Karma | Our Mind, Body and Soul

Negative thoughts and emotions can lead to harmful outcomes. Acts of violence, whether they are direct actions or support for harm, often arise from greed, anger, or misguided beliefs. These negative feelings can range in intensity from mild to extreme.

Regardless of their strength, they inflict continuous pain and keep individuals trapped in ignorance. This reality emphasizes the need to reflect on positive alternatives and consider opposite perspectives.

When discussing the afterlife, many individuals hold beliefs centered around the concepts of heaven and hell. This idea is prevalent in most Western religions, which promote the notion that souls are judged after death. Some people imagine a clear division between paradise and punishment.

However, another possibility exists. Instead of envisioning an eternal reward or condemnation, one could consider a cyclical journey for the soul. Rather than being forever lost as a ghost or endlessly wandering, what if the soul learns and evolves through repeated lives?


The concept of karma plays a significant role in this understanding. According to yogic teachings, karma reflects a continual cycle of actions and their consequences. It is often summarized with the phrase “what goes around comes around.” While we might casually link karma to instant retribution, its true essence is far more complex.

Karma functions like a bank account, accumulating positive and negative influences based on our actions, thoughts, and words. Every time one acts kindly or thinks positively, they make a deposit into their karmic account, favoring their future experiences.

Conversely, negative words or harmful thoughts prompt withdrawals. For instance, expressing anger towards someone or wishing ill upon them detracts from the balance of positive karma.

Prominent figures like Jesus and Buddha exemplify this path of purity. Buddha notably demonstrated immense compassion, even sending loving thoughts to his attacker during his final moments.

Yoga is deeply intertwined with this understanding of ethics. It encompasses the yamas and niyamas, which offer guidance on how we should conduct ourselves.

The yamas emphasize what not to do, highlighting behaviors such as violence, dishonesty, stealing, promiscuity, and coveting. On the other hand, the niyamas focus on positive practices, encouraging cleanliness, contentment, self-discipline, study, and devotion.

An ancient teaching from the Sutras of Patanjali asserts that yoga helps tame the natural chaos of the mind. By adopting this perspective, individuals can focus less on conventional beliefs about heaven and hell and more on cultivating a positive karmic outlook.

This shift infuses daily actions with deeper meaning, encouraging adherence to the ethical principles of yoga in all aspects of life.

---