Let us start by recalling a few excerpts from my previous article on The Karma Story, where we discussed karmic relationships and how to break this cycle.
If we look around today, almost everyone suffers hardships. Some people are not happy. Some are struggling in relationships, jobs, or finances. When we visit a priest, an astrologer, or any holistic practitioner, they often advise us to balance our Karmas through some remedies or give advice that we often fail to understand.
Many of us might need to be aware of the terms Karma and balancing Karma.
Whatever the case, the information I will share is on the kinds of issues that holistic practitioners come across or have collated from the experiences and people around us, in addition to the spiritual practices and knowledge we acquire and retain.
Let us first understand the term, Karma.
What is Karma?
Karma is an action (or state of being) that has specific (good or bad) consequences; these Karmas gets generated by our core intentions (Chetna, चेतना), and the choice we make is indeed vital.
Most of us have yet to learn how this science works. As soon as we think of something good or bad, we instantly transmit a signal to the Universe, and the thought is created. Through this thought, Karma takes birth, and this cycle begins.
Of course, you must be thinking, it is a natural process, and how can we stop thinking? You need not stop thinking. If you are a Buddhist follower or any other spiritual teacher, all are the same. The only difference could be language or way of imparting. You will realize that they focus on intentions (Chetna, चेतना) and the causes (reasons) [invisible cause or causes of the visible effect, not necessarily confined to the present life; they might link to the past].
According to Buddhist teachings, our present mental state, moral intellect, mental conditioning, inherited karmic balances, and temperamental differences can be the most prominent reasons for more than our actions from the present and past. They often add to our deeds of the present Karmas.
There is a great need today for all of us to understand this concept seriously and balance our karmic balance sheets to reduce or end our suffering.
It also includes our give-and-receive balances for our finances. We cannot simply ask and keep receiving; we must balance every receipt with giving, whether it is money, love, respect, good deeds, or anything else we receive in some form for our contentment.
The Law of Karma plays a prominent role in our sufferings or blessings. All experiences, whether of fortune or misfortune, are due to some or other past actions. Based on these actions, humans acquire specific characteristics or attributes that define their personality or persona and follow their deeds accordingly.
[Remember that everything in this Universe is interconnected, whether humans, animals, or other species, plants, nature, the earth, sun, moon, Karmas, planets, deeds, love, relationships, sufferings, blessings, or anything you can imagine.]
FreeWill
The belief that mental attitude and physical circumstances take birth or existence merely because of past Karmas refuted by Buddha. He mentioned that if this were a complete truth, then the freewill would not exist.
Sadly, most people have yet to learn about the concept of free will, the universal law of free will. It allows us to take control of our lives and redefine things by rectifying our wrongdoings, Karma balance, and clearing karmic debts towards people, money, or anything that counts and adds to our sufferings.
Most people fear that God is causing them suffering, but the truth is that we are responsible for our suffering. God has always said, Ask and you shall receive! He will never deprive anyone of anything. We limit and distance ourselves from his blessings with our thoughts and Karma.
Life is a game. It will keep throwing challenges at us. We must play those rounds, learn the lessons, clear the karmic balances and debts, and move on. Only through this, as a soul, can we proceed to our liberation (Mukti), which will lead us back to the divine source from where we came.
We are beyond physical human beings. We are light beings, i.e., energy beings, and we need to understand these concepts thoroughly to understand life and the core of the divine.
Because of mental conditioning and limiting beliefs, we never try to explore our lives and their principles. Life is not a 9-5 job, having a peaceful married life with children, getting old, and then dying.
It is not more than living like a human of flesh and bones. We are here to learn lessons and clear the Karmic cycle so we can purify our souls and immerse ourselves into the divine light of which we are all a part (GOD).
Buddha Says — I declare, O Bhikksuhs, that desire or discretion (own will) is Karma. Having willed one acts by body, speech, and thought. [excerpt from Anguttara Nikaya]
Karma does not necessarily mean past actions; it encircles past and present deeds. We are the result of what we were; we will be the result of what we are.
Undoubtedly, the present is a consequence of the past and will represent our future. The concept of Karma is complex. The present need not always be a true reflection of our past or the future.
In short, Karma is The Law of Cause and Effect.
We also learned in science that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Karma is like a seed generated from our thoughts or intentions. Once that is sown, it will manifest and result in consequences, suffering, or blessings.
Here, we can follow the Flower Theory, which many people might understand.
Let us consider the pollination process. How does a flower or plant grow once the seed gets sown? It gives birth to a small plant with roots that deeply connect to the base of that seed. It also adds branches and leaves, fruits, or flowers to that plant. In this way, it follows the cycle of Karma for us. The better the seed, the more positive the intention, and the sweeter the fruit, or else we only get bitterness in the results.
According to the nature of the Karma seed, the fruit could be happiness, bliss, unhappiness or misery, prosperity, health and longevity, poverty, ugliness, disease, short life span, and so on.
As we sow, we reap somewhere and some time, either in the present life or in future births. The Samyutta Nikaya (Buddhist scripture) states:
According to the seed sown,
So is the fruit you reap therefrom,
Doer of goodwill gather good,
Doer of evil, evil reaps,
Down is the seed and thou shalt taste the fruit thereof.
Karma is a law that operates in its sphere despite getting affected or intervening by any external, independent ruling forces.
Karma is a vast concept with different classifications, and we will discuss it in detail at some other point in time. However, let us now get back to our focus on how to balance these Karmas. Or, once we as humans or souls have reached our realization and understand the causes of our sufferings, what can we do to clear or balance them?
Eight Best Practices to Transmute and Balance Karma
The following are the prevalent practices we can follow as they bring self-realization, connection, compassion, peace of mind, and fulfillment of our desires and help us move toward spiritual liberation.
It ultimately encourages us to clear our Karmas, balance them, and keep purifying our souls as pure as when we came to this world. We must purify our souls to return to the Divine Source.
- Forgiveness: The most important key to balancing our Karma is forgiveness. Forgive yourself and others who wronged you for the guilt, shame, regrets, etc. If we curse or become revengeful, we will never be able to break this cycle. Forgiveness exercises, such as Ho'oponopono, which I discussed in one of my previous articles on forgiveness, can be beneficial. Always identify your karmic load and work on its balancing through forgiveness.
- Do good deeds, help the needy, and feed the poor: Do it without any expectations or anything in return. Do it with your heart and soul, surrendering the result to the divine.
- Share success and joy with everyone: It always doubles and intensifies happiness when shared with others. Doing small deeds which can bring happiness or a smile to someone is equally accepted as if you were to do something with the money. So, money is not the only way to bring happiness to someone or yourself.
- Keep your thoughts positive: The more you stay optimistic and keep thinking positively, the more you will start to understand the Law of Attraction and how it works with our thoughts. Negative thoughts become barriers to our success, happiness, and Karma clearing.
- Prayers: Remember, prayer is the primary tool. Prayer and faith can move the mountains. When you have no control over a situation, surrender. Just pray to God and his beings to bless you with tolerance and guide you through this process of suffering, making it bearable.
- Acceptance: Acceptance of suffering as a natural part of life. As mentioned by Sai Baba in Sai Satcharitra: "कर्मयोग की भट्टी में जलना ही प ड़ ता है।". If you avoid going through your Karma, you will never be able to break the cycle of Karma. It is better to bear it today rather than continue to suffer for many lifetimes.
- Continue the journey through one of the four Yogas: Karma Yog, Bhakti Yog, Kriya Yog, and Gnana (Gyan-Consciousness). The four Yogas also help us reach divine consciousness, or to the divine, but they will also guide us to release the Karmas and break the cycle. Once a being is conscious, they will know the gist (essence) of life and be able to understand the concepts of free will and balancing the Karmas.
- Energy Healing: Energy healing for oneself and others (if a holistic practitioner) through Meditation, Reiki healing, Lama Fera (Buddhist healing technique), Karmic clearing, and healing.
Cut all toxic cords with your Karmas. The longer you hold on to emotional or mental attachments and fears, the more they will act and become barriers for you. It is always important to cut the cords that do not serve your highest good.
It will help you seek and identify divine guidance and move in a new direction.
There are many ways to balance and remove the old karmic patterns. You must become conscious and ready to accept the help from the divine, which is always present around us. However, being ignorant, we hardly notice it.
This article will bring awareness and help the readers understand the concept of Karma and karmic balance.
I've condensed and conveyed the key points through this article. However, Karma is a vast concept and deserves a separate article because it encompasses so much ground.
Love, light, peace, gratitude, and infinite blessings to all!!!