People talk about good karma and bad karma, but what is karma in its essence? It is energy. We receive energy from our source, and it is pure when we receive it. With our actions we qualify this energy positively or negatively depending upon what we do with it. When people engage in actions that are positive or helpful, this energy is qualified positively. When people take actions that are negative or harmful, this energy is qualified negatively, creating bad karma.
Karma can be explained with the concept of Cause and Effect which is a law of causation. It could be defined as follows: The effects of people’s actions are inherent within every cause that is made, and which at some point will manifest. Karma in its intrinsic nature are unmanifested effects from both positive and negative causes made in the past.
Karma can change on a daily basis; even moment to moment. It changes according to the positive or negative actions that are made throughout a person’s day. If a person spends their day doing good things like prayer or seva (selfless service), when they go to sleep at night, they will have less karma than what they woke up with. If a person does positive things throughout the day, but gets into a bar fight at night causing a lot of damage, then they will have more karma at the end of their day. When positive actions are equal to negative actions made in one day, it is considered balanced karma. If this occurs then a person is not considered better or worse off karmically for that one-day period.
Words used to cause harm; create karma. Not only can words create karma, but so can some negative emotions. A person might wonder: “How much karma is made with negative emotions?” And the answer is that it depends upon how much energy is used negatively. Negatively qualified energy will have a quantity attached to it. If a person gets slightly angry, then a small portion of energy is qualified negatively. If a person has a full blown fit of rage, then a greater quantity of energy is qualified negatively; creating more karma. Other emotions that might not be recognized as negatively qualifying energy are irritation and impatience. Irritation is a lesser form of anger, and impatience is a lesser form of irritation. Karma that is created due to the release of negative emotions; depends upon their intensity, the number of their occurrences, the duration of their outpouring, and the impact they had upon other people; this at life’s end will make the karmic debt due to negative emotions.
So what happens when people release negative emotions into their worlds? By laws of karma, that energy must be returned to them. Negative words, actions, and emotions are like a boomerang. Everything that is sent out will come back. If a person steals from someone, in time someone will steal from them. The return of negative actions might not come back right away; like when two people are having a brawl. They might come back later in life, or they could come back in the next life. For instance, if a parent is habitually mean to their child, that parent will more than likely have to be reborn to a parent who treats them the same way.
Some people may have wondered: “Can negative thoughts make karma?” And the answer is: yes. For example, using thought energy to criticize people, or wish for their death, creates karma. So what does this mean exactly? It means that the cause to criticize someone is created, and within that cause is the creation of karma. This means that the effect that must come about is to have someone criticize them. This may seem like a small infraction, but if it is done repeatedly, it has a larger significance. Also, if thought energy is used to wish for someone’s death, the karmic effect will be greater, especially if any action is taken that is associated with fulfilling that wish. The effect for this type of cause could result in a person’s own life being cut short. What to be concerned with in relation to negative thoughts is: if negative thinking affects the behavior, since most actions begin with the thought process. It is easy to think badly about someone, and then eventually start treating that person poorly because of it. In this example; a thought used to criticize someone and the action of treating a person poorly will make two creations of negative karma.
Negative actions are what make the most karma. People in general know when they have done something to hurt someone, but what some do not realize is that the action that they have sent forth must come back to them by karmic law. The reason many people don’t know this is, because in many cases there is a time-gap in-between the time an action or cause is sent forth, and when the effect is returned. Returning karma also, may not be recognized as a returning effect for a misdeed that was performed possibly two months earlier. A person could ask: “Why the time-gap?” And this question could be answered as follows: Circumstances with certain variables need to be in place for karmic return to manifest. Variables that can affect karmic return are: the current circumstances of an individual or the time-period in a person’s life for instance: Returning karma can be experienced more harshly when a person is older than when they are younger. Other variables that can affect karmic return are: a person’s life lessons being learned; positive actions created in between the original cause and its returning effect; whether or not a difficult ordeal was just experienced; the time when a necessary catalyst is present to set the karma in motion; how many people will be affected and to what degree; and if it is their karma to suffer due to let us say, a parent’s return of bad karma. Another factor: People can serve as a deliverer of returning karma to other people. An example of this is: If one person robs 10 people; those 10 people will receive their karmic return, and consequently end up with less karma. If the robber is caught after the first robbery, then only one person will be able to have their karma reduced. So, the robber can essentially work as an agent of returning karma for 10 people, instead of just one person. Unfortunately for the robber they will end up with a large financial karmic debt that will be forced due, along with the added karma for causing trauma to the people who were robbed. This type of karma could cause a person to be born into abject poverty repeatedly.
Returning karma isn’t always experienced as an equal and opposite reaction, or like “an eye for an eye” type of situation, but it can be. If a person misuses the intellect for evil or corrupt means, it is possible that the intellect can be taken from them, like when a person loses their mind; in order to help balance that karmic debt. If this occurs, it is possible that this would only be a partial karmic retribution.
Non-action can also create karma. Neglect in its many guises creates non-action karma.
Words, when used to tell lies qualify energy negatively. It may seem like the impact from a lie is small, but this type of karma accumulates and can come back in large increments. The larger the increment, the more painful the karmic return will be. The reason this can happen is because, in general, most people speak the truth. However, some people lie often. When people lie frequently, their opportunity to receive their karma, by having someone lie to them; isn’t something that can happen often, due to most people speaking the truth. So the returning effect for telling lies will be riddled with deception, and can result in despair and possible devastation.
The domino effect of telling lies is a possibility. For example, if a person writes a wonderful cookbook, but fudges the ingredient list of one of the recipes; by specifying 1 teaspoon of cumin, but knows the dish really needs 2 tablespoons; this one lie can end up becoming 100 lies, if 100 people make that recipe. With this one act, will also come the added karma of the disappointment felt by 100 people, because their dish did not turn out right.
Words used to make fun of people, put them down, or engage in vicious gossip create negative energy; as do words used to yell at people.
Karmic laws are just and universal. Karma that is created depends upon a person’s intent and their state of mind. If two people commit the same crime, but one of those individuals has a very low IQ, then the person with the low IQ will make less karma. This is because a person with very low intelligence does not have the capacity to fully understand the impact of their actions, or understand the consequences of those actions.
Making negative karma is easy, and making it on a mass scale is much easier with today’s technology. With internet scams and cyber attacks, the speed at which people can make karma is alarming. Mass karma is created when actions affect the masses. This type of karma takes lifetimes of intense suffering to pass through.
People can also make karma when their actions cause harm to the environment or to the animal kingdoms. Killing animals creates karma and eating animals has its own karma attached to it. In order for people to eat meat an animal has to suffer. It is killed and the animal’s life is cut short. If it has young, then they suffer from the loss of their mother. An animal that is being slaughtered, or boiled alive feels intense fear, pain and anguish; these emotions become etched into their bodies, and then people consume that energy when the flesh is eaten. Karmically, some portion of the animal’s suffering is inherited by those who partake of it, because the person’s desire to eat meat was the original cause that resulted in the animal being killed.
In The Guardian’s article dated Oct 10, 2018: Huge Reduction in Meat-eating ‘Essential’ to Avoid Climate Breakdown – It was stated: ‘Huge reductions in meat-eating are essential to avoid dangerous climate change, according to the most comprehensive analysis yet of the food system’s impact on the environment.’ ‘This new study follows the publication of a landmark UN report Monday in which the world’s leading scientists warned there are just a dozen years in which to keep global warming under 1.5C, (above preindustrial levels) beyond which even half a degree will significantly worsen the risks of drought, floods and extreme heat…’ ‘Researchers (in the more recent report) found a global shift to a flexitarian diet was needed to keep climate change even under 2C, let alone 1.5C.’ ‘This flexitarian diet means the average world citizen needs to eat 75% less beef, 90% less pork and half the number of eggs… ‘ ‘In rich nations… like the U.K. and U.S., citizens need to cut beef by 90% and milk by 60%...’ These recent studies just referenced, show that eating animals has had serious consequences, and a grave impact on the planet.
Now back to karma…
Karma can be made in personal relationships as well. For example, if a parent of a family of five decides to leave, their decision will adversely affect the ones being left behind. The heartache and pain of lives being torn apart will ensue, and due to karmic effect - The person who leaves will inherit the suffering of all four people combined. This has to occur because the action they took affected four people. The person who leaves will get their freedom, but it will come with a large karmic debt of suffering that will come about in due time.
Dating without the intention of marriage can also make karma. This is because this act can lead to people being taking advantage of, which can result in pain and suffering.
Taking care of one’s elderly parents can be difficult; however it can help reduce negative karma. Sending an elderly parent away can become a lost opportunity to balance karma.
Every person who is incarnates has karma. If they did not, there would not be any reason for them to be born. Life is work, and many times it is painful. The pain that people suffer is due to the return of negative causes from past actions. Even if a person is born into a good life, at some point they will suffer. Whether it is through the loss of a parent, spouse, child, illness or age, all people are affected at some point.
Karma can manifest in people’s lives in many ways including: theft, accidents, illness, depression, and physical pain. Basically, anything that causes people to suffer including intense fear, severe stress, or a violent environment, is a manifestation of negative karma. An easy life, without any problems, doesn’t necessarily mean that a person has light karma. Sometimes, a person’s lifetime karma (the allotment for a lifetime) is reduced to allow a person to fulfill a greater good or service to humanity. If a person is suffering too greatly, their ability to create a positive impact in life is greatly reduced.
When karma comes very harshly into a person’s life, the best thing to do is work through the karma, to eliminate as much as possible. For example, if a person has their house wrecked by a tornado, and then sets up a Go Fund Me Page and uses that money to fix their home; the opportunity for them to suffer, and work through their karma is greatly reduced. This could mean that instead of suffering through two years of difficult karma, they will suffer maybe only four months. It is better to take the time, energy, hard work and one’s own money to rebuild a person’s home. In this regard, it is better to suffer than to be happy so that the karma of an individual(s) can be reduced.
A person might ask themselves: “What about actions that are neither positive, nor negative?” “For example, like sweeping the floor, or studying for school?” The result of these types of actions depends upon the impact they have. Sweeping the floor to keep the house clean can lead to less stress; that comes with a dirty floor. So, this action could be considered a positive action or constructive. If a person sweeps the floor to help someone who has broken their leg, then this action is more beneficial, and becomes an act of seva which is an action for making good karma. Studying to educate oneself, will overtime bring benefit into a person’s life.
With all that said, we can now look at how good karma can come into people’s lives. One time I had less than $2.00 in my pocket and no job. Needless to say, I was in a bad situation. I felt I needed to go to God’s house, and it didn’t matter which one. So, I went to a Christian church that I saw down the road. As I sat there, the preacher was giving his uplifting speech, he stopped and said, looking at me: “This woman is a bridge and she needs money.” “Men pitch in.” That day I left the church with $80.00 in my pocket. I will never forget their kindness.
Since all people have karma it is good to know how to change it. To lessen one’s karma, actions have to be taken to counteract negative actions made in the past. Meditating on God's Name, doing religious activities, praying for other people, or giving money to the poor will help to reduce negative karma. Any positive action that is beneficial to people, or any part of life, can reduce a person’s karmic debt.
Usually karma comes in cycles. It has a length of duration and an intensity level. Karmic return of short-duration could be if someone lost their job, and was not able to find a new one for two months. A long-duration of karmic return could be if someone had to live with a long-term illness. Most karma is bearable, but some can be an intense burden, and requires a great amount of effort to be able to pay it and pass through it. Praying daily can help reduce karmic burden and help shorten a cycle of returning karma. The act of prayer creates positive energy that will transform negative energy back to its neutral state, which means less suffering will be endured. However, praying 15 minutes a day will not help much to lessen the karmic burden from setting a village on fire in a previous lifetime. Too many lives would have been adversely affected; so the karmic return for this one act would be painful, and could require several hours of prayer everyday so that a person could feel some relief in their life.
Abundant prayer will cut down the duration of a cycle of returning karma. Example: At the end of the street where I live there is desert and one time a family of mice decided to move in. I was terrified. I had been traumatized in childhood. So, I called pest management, but they could not come for three days, and they said it would take about four days to take care of the problem. I tried to find someone else, but I could not. I was crying, distraught, and could not sleep. I was hearing mice in the walls, in the ceiling, and under the floor chewing on the wood. In my desperation I cried out to God: “Please make the mice go away.” “I will pray eight hours a day for 30 days if you will make them leave.” After my pledge, I did not hear the mice again. It became completely silent after that. I still paid pest management to come, and I gratefully prayed the 240 hours. Last year, I had to get rid of rattlesnakes, but that’s another story.
If a person has done all they can to lessen their karmic burden, and they are still suffering, it is possible that more effort must be made over a longer period of time.
Today, when people are very busy, it could seem difficult to find the time to do ample prayer. The key is to take mundane activity time and use it to its fullest benefit. If a person spends 15 minutes in the shower, then that is an opportunity for 15 minutes of meditating on God's Name. If a commute to work takes 30 minutes, then that is 30 minutes of prayer time getting to work. If preparing dinner takes 30 minutes, washing dishes 15 minutes, then that is 45 minutes of prayer time. If a person has religious music they can sing along with, this is also considered prayer.
When prayer is done for the self, it reduces personal karma. When prayer is done for others, it creates good karma which can also be used to reduce personal karma.
The way in which a person prays makes a difference karmically. Heartfelt prayer said verbally will create more positive energy than prayer that is repeated by rote. Prayer that is said silently takes a lot of mental power to keep the mind from wandering, but is powerful if done with full concentration; mouthing the words to silent prayer will help keep the mind focused. Prayer said in a whisper, with full concentration will create more positive energy than prayer said in a whisper whilst allowing the mind to do other tasks. The greater the amount of focus, intent, emotion, and verbal energy that can be injected into prayer is what will create the greatest force, to receive the greatest benefit.
With all that said, the question now is: What is a person to do if they have spent their adult life overcharging people for their goods - or manufacturing goods that are made to break down - or forcing people to keep buying their goods because they need the newest fix - or use inferior materials, but hiked up prices causing financial strife to the poor? Give money away, and lots of it!!! Altering one’s business practices will also cut down the creation of new karma.
Karmically speaking, the goal in life is to not make more negative karma, along with lessening the load that one was born with and creating some good karma along the way; until a person pays off their karmic debt to life, and no longer needs to incarnate on the wheel of rebirths.
P. S. - Normally, I would not mention the following however, it now seems important to do so. One night this past week I was shown the following vision: It was the night sky and to the left was the word Karma written in large cursive writing, made up of dozens and dozens of tiny white lights. To the right was a large white cloud made up of what seemed to be thousands of tiny white lights. As I looked at the cloud, it exploded and the lights went out.
Please allow me one last word. This is about climate change.
In the Time Magazine article dated October 10, 2018, titled: ‘Here’s what Humanity must do immediately to prevent catastrophic climate change, we read: “According to the new U.N. report called, Climate Change an Urgent and Potentially Irreversible Threat to Human Societies and the Planet,…” which warned that “delayed action will make it impossible to limit warming to 2.7degrees F…” One of the important recommendations that is listed in this article, is for new forests to be planted equal to the size of Canada. While this is a large feat, if every household across the globe and each person who reads this article and can help plants one new tree in their yard, even if it is a small tree planted in a large pot, this will help greatly. Even small actions by individuals can help balance many people’s karma.