You have surely heard the phrases “you reap what you sow” or “what goes around comes around”
before. These proverbs describe the idea behind what Karma means pretty well.
What Is Karma?
We think it’s misleading
to say that Karma has something to do with fate because quite the opposite is
true. People who believe in fate, think that their future is already written
and inevitable, while people who believe in Karma have their future in their hands
and are completely responsible for their actions.
The 12 Laws of Karma
1. The
Great Law
The first and probably best-known rule is the law of cause and
effect, also known as the great law.
This law is often seen as “Karma” in a broader sense.
Put simply, this law says that your thoughts and actions will
have consequences. How these consequences look like and when they will come
into effect, depends on the actions themselves.
Good actions will have good consequences and bad actions will
have bad consequences.
Similar to the law of
attraction, this law also says: like attracts like.
In order to achieve peace, harmony, and prosperity, you must be
prepared to act accordingly and do good.
2. The
Law of Creation
The second law, the law of creation, also overlaps with the law
of attraction. The law says that you must actively invest time and effort into
the things you want. You can’t go through life and hope that everything comes
by itself.
Work actively towards your goals and create an environment in
which you feel comfortable.
If you are dissatisfied with the way things are going in your
life right now, look at your environment, decide what needs to be changed and
then change it.
3. The
Law of Humility
The law of humility says you have to accept things before you
can change them.
You must be humble in your thinking so that you can understand
and accept your own mistakes and weaknesses before you can start working on
them in the next step.
You can only change your direction when you are ready to deal
with uncomfortable truths about your behavior.
4. The
Law of Growth
This law is about personal growth and how you can
achieve it.
The law of growth says that you have to change yourself to
change the things around you.
There are things you can change and there are things you have to
accept. In the end, you can only control yourself completely. The way you deal
with this control determines how your environment will change.
Focus on your own development before trying to control or change
others.
5. The
Law of Responsibility
The people and places you surround yourself with are your choice
and decision alone. If something doesn’t suit you, it is your own
responsibility to change it.
Take responsibility for the things you created.
No matter if the outcome is positive or negative: you are
responsible for everything that happens in your life. Mistakes in your life are
just as important as the successes you celebrate. In fact, you learn the most
from mistakes.
What happens around you is a reflection of what is going on inside
you.
6. The Law of Connection
The law of connection, like the great law, says that everything
in your life is connected. Every action of yours, no matter how unimportant it
may seem to you, has an effect on yourself and your environment.
Simply put, you have to take care of even the smallest tasks so
that other things can enter your life. You have to keep in mind that no task,
whether first, middle or last, is more important in achieving your goals.
It also says that your past, present, and future are closely
connected. To gain control over your present and future, you must remove
the bad energy (or bad Karma, if you like) from the past.
7. The
Law of Focus
People can’t think of two things at the same time.
You can only concentrate on one thing at a time. This is
important because a divided mind is more susceptible to negative thoughts – and
therefore to negative energy. Mindfulness and meditation are good tools to
improve your focus.
Karma doesn’t say that you can’t or shouldn’t multitask.
Instead, it tells you that you can’t realize your full potential as long as you
are negative or unfocused.
That is why the law of focus says: direct your full attention to one task
in order to accomplish it in the best possible way.
You will have a better life if you can follow a single
overarching goal and omit everything else. Your mind is not able to give equal
attention to several things.
8. The Law of Giving and Hospitality
The law of giving and hospitality says that if you believe in
something at some point in your life, you will be asked to prove your faith in
it. This rule focuses on the connection between your faith and your practice.
It underlines the importance of your actions reflecting your deeper beliefs.
Your behavior should represent your thinking. Therefore, you
should be giving and sharing out of inner conviction and not because of
external factors.
9. The
Law of Here and Now
This law advises against looking back or into the future. It
encourages you to exist in the present moment and to appreciate it.
As soon as you concentrate on the present moment, you will be
able to decide which way you want to take. Although the law of connection says
that the past is connected to the present and the future, it’s not advisable to
plan the future by looking into the past. Old habits also stop you from
creating new routines and regularities.
You can’t be present when you look back.
Old thoughts, memories, habits, and dreams prevent you from
being present in the here and now and from taking a new direction in
life.
10. The
Law of Change
The definition of madness is: “to do the same thing over and over again and expect
different results.“
The past repeats itself until you learn from it and take a new
direction.
If you are not happy with your past, you must learn from it to
take a new path. Only then will you be able to create a better future for
yourself. Nothing will turn out to be different without the necessary changes.
11. The Law of Patience and Reward
The law of patience and reward states that any reward requires
work and patience.
If you apply this rule to everyday life, it will be more than
plausible. Imagine you have two goals. One is long-term and lasts for several
months, while the other is short-term. Let’s say your long-term goal is to get
a raise and your short-term goal is to read 50 pages in one week.
Let’s also assume that you achieve both goals.
The joy you will feel for getting a raise is greater than the
joy you will feel for reaching your short-term goal. This is only logical as
you have worked longer and harder for the raise. The sacrifice you have made is
greater and therefore you are more happy about the reward.
The reward is perceived as greater because you have invested
more time and effort.
Long-term rewards require patience and constant work.
12. The Law of Significance and Inspiration
The law of significance and inspiration is ideal for people who
need a motivational boost or feel like their work is meaningless and doesn’t
make a difference.
This particular aspect of Karma emphasizes that any contribution
you make will affect your environment, no matter how small or large it is.
Whenever you help and show loving commitment to the world, your actions might
inspire similar positive behavior from others and draw more positive energy
into your life.
