world a better place.
TIPS:
- Remember to do things with intention. Thoughtful acts set the tone for a purposeful existence and a fuller richer life.
Final thoughts
Karma happens to everyone. Whatever happens to you, good or bad, know that it will not be forever, so don’t stress about it! Enjoy the ride as you go through moments and emotions. Be thoughtful and intentional with everything you put out there no matter what and it will for sure come back to you! A good deed, leads to good karma.