Karma

1. Karma is not punishment or reward, but self-created destiny

Karma simply means we have created the blueprint for our lives. It means we are the makers of our own fate.

Karma is action. It refers to the consequences of our thoughts, emotions, and deeds. Unlike popular belief, karma is not a system of divine retribution or reward. It's a natural mechanism of cause and effect that operates on physical, mental, and energetic levels.

We shape our destiny. Every action we perform leaves an imprint on our being, creating patterns and tendencies that influence our future experiences. This accumulated information becomes our karmic blueprint, determining the course of our lives.

• Karma is not:
  • A moral judgment
  • Controlled by an external entity
  • Limited to physical actions
• Karma is:
  • A self-perpetuating cycle of action and consequence
  • An opportunity for growth and self-awareness
  • The basis for taking responsibility for our lives

2. Your life is your karma: Take responsibility for your actions

When we say "Our life is our karma," it means that our life is of our making. What incredible freedom this spells!

Empowerment through responsibility. Recognizing that we are the architects of our own destiny is liberating. It shifts the locus of control from external forces to ourselves, enabling us to shape our lives consciously.

Break free from victimhood. By accepting responsibility for our circumstances, we move away from blame and excuses. This mindset allows us to respond to life's challenges proactively rather than reactively.

• Ways to take responsibility:
  • Acknowledge the role of your choices in creating your current situation
  • Focus on what you can control rather than external circumstances
  • Learn from past experiences instead of dwelling on them
  • Make conscious choices aligned with your desired outcomes

3. Memory shapes karma: Physical, mental, and energetic imprints

Everything you consider to be yourself is a result of memory. What you call "me" is a product—in every sense of the term—of your past.

Karma as accumulated memory. Our experiences leave imprints on our physical body, mind, and energy system. These imprints become the basis of our personality, habits, and tendencies, shaping our future actions and experiences.

Multi-dimensional memory. Karma operates through various types of memory, including:

• Physical memory (runanubandha): Imprints left by physical interactions and experiences

• Mental memory: Thoughts, beliefs, and emotional patterns

• Energetic memory: Subtle imprints on our life energy or prana

• Levels of karmic memory:

  1. Sanchita (accumulated karma): Total sum of past actions
  2. Prarabdha (allotted karma): Portion of karma to be experienced in this lifetime
  3. Agami (future karma): Karma being created by current actions

4. Awareness and abandon: Two approaches to karma yoga

Karma can be shed in two ways: either by acting with awareness or by acting with total abandon. If you can do it with both, you are liberated.

Conscious action. By cultivating awareness in every action, we can prevent the accumulation of new karma and gradually dissolve existing karmic patterns. This approach involves mindfulness and detachment from the fruits of our actions.

Total immersion. Acting with complete abandon, without ego or self-consciousness, can also lead to liberation from karma. This state of flow allows us to transcend the limitations of our individual identity and merge with the universal consciousness.

• Practices for cultivating awareness:
  • Mindfulness meditation
  • Self-reflection and introspection
  • Observing thoughts and emotions without judgment
• Ways to experience abandon:
  • Engaging in creative pursuits
  • Intense physical activities or sports
  • Devotional practices or bhakti yoga

5. Karma yoga is not duty, but making life an offering

Karma yoga is not about being busy. It is not about being in constant doer mode. It is instead about engaging in the kind of activity that frees you, about performing the kind of action that leads you to your own higher nature, toward your freedom.

Beyond duty and obligation. Karma yoga is often misunderstood as selfless service or fulfilling one's duties. However, true karma yoga transcends these concepts, focusing on transforming every action into a spiritual practice.

Offering as liberation. By approaching all activities as an offering to the divine or the universal consciousness, we can free ourselves from the bondage of ego and attachment to results. This attitude allows us to act with greater freedom and joy.

• Key aspects of karma yoga:
  • Acting without expectation of personal gain
  • Maintaining equanimity in success and failure
  • Seeing all work as sacred and meaningful
  • Cultivating a sense of gratitude and devotion in action

6. Align body, mind, and energy to transcend karmic cycles

Working out your entire Accumulated Karma (sanchita) is a very long process, because the accumulation is massive. So do not try to investigate the content of your warehouse; it will take forever to go through, and it might well engulf you!

Holistic approach to karmic cleansing. To effectively address karma, we must work on all three levels: physical, mental, and energetic. This comprehensive approach ensures faster and more sustainable transformation.

Practices for alignment:

• Physical practices:
  • Hatha yoga asanas
  • Conscious breathing techniques (pranayama)
  • Mindful eating and lifestyle choices
• Mental practices:
  • Meditation and mindfulness
  • Self-inquiry and contemplation
  • Cultivating positive thought patterns
• Energetic practices:
  • Kriya yoga techniques
  • Energy cleansing and balancing methods
  • Chakra alignment practices

7. Live in the present moment to break free from karmic bondage

If you inhabit this moment deeply, fully, completely, you have dropped your karmic load.

Power of presence. By fully immersing ourselves in the present moment, we can transcend the influence of past karma and future projections. This state of awareness allows us to respond to life with clarity and freedom.

Breaking karmic patterns. Living in the present moment helps us:

• Observe our habitual reactions without getting caught in them

• Make conscious choices rather than acting on autopilot

• Experience life directly, without the filter of past conditioning

• Reduce the accumulation of new karma by acting with awareness

• Practices for cultivating presence:

  • Mindfulness meditation
  • Conscious breathing exercises
  • Regular pauses throughout the day to check in with oneself
  • Engaging fully in sensory experiences

8. Cultivate inclusive involvement to minimize karmic accumulation

The simplest thing you can do is to make your involvement absolute, not selective. The air that you breathe, the sound you hear, the ground you sit on—be absolutely involved with all of it.

Expanding boundaries of self. By cultivating a sense of connection and involvement with all of life, we can transcend the limitations of our individual ego and reduce karmic accumulation.

Benefits of inclusive involvement:

• Reduces the tendency to judge and discriminate

• Fosters a sense of unity and oneness with all beings

• Minimizes the creation of new karmic imprints

• Enhances our ability to act with compassion and wisdom

• Ways to practice inclusive involvement:

  • Cultivate gratitude for all aspects of life
  • Practice loving-kindness meditation
  • Engage in acts of selfless service
  • Seek to understand different perspectives and experiences

9. Spiritual practices accelerate karmic cleansing and liberation

Spiritual practitioners are people in a hurry. They want to dig up as much as possible and work it out, rather than wait for each allotment to ripen in its own time.

Fast-tracking evolution. Spiritual practices provide tools and techniques to accelerate the process of karmic cleansing and self-realization. These practices help us become more conscious of our patterns and tendencies, allowing us to make transformative choices.

Importance of guidance. Working with a spiritual teacher or guru can significantly enhance the effectiveness of spiritual practices. A realized master can provide personalized guidance and energetic support to navigate the complexities of the karmic process.

• Key spiritual practices for karmic cleansing:
  • Regular meditation and mindfulness
  • Self-inquiry and contemplation
  • Energy work and kriya yoga
  • Devotional practices and surrender
  • Selfless service and karma yoga

Last updated: January 23, 2025