What is a summary of karma?

Answer 1

Karma is a Sanskrit word that means "action." Karma has commonly been considered a punishment for past bad actions, but karma is neither judge nor jury. Rather, it is simply the universal law of cause and effect that says every thought, word and act carries energy into the world and affects our present reality. Karma can also refer to the "work" we have ahead of us, which includes lessons from both our past and present lives.

Why Is Karma Important?

Part of our life's work is to understand our individual relationship to the cosmos … to understand how the universe affects us. Based on the principle that individual behavior mirrors universal patterns, the tiniest act -- a thought, for example -- can have enormous impact. The energies our thoughts and actions produce can cover the entire planet, or even beyond, in the blink of an eye. An examination of karma offers clues about our intended life purpose, showing us the psychic imprint of past lives and mapping the way out of behaviors and thoughts that are no longer useful to us.Unfortunately, not all good actions have immediate rewards. You might see the positive results of positive actions tomorrow, you might see them in your next lifetime or you might not see them at all. You might be thinking, "If I'm not going to benefit, what's the point?" There is one. Every positive action you take has a positive effect, whether you see it or not. You just need to trust in the universe.

If Bad Things Happen to Me, Does It Mean I Have Bad Karma?

Not necessarily. Sometimes bad things happen, but they have positive effects later. Let's say you're super ambitious, always on the go and wildly successful. Then you get into an accident and are hospitalized for several months. It may seem like you ended up in the hospital because you were being punished for past bad deeds. What if that accident taught you to value your life, and slow down enough to actually enjoy it, instead of being so focused on the end goal? In that way, the accident would actually be a blessing, rather than a curse. Likewise, winning the lottery may seem like a reward, but what if you forgot about the value of intangible things, and focused only on acquiring material things? In that case, something good brought with it negative energy.

Can You Change Karma?

Your soul is on a journey. Karmic situations in which you find yourself today are both your soul's mirror and travel guide. Karma can show you where you've been and where you might go to learn the lessons you've chosen for this lifetime.

Through understanding your unique destiny, you can adjust your actions to either change an ongoing situation, or gain new perspective on a past situation so you can avoid making the same mistake twice. By understanding karma, you can unlock the patterns from past lives and show you how to use the laws of karma to consciously choose a better path for this life and the next.