Karma. Love it, hate it, let's talk about it.

Why Karma is not a b*tch, but a teacher that help guides us.

Mar 03, 2022

Dear Hermit,

I believe you may have encountered this term on multiple occasions in your life one way or another. The term that's familiar to us all needs no introduction. Depending on which end of the stick we are getting, some of us may have a love-hate relationship with it. The term that I would want to introduce is "Karma".

In Sanskrit, karma literally means “action.” It is equivalent to Newton's law of "every action must have a reaction". When we think, speak or act we initiate a force that will react accordingly. This returning force may be modified, changed, or suspended, but most people will not be able to eradicate it.

This law of cause and effect is not a punishment but is wholly for the sake to teach us and educate us with invaluable spiritual lessons that are needed to be learned.

As for this newsletter, we'll be shedding some light on what karma is and its 12 laws and principles.

What is exactly is Karma?

The true definition of karma may vary depending on who you would ask. Some people adhere to the traditional meaning grounded in Eastern religions, while others interpret it from more of a Western view of good and bad. As a result, this can lead to different views on how karma applies to life.

Karma is a term that many people are familiar with but relatively few people understand. They might tell you that karma is when people get what they deserve. Good things happen to good people, while bad things happen to bad people. That's a very simplified version of the concept of karma, but it isn't terribly far from the truth.

Karma, which is not to be confused with its common misspelling "kharma," is a concept related to Buddhism that has been described by the saint Paramhansha Yogananda as a "law of justice" that determines who we are. Yogananda stated that we cannot escape our basic patterns, but we do have the choice and free will to follow our basic nature or to work against it. Therefore, it is not the outward appearance of our actions that determine what effects they will have in the future, but our intentions that we carry behind them. Buddhists believe that we must accept the consequences of our actions and learn from them on our path to enlightenment.

What are the 12 laws of karma?

Everything is energy, including your thoughts and emotions, which are energy in motion. So, in essence, everything you do creates a corresponding energy that comes back to you in some form. Using karma as a set of powerful guidelines for your life can incentivize you to be more mindful of your thoughts, actions, and deeds before you make decisions. With that in mind, think of the laws of karma as guidelines to follow as you go through daily life. The 12 laws of karma can help you understand how karma really works and how to create good karma in your life.

1. The great law or the law of cause and effect.

Nothing happens by chance or outside the Universal Laws. Every Action has a reaction or consequence "We reap what we sow". Ralph Waldo Emerson said the Law of Cause and Effect is the "law of laws". The most important lesson involving human conduct and interaction is seen in the Cosmic Law of Cause and Effect. "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction". Every human thought, word, and deed is a Cause that sets off a wave of energy throughout the universe which in turn creates the effect whether desirable or undesirable. The law states the effect must to physical manifestation. This is why good thoughts, words, emotions, and deeds are essential for a better world for they all create good effects.

2. The law of creation

The law of creation underscores the importance that life doesn’t just happen to us. Life requires our participation to happen. Life does not happen by itself. To make things happen in your life, you need to take action, instead of waiting for something to magically appear or to come your way. It's acknowledging the notion that you are the co-creator of manifesting the desired reality that is based on your intentions. It's also acknowledging that we are connected and one with the universe, both inside and out. Whatever surrounds us gives us clues to what our inner state is like and that the outer state and reality are a reflection of what we felt about ourselves on the inside. Surround yourself with what you want to have in your life and be yourself.

3. The law of humility

To make a change, one has to accept the need to make a change. The law of humility is based on the principle that you must be humble enough to accept that your current reality is the result of your past actions. 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. It's always the pride and ego that often get in our way from achieving our greatest potential. Stay humble always.

4. The law of growth

Growth starts within us. To positively shape the world, you need to start with yourself. That’s because real change or personal growth begins with what you have control over, which is yourself, not others around you. The law of growth also looks at the things you can’t control and how you deal with accepting this fate. Ultimately, your focus should be on you, not trying to control the people or things around you.

5. The law of responsibility

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. If there is something wrong in one’s life, there is something wrong in them.

6. The law of connection

The law of connection is based on the principle that everything in your life, including your past, present, and future is connected. Each step we take will lead us to the next step, so forth, and so on. Who we are today is the resultant of your previous actions, and who we may be tomorrow is the result of the actions we take today. We must do the initial work to get it done for it to later manifest into our life. Neither the first step nor the last are of greater significance. They are both needed to accomplish. Thus, the Past, Present, and Future are all connected.

7. The law of focus

One cannot think of two things at the same time. Focusing on too many things at once can slow you down and lead to frustration and negativity. If your focus is on Spiritual Values, it will not be possible for you to harbor lower vibration thoughts like fear, resentment, greed, or anger. If your focus is on higher vibration thoughts like love and peace, then you are less likely distracted by heavy feelings of fear, resentment, greed, or anger.

8. The law of giving and hospitality

You must give to the things you believe in. If one believes something to be true, then sometime in their life they will be called upon to demonstrate that truth. You have to practice what you preach and where one puts their claims to have learned into practice and service to others. This law helps you to understand the importance of the actions that we put out which is a reflection of your internal beliefs.

9. The law of here and now.

To experience tranquil peace of mind, you have to embrace the present moment. One cannot be in the here and now if they are looking backward to examine what was or forward to worry about the future. This can only happen when you let go of negative thoughts or behaviors from your past. When you are too focused on past events, you'll keep reliving them in your mind. One exercise to ground ourselves to get back into the here and now is to connect with our senses. An example would be to look around in the room you are in, focus your eyes on an object, notice the details, color, shape, texture, etc. and then blink your eyes and say "I am here in the present moment now."

10. The law of change.

History would continue to repeat itself until you learn the lessons from the experience and take steps to do something differently to stop the cycle and change your path. Change gives you a new path so that you can create a new future and a better version of yourself, free from the patterns of the past.

11. The law of patience and reward

To generate lasting change in the future, we first must be consistent in our karmic deeds today. All change requires an initial toil before it could bear the fruits of tomorrow's reward. Rewards of lasting value require us to be patient and persistent with the toil. No point living healthily for one day today and then sabotaging it the next day. True joy comes from doing what one is supposed to be doing, and knowing that the reward will come in its own time. Be consistent in your goals, and they will come to fruition.

12. The law of significance and inspiration

As one would get back from something whatever that they had put into it, the true value of something is a direct result of the energy and intent that we put into it. We all play a part here and have something to contribute to this world. What we share may sometimes seem small or little to us but can make an enormous difference in the life of someone else's. Remember that little things do add up to great things. Every little contribution you make will affect the world that we live in one way or another.

Final thoughts

As the 12 laws of karma can serve us as guided or a road map to follow as we go about our daily life. Karma is not meant to be a punishment. These laws can help you understand how karma works, and the effect that your thoughts and actions can have on you and the world around you. Using karma as a set of guidelines in your life can incentivize you to be more mindful of your thoughts, actions, and deeds before you make a decision.

Do comment and share with us your karmic encounters and experiences below.

Love you all & Stay high vibe.

The Hermit Collective

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