#78 “INSTANT” KARMA

Before you act, you have freedom, but after you act, the effect of that action will follow you whether you want it to or not. That is the law of karma.” — Paramahansa Yogananda 

“We all shine on… like the moon and the stars and the sun.”  Who isn’t familiar with that John Lennon smash hit “Instant Karma”  from 1970? Most of us who were around then certainly do. I know for myself, that is when I heard and inquired about karma for the first time. What does that even mean? What I learned was that you got back what you put out in some fashion. Okay, that sounds plausible I suppose. Then, I didn’t think much more about it… at least until I became a metaphysician. 



I think now might be a good time to take another look at karma with a little more depth. What I didn’t know back in 1970 was that karma is really one of the major universal laws of life. It was better known as the law of cause and effect, or the law of action. But was it in fact “instant”… did it really bounce back that quickly? Well, yes and no actually. While “instant karma” certainly does happen, in the scheme of things, it’s the exception, and not the rule. 

So, what is karma and how does it work? Let’s take a look at the talents you were born with, and the good things that have happened in your life. Let’s not forget to consider the challenges that have come your way, and the limitations that you may be faced with as well. Most would casually chalk them off to luck or fate. That’s because our mass consciousness hasn’t bothered to look beyond their own noses for the real answers and reasons. Accepting luck or fate isn’t necessarily wrong by any means if it works for you. But there is more to it if you’re the least bit interested. 

The law of karma is foundational in Hinduism and Buddhism and is taught in many cultures around the globe. Even our own Christian Bible states; “Whatever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”  So why wouldn’t one think that what’s going on in his or her life isn’t a result of something from either a recent thought, word or deed? Or, to stretch the question further, possibly even a very distant past in another lifetime? 

Karma is our greatest benefactor, returning to us the good we have sent to others. It is also our greatest teacher, providing us the opportunity to understand the consequences of our actions or our inactions so that we can learn from our mistakes and our soul can grow. It gives us hope for overcoming by helping us to see that good promotes more good. Love promotes more love and forgiveness promotes more forgiveness. Who among us wouldn’t like that? 

Reincarnation goes hand in hand with karma. While karma teaches us and makes us accountable, reincarnation gives us the opportunity to reap positive blessings and repay our karmic debts. Both karma and reincarnation also help us make sense out of the many questions of life. Why do I have so much trouble attracting money into my life? Why did I have a brother that died so early in life? Why do I feel so unloved and unaccepted? Why did I get the job and she didn’t? 

Both positive and negative karma continues to unfold from birth throughout our lives, which helps explain the differing circumstances and situations that we all face every day. While we don’t know all the reasons for everything in our life, the understanding of karma and reincarnation gives us a deeper view of the process of why and how things happen to us.