Is your karma good or bad? And whichever it is, what does that mean to you? Can you change it? In John Lennon’s song Instant Karma he warns that it’s “gonna get you, knock you right in the head.” Ouch! So what exactly is karma, and what can we do about it?
The concept of karma dates back to about 300 BC. Wikipedia describes it as the spiritual principle of cause and effect, where a person’s intent and actions influences their future. It states that good intent and deed contribute to good karma and future happiness, while bad intent and deed contribute to bad karma and future suffering. In some religions it’s believed that your present karma affects not only your future in this life, but the quality of your future lives.
A more mainstream understanding of karma can be found in the wisdom of the expression, ‘what goes around, comes around,’ which suggests karma is like a boomerang. For every action, there is a reaction. If, by your action, you create pain and suffering for another, you’ll one day experience the same. If you are kind and generous to others, you’ll receive that as well.
While I believe we are infinite beings who come to play on Earth for countless lifetimes, I resist the belief that I’m doomed to spend any life atoning for the wrong doings of another one. I like to think I’m in control of my karma.
Lennon’s Instant Karma resonates with me because it is so clearly evident in daily life. I don’t need my crystal ball to tell me if I drink too much wine I’ll have a sleepless night and wake with a pounding headache, if I drive recklessly I’ll increase my odds of having a car accident, or that if I’m nasty to someone I’ll receive the same in return.
Being good to myself as well as others fits right in with my beliefs regarding the Law of Attraction, that things of a similar vibration are attracted to each other. What we think about, we bring about.
Have you noticed that people with a happy cheerful nature seem to primarily experience good things? And that those who often criticize themselves and others seem to attract negative circumstances and people? That’s karma in action, my friend, and is totally within your control.
Lennon goes on to sing, ‘you better recognize your brother is everyone you meet’. I share his belief that we are all connected. Being kind to others makes me happy. And if that happiness is the price I have to pay to incur good karma in this and possibly future lives, I guess I’ll just have to live with it!
For, as Lennon’s song concludes, “We all shine on. Like the moon and the stars and the sun. Yeah we all shine on. On and on and on on and on.”
Feel free to contact me if you need some help with your karma! www.AlexandriaBarker.com
