So what is karma?
Many of us have heard the word karma.
And it's often described as what goes around comes around.
Or the idea that if you do something good,
Something good will happen to you.
And if you do something bad,
You'll eventually be punished.
While there may be some truth to these ideas,
Karma is actually much,
Much deeper than that.
In the yogic tradition,
Karma simply means action.
But karma is not just what you do.
It is also the intention.
The attitude,
And the state of mind behind your actions.
Every thought,
Emotion,
Reaction,
And action leaves an impression upon you.
These impressions accumulate over time and begin to shape.
The way that you experience life.
For example,
Have you ever found yourself reacting the same way in different situations?
Perhaps you become defensive during conflict.
Perhaps you worry about things that haven't happened yet.
Perhaps you reach for your phone without even realizing it.
These patterns can become so automatic that they seem like we are simply what they are.
But from a yogic perspective,
This is karma at work.
This is not punishment.
This is not reward.
This is simply accumulated tendencies expressing themselves through your thoughts,
Your emotions,
And behaviors.
The challenge is that most people become identified with these patterns.
They mistake their memory.
For themselves.
When this happens,
Karma can become an absolute trap.
We keep repeating the same reactions,
The same habits,
And often the same cycles of suffering.
But karma can also be a tremendous possibility for ourselves.
Everything you have learned and experienced throughout your life is a form of memory.
The question is whether that memory is running you unconsciously or whether you are using it consciously.
When handled consciously,
All of the memory you have gathered can become a stepping stone for higher possibilities in life.
Now when we think of memory,
We usually think of in the mind.
But memory exists on many,
Many levels.
Your body carries memory.
Your mind carries memory.
Your habits carry memory.
Even your genetic inheritance carries memory.
The shape of your nose,
The color of your eyes,
And many of the tendencies you have are influenced by generations that came before you.
In many ways,
The past is still living through us.
This memory gives us a sense of identity and belonging.
But it can also bind us.
It can keep us confined to old ways of thinking,
Feeling,
And acting.
This is why spiritual practice is so important.
Practices such as meditation,
Yoga,
And self-awareness help us create a little space between ourselves and the accumulated memory.
The goal is not to forget about the past.
The goal is to become free from being ruled by it.
The more conscious you become,
The more freedom you will have.
Instead of reacting automatically to something,
You can begin responding intentionally.
Instead of repeating the past,
You can create something new for yourself.
Karma is not a prison sentence.
It is simply the momentum of the past expressing itself in the present.
And the more awareness you bring into your life,
The more power you can have to shape it.
What comes next.
If you'd like to explore this topic more deeply,
I invite you to check out my course,
Take Control of Your Karma,
Along with my guided meditations and practices on Insight Timer.
