What is karma? Karma is a concept that is part of the divine laws. We identify it often to Buddhism, but originally, the word karma comes from Hinduism. We often relate to it as the law of cause and effect. In Christianity, they say we reap what we sow. Karma, this law of cause and effect, can be divided into two categories, the small karma, and the long karma. The small karma refers to an action followed by a reaction, which takes place in the same lifetime. For example, you stole something, a few years later you get robbed. The long karma relates to a reaction that takes place over one lifetime. If in a past life, you have been abusing people, you might be abused in this life.
Today, karma is often perceived as a law enforcer. The one who makes you go through what you make others go through. It is normal for people to be afraid of it if we perceive it in this role. But this cosmic law is not there to punish us. On the contrary, it’s a guide for our spiritual evolution.
I am not making up an excuse or creating an external cause that you can “point the finger at” when things go wrong. Instead, I invite you to come out of this victim role toward karma or the belief that God is responsible for what is happening to you and proceed to an inner questioning and introspection. What do I have to learn from what is happening to me?
Karma goes beyond actions. It includes our entire being as well, our emotions, words, thoughts, fears, and so on. So, if we have a tendency to be submissive, we will attract dominant people, or if we always fear of being sick, sickness will come our way.
We have to understand that we are the creators of our karma. We choose and create what is happening to us, consciously or not. There is a space between our human death and our next incarnation, which I like to call the “in-between lives”. In this timeless space, we review our past life and select the best environment for what we still have to learn. I’m not talking here about “destiny”. We are entirely free to do what we want in this life.
The main reason why our divine memory (the one that holds all our previous lives) go on “sleeping mode” when we incarnate is simply to give us the freedom of choice. How could we be free to choose, if we knew from the very moment we’re born, that the only reason why we are passing on this earth is to mature our divine soul? How could we be free to choose if the choice was already made? It is with the freedom of choice that we can progress spiritually.
Have you ever noticed how unlearned lessons repeat themselves? When they do, their harshness intensifies. Why would we come in this world full of suffering, if it is not to free ourselves from it? Some learning curves have to be taken with specific people. We call them “karmic relationships”. Every single relationship we ever had is there to help us move forward, even through suffering and pain. They are our classmates in this school of life.
If we listened to our karma, we would realize how much this inner teacher wants the best for us. He is neither a law enforcer nor an executioner. He is our ally, our friend, and our inner reminder. Let’s have some love, gratitude, and courage instead of fear and guilt. Let’s listen to him. He has so much to teach us.