The Truth About Karma
Robina Dhindsa, B.Eng.
Self-Awareness x Leadership Development | iHeart Radio Host | Yogi
No, You Don’t Have Bad Karma. What Karma Teaches Us About Mindful Living.
We have all heard expressions like “Karma’s going to get you.” But Karma is not about seeking revenge or getting even.
It’s also not punishment for misdeeds, nor is it a judgement against you. Karma is one of the laws of nature whose role is to provide us with valuable lessons that evolve our soul so that our life can be balanced. Here’s how.
Karma 101
Karma is when we hold onto unresolved memories of the past which then show up in the present. Whether it reflects in anger, impulsive behavior or other emotions, the result is usually the same - a life of chaos. It’ll feel like there’s rarely a moment of peace.
We create our lives every moment of the day both consciously and unconsciously.
When we go through any experience, we naturally form certain beliefs, thoughts, and feelings. Think of those as creative expressions. Remember that creativity isn’t just expressed through art, music or dance. Your thoughts and feelings can be thought of as a work of art in many ways. Major life decisions like where you chose to live and with whom, are also a product of your creative decisions and actions.
If we haven’t fully processed any level of trauma, our mind and body store this karmic data in the form of old beliefs, thoughts and emotions which can accumulate throughout our life (regrets, shame, attachments, frustrations). This residue of emotions also settles within our organs, muscles, and all body systems.
Stress affects the body, especially targeting vulnerable areas: the ache in our lower back, a stiff neck and joints are familiar examples.
If left unresolved, we begin to unknowingly act upon those old beliefs. It might feel like an innocent disagreement with a colleague is a personal attack against us. But it’s usually not. Most often the experience simply triggered an old memory inside of us.
Another tell-tale sign of karma is the feeling of slipping into a vicious cycle where similar negative experiences at work, at home, and with friends start repeating.
Karmic memory holds the perceptions we hold about ourselves, others, and the world around us.
Karma empowers you with choice
In the book Samsara, Nirvana, and Buddha Nature, His Holiness The Dalai Lama and co-author Thubten Chodron explain that “our choices create the causes for our future rebirths and our experiences in them.” These rebirths are not just about the next physical life. We go through births and deaths every day.
When you make a life change or simply become aware of a negative thought or belief, you experience a mini rebirth. Karma reveals whether beliefs from the past that you’re holding onto, are of benefit to you now. It offers us an opportunity to live with awareness and clarity.
The Five Stages of karma
If you find yourself constantly reacting to the same repetitive experiences, it’s time to clear Karmic memory.
The Karmic Wheel is a five step cycle linked by a chain reaction. It begins with a belief, followed by a thought, triggering an emotion, forming a desire, and finally culminating in an action.
Each time you CHOOSE to believe, think, feel, say and act differently, you are stepping off the karmic wheel and onto your path of purpose.
THE FIVE STAGES OF KARMA
1 - Beliefs
All day-to-day experiences begin with the beliefs and ideas you hold onto, whether they are limiting beliefs or thoughts of love. The chain reaction on the Karmic wheel now begins. With mindful awareness we can choose to believe in the highest version of ourselves and break the wheel before it gets started - before our mind has a chance to produce a thought.
2 - Thoughts
Once we believe something to be true, our thoughts are filtered through the lens of those beliefs. We then attract other similar thoughts that resonate with either negativity or positivity - again, our choice. If they’re negative, our mind becomes clouded and it’s harder to make the best decisions.
3 - Emotions
This flood of thoughts immediately affects how we feel. If our thoughts are of worry and confusion, our emotions will mirror that. Our everyday experiences feel like things just don’t ever seem to work out. Think of emotions as a sort of GPS that helps us recognize triggers. If we take a moment to pause, breathe, and honour what we are feeling, we can step off the karmic wheel.
4 - Communication
When we form a negative emotion with confused thoughts swirling in our mind, the desire to talk about it kicks in. Our mind will now begin to look for a quick fix. We resort to coping strategies based on an impulsive pursuit of whatever makes us feel good in the moment. We engage is self-talk that can be just destructive as commiserating with our friends and colleagues. Since our intuition is not involved on the karmic wheel, our desire to ‘fix the problem’ is usually only a short-term band-aid solution.
5 - Action
A desire makes us act impulsively, since it’s caused by our beliefs, thoughts and emotions. Whatever we choose to do at this moment will feel challenging, confusing, and the outcome will often disappoint.
What old beliefs do you hold on to that keep showing up again and again?
For Information on The Mastering the Inner World? Program, contact me:
www.robinadhindsa.com | [email protected] | IG: robina_dhindsa
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3 年Life is about intention. When we are clear as to what we want, we can act in a way that will get us there. This clarity of intention creates an energetic flow that brings us what we desire without struggle or resistance.