Whenever we hit a bad patch or face testing times, setbacks and other crises in life, one of the commonest things that people do is to lay the blame squarely on karma. While we do come into the world with karma that we have inherited in previous births, we would do well to remember that the word karma itself means action. In addition to the karma that we carry, we are also adding to it every minute of our lives by every action of ours.
Instead of agonising over karma when the chips are down, a sensible approach would be to work out our karmas with wisdom as we go through life. Here is a four-point action plan to do so:
1 Acting with wisdom and in keeping with principles: Paramahansa Yogananda says that the civilisation we are born into also adds to our karma. No prizes for guessing what kind of a world we live in today. A world where might be right, everything is fair (from destroying someone’s chances to decimating them) in the race to get ahead, in pursuit of wealth, power and other material pleasures completely oblivious of the fact that we are the children of God and are intrinsically divine.
All of which adds to the bad karma. Therefore, it is absolutely vital to act mindfully and to be acutely conscious of every action of ours, every word we utter and every thought we think. The intent of every action must be honourable and not cause harm to anyone. It should also be totally in keeping with time honoured principles of truth and dharma. Remember at all times to wish the best for the world and let this one overriding emotion flow from the deep recesses of your heart.
2 Remove all toxic, unworthy, dysfunctional relationships and ties from your life because they add to your karma by stoking negative emotions such as fear, hatred, desire, jealousy and such like. If you cannot completely keep away, at least maintain a distance and act clinically. You can also consciously cut the negative karmic threads that bind you to such people by visualising the karma being cut and vocalising the words. In addition, exercise your judgment and choose to be in the company of people who are good for your soul.
3 Let your karma dissolve: When you hit a rough patch, try to stop ranting and accept whatever comes as past karma dissolving itself and as karma clearing. Do whatever you have to do in that moment but remember at all times that this is part of a process — in the course of the soul’s journey. Understand that there are valuable lessons that the Supreme and the Universe are teaching you through this and stay tuned in to receive and assimilate them.
4 Dedicate all actions to God: As the Bhagavad Gita says, Dedicate everything — the food you eat, the sacrifices you make, the help you render (never calculate the returns) and even your suffering. By doing so you will be freed from the bondage of karma and from its results, pleasant and painful.
Act without creating karmic debts and constantly replace bad karma with good to keep your karmic balance healthy. The bottom-line: do not fear karma but work it out with wisdom and intelligence.
