Most people view Karma as a punishment. The phrase, “karma is a b$&@!” comes quickly to mind. However, this is a misconception about karma that is drawn from the media and the misunderstanding of culture and religion.
Karma is the Sanskrit word for action. One can think of karma as the spiritual equivalent of Newton’s Law of Motion. “For every action there is an equal but opposite reaction.” Basically, when we exhibit a negative force in thought, word, or action, that negative energy will come back to us.
However, karma is not meant to be a punishment. It is present for the sake of education. How else is someone to learn how to be a good person if they are never taught that harmful action is wrong. A person only suffers if they have created the conditions for suffering.
Here are the 12 laws of Karma everyone should know!
1. The Great Law
- “As you sow, so shall you reap.” Also known as the “Law of Cause and Effect.”
- To receive happiness, peace, love, and friendship, one must BE happy, peaceful, loving, and a true friend.
- Whatever one puts out into the Universe will come back to them.
2. The Law of Creation
- Life requires our participation to happen. It does not happen by itself.
- We are one with the Universe, both inside and out.
- Whatever surrounds us gives us clues to our inner state.
- Surround yourself with what you want to have in your life and be yourself.
3. The Law of Humility
- One must accept something in order to change it.
- If all one sees is an enemy or a negative character trait, then they are not and cannot be focused on a higher level of existence.
4. The Law of Growth
- “Wherever you go, there you are.”
- It is we who must change and not the people, places or things around us if we want to grow spiritually.
- All we are given is ourselves. That is the only thing we have control over.
- When we change who and what we are within our hearts, our lives follow suit and change too.
5. The Law of Responsibility
- If there is something wrong in one’s life, there is something wrong in them.
- We mirror what surrounds us, and what surrounds us mirrors us; this is a Universal Truth.
- One must take responsibility for what is in one’s life.
6. The Law of Connection
- The smallest or seemingly least important of things must be done because everything in the Universe is connected.
- Each step leads to the next step, and so forth and so on.
- Someone must do the initial work to get a job done.
- Neither the first step nor the last are of greater significance. They are both needed to accomplish the task.
- Past, Present, and Future are all connected.
7. The Law of Focus
- One cannot think of two things at the same time.
- If our focus is on Spiritual Values, it is not possible for us to have lower thoughts like greed or anger.
8. The Law of Giving and Hospitality
- If one believes something to be true, then sometime in their life they will be called upon to demonstrate that truth.
- Here is where one puts what they CLAIM to have learned into PRACTICE.
9. The Law of Here and Now
- One cannot be in the here and now if they are looking backward to examine what was or forward to worry about the future.
- Old thoughts, old patterns of behavior, and old dreams prevent us from having new ones.
10. The Law of Change
- History repeats itself until we learn the lessons that we need to change our path.
11. The Law of Patience and Reward
- All Rewards require initial toil.
- Rewards of lasting value require patient and persistent toil.
- True joy comes from doing what one is supposed to be doing, and knowing that the reward will come in its own time.
12. The Law of Significance and Inspiration
- One gets back from something whatever they put into it.
- The true value of something is a direct result of the energy and intent that is put into it.
- Every personal contribution is also a contribution to the Whole.
- Lesser contributions have no impact on the Whole, nor do they work to diminish it.
- Loving contributions bring life to and inspire the Whole.
Karma is a lifestyle that promotes positive thinking and actions. It also employs self-reflection to fix the problems in one’s life.
To learn more about Karma, take a look at the video below!