Karma may be thought of as a consequence of our actions and intentions. In its simplest form, you can understand Karma by understanding that if you do acts of good with good intentions, good things will happen to you and vice versa.
Karma however, is more about the externalities or the tangible results that you see. Karma works at a deeper level. It is not just about “someone kicking you today because you kicked them yesterday.” Karma is about the marks that are left by your actions in your mind, emotions and spirit! These are called ‘Karmic Imprints’.
The Karmic imprints have long-term and more permanent effects on your personality, spirit and your life. Let it be explained with an example, so you can better understand the concept. Let’s say that today you decide to live your life as an optimist. You decide that you will view all the events of life in a positive light. So, whatever happens with you, or whatever decision you make, you make it with kindness, patience, compassion and understanding. As you continue living like this, you will be leaving Karmic imprints on your mind. Eventually, you will become a compassionate, gentle and kind human being. Kindness and generosity will become a part of you, in-fact, they will become a definition of who you are!
This is how Karma is defined in actual!
In retrospect, if you chose to act as a pessimist, approach all life events with disappointment, anger and frustration, and view everything in a negative light, then these negative traits will become a part of your personality. Karma will make you into a bad person because of the karmic imprints left on your mind due to the negative actions.
Karma should be viewed as a source of energy. You make this energy source positive or negative by the decisions you make in every moment of your life.
Figuring out karma this way is very simple. Therefore, if you want to have Karma work for your benefit, all you have to do is practice positivity in every decision that you make. Due to this deeper understanding of how Karma works, you can mold your future. Now it depends on you whether you mold it to be a happy future or a sad future. You can train your mind today to work in such a way that your tomorrow will be far better and satisfying!
Karmic imprints left on your mind effect your emotions in a way that these emotions continue to have an effect on you, thus influencing the future decisions you take. Imagine a day spent in doing good deeds and helping others; or being committed to your job and accomplishing many targets. At the end of spending such a day, you will have the peace of mind to enjoy a good night’s sleep. Not only that, but when you will wake up in the morning you will be feeling good about yourself. This good feeling will motivate you to spend the next day with commitment as well! Therefore, the cycle will continue and in the end, you will be a more committed individual!
Consider another situation; you made fun of a colleague in the work place. The same day your boss gets angry with you for a mistake, you made in a report and you feel unlucky. Since you are feeling down, you might refuse a colleague who asks for your help. As you go to bed at the end of the day, you might not have a good night’s sleep, as you will recall the happenings of the day. When you wake up in the morning, again, you will be reminded of yesterday’s memories and you will keep on feeling sad. Then, with the same sad emotions, you will face the events of the next day.
Understanding Karma and Karmic imprints will allow you to view Karma as a long-term phenomenon and not just some phenomenon that has short-term effects. It will allow you to train your mind and shape your actions today so that you can positively make up your future!
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