What is Karma and How Does It Affect Me? * Spotlight My Health

What is karma and how does it affect me? Karma affects absolutely everyone. It is our number one teacher of life.

It shows why we must face the consequences of our actions to hopefully improve or at the very least, change our behavior. If not, we suffer—repeatedly.

Before I get into the how of Karma, lets first look at what it is or what it means.

What Is Karma?

Karma is a Sanskrit word that means “action.” Belief in Karma dates back thousands of years. In some philosophies, such as Buddhism and Hinduism, it’s believed that “Karma” has the power to determine your future existence.

They believe the universe is the premier energy source. If you put bad Karma out into the universe, that’s what the universe will give back at you.

Others believe that nothing happens by chance because with “Karma” we each create our own fate by the actions that we take on a daily basis, in the here and now. Ever hear of “What you sow, so shall you reap” or “what goes around comes around?”

Your Actions Affect Your Karma

We each decide our own Karma as we go throughout our day without even realizing it. It’s because what we decide or what actions we take affects our Karma, no one else.

The dilemma comes when we take an action that doesn’t really sit right with our hearts and/or soul. At one time, we’ve each come upon a situation that we just didn’t want to comply with the “right” choice because a different (or wrong) choice feels better in the here and now, so we take that route.

The situation may be causing you to feel guilty, hurt, irritated, sad, or downright angry at the time. So, you justify your return choice of action, while implementing the outcome you’ve chosen, thereby justifying your choice of action.

However, if there are any questions whatsoever deep in your mind or heart, then this specific choice is not the right one. Most of us know the difference between good and bad, but its also important to understand that anything that isn’t right with your soul is really bad Karma for you.

Karma Is Not Punishment

Karma and the Laws of Karma are not punishment for us. Rather, Karma is meant as a teaching tool and a guide to get us through our lives and it applies to all of us. The trick is to recognize the lessons that keep repeating, accept and own them, then learn what needs to be changed in order to stop the repetition.

Use Karma to Affect Your Life the Way You Want

As humans, we tend to do the same damn stuff over and over again. Eventually, it dawns on some of us that we need to change something for life to be more like we want it.

Luckily, we have a few things that can help us do that. We have the Laws of Karma, which I’m going to explain shortly. And we have our heart and soul. These three things can help us use Karma to affect our lives the way we want.

Our heart and soul are kinda like barometers. They help us make the right decisions—if we recognize when something is right or wrong for us.

Our hearts and souls are kinda like a thumb drive that we use to connect to the computer—in this case the universe. The connection between our heart/soul (thumb drive) and the universe (computer) is our sensations (energy). Our sensations kick in when a situation arises that we need to decide on, either good or bad. This happens by a sensation of pleasure or discomfort.

You will always feel one of these sensations when you are trying to make a decision and I’m sure you can figure out which sensation is good, and which is bad.

It’s as easy as simply asking yourself “if the decision you need to make is a good choice that will bring good and happiness to me, my life and those around me.” Then pay attention to the sensations that you get. With practice, you’ll know which way to go.

So, let’s look at the 12 Laws of Karma so that you can understand more and be that much better at using Karma to affect your life in a good way.

Laws of Karma

1. The Cause-and-Effect Law

Our actions, choices, thoughts, and decisions have consequences. Some of those consequences are good and some are bad. Everything in the universe has to do with energy, vibrations, and frequency, so what you put out into the universe is what you will get back.

For instance, you can’t do harm to someone because that person has done harm to you. They are responsible for the harm they caused, and it will come back to them.

Remember what goes around comes around and even though you may not see the result of their action against you, it will happen. Ever hear the saying “Turn the other cheek?” Therefore, that comes into play.

You are only responsible for your own cause and effect, not someone else’s even though something may have been done against you.

Relevant reading: Law of Attraction

2. Law of Creation

Nothing happens without us putting in some type of effort. Our efforts create what we get from the world. If there is something you want in your life, you must make the effort to create the kind of energy needed for what you want.

Our lives are the results of our actions and effort. This law is to ensure we don’t just sit around doing wishful thinking but create an effort for what we want. Our intentions mean a lot and therefore are a big responsibility.

3. The Law of Humility

This law teaches us to focus on acceptance. Accepting what we are and our reality. We need to accept ourselves “as is” along with everyone around us. Only then can we start to create change.

If you are too focused on seeing the negative around you, you are not accepting things as they really are. You also can not connect to your higher self unless acceptance is there.

4. The Law of Growth

The intention of this law is to teach us that we should be constantly striving to grow and become better. The only thing that we can control is ourselves. Gandhi once said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” You can only control your own growth and change.

5. The Law of Responsibility

This law wants us to take total responsibility or our own decisions and actions. Our outside world depends on what is inside ourselves. We have to change what is inside first, in order to change our outside world.

No matter what the situation is, when you accept and then take responsibility for your part in that situation, only then can change come about.

6. The Law of Connection

Everything about us is connected. Our past, present, and future are connected. Your past can definitely affect your present and future. And fortunately, because of this connection, your past energy can be healed on the basis of the Karma you put out into the universe in the present and future. So, focus on your present energy that is going out into the world.

7. The Law of Focus

This Karma Law teaches us to focus on a specific goal. Once this goal is achieved then move onto the next goal. Direct our full attention on one thing at a time.

8. The Law of Giving and Hospitality

This law teaches us selflessness and to give to others without expecting anything in return. It also shows us that we get opportunities in life to prove we live by our beliefs.

I was with a friend once when we were walking by someone with their hand out asking for any change we could spare. We both pulled out our change and I had given it to the person, but at the last second, my friend decided not to give her change and we went on.

She told me that she had changed her mind because she did not want the money she gave to be used for drugs or alcohol.

This specific law of Karma teaches we can’t do that. Our job, energy and action are to give. After that, what is done with the gift is up to the receiver, then what they do with that gift falls on their shoulders. It becomes their karma.

9. The Law of Here and Now

It’s all about the present moment, right here, right now. We must live in our present instead of worrying about our future or dwelling on what has happened in the past.

We can’t change what we did in the past. We can only put out better karma now so that is what we get back in the here and now.

When focusing on past actions, thoughts, and memories, we can’t move forward or grow. Our higher self prefers living in the present.

10. The Law of Change

At times, it can feel like the same things happen to us repeatedly. Or we feel the same pain, over and over. This type of repeating history is a big red flag that will continue to repeat itself.

However, once we learn the lesson of our own destruction and enact some type of positive change in ourselves, our Karma that comes back to us will change.

11. The Law of Patience and Reward

Sometimes we are truly focused on our growth, but then see no change. This law teaches us patience for change, but to stay persistence and know that we will reach our goal when it is the right time for us to do so.

Focus should be on the work and journey, not the result. Our happiness and rewards are found in the journey itself, not at the end. Looking back at the journey is when you will realize all the rewards.

12. The Law of Significance and Inspiration

There are times that we all feel like what we are doing just doesn’t matter, so why bother. The lesson from this law is that we should all be contributing to the good of things, no matter what happens or the outcome.

Its our actions that truly count and no matter how small our action may seem it really does matter. Our one small, but good action can and may well affect someone else, whether we know it or not.

This causes inspiration to spread and that can be significant, well past and beyond us.

Final Thoughts

Karma teaches us to realize and come to believe that our actions impact our lives along with the lives of those around us. It’s significant to be conscious of our thoughts and actions at all times.

The Laws of Karma are here for us to use. To learn, change and enhance our lives. We can’t do them all constantly, but we can take two or three and work on them or use them when the opportunity arises. Your actions could enhance someone’s life and take your life to the next level.