How To Use The Law Of Karma On Your Spiritual Journey

The concept of karma, a cornerstone of many Eastern religions, has become a familiar part of everyday language for people worldwide. Deepak Chopra deemed the law of karma, or cause and effect, a universal law that governs the flow of each of our lives. Understanding and applying this law is one of the best ways we can gain control over our personal growth and spiritual development.

In this article, we’ll explore the law of karma and how you can use it to navigate your spiritual path with greater clarity and ease. Most importantly, we’ll discuss practical ways to apply these principles in your daily life to create positive change and foster spiritual growth.

Jump To:

• The 7 spiritual laws of success
• What is the law of karma (cause and effect)?
• What are the ’12 laws of karma’?
• How can we apply the law of karma to change our lives?
• What if I have bad past karma?
• Final thoughts

The 7 Spiritual Laws of Success

Before we dive deeper into the law of karma, it’s important to understand its context within Deepak Chopra’s framework, “The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success.”  The law of karma (or cause and effect) is the third law in this spiritual framework and is inextricably linked to the six others. 

The 7 spiritual laws of success include:

1. The Law of Pure Potentiality
2. The Law of Giving and Receiving
3. The Law of Karma (Cause and Effect)
4. The Law of Least Effort
5. The Law of Intention and Desire
6. The Law of Detachment
7. The Law of Dharma (Purpose in Life)

Each of these laws plays a unique role in helping us understand and interpret the natural flow of the universe and our role as a human being within it. Together, the seven laws illustrate our connection to the spiritual realm, our misguided ways of reaching for success, and how we are unconsciously creating our own realities.

For a deeper look at all seven spiritual laws of success, check out this article: The 7 Spiritual Laws Of Success And How To Use Them On Your Journey

What is the Law of Karma (Cause and Effect)?

The law of karma, also known as the law of cause and effect, states that every action, thought, or intention creates a corresponding reaction or consequence.

The word karma comes from Sanskrit and literally means “action.” However, in spiritual contexts, it encompasses the totality of our actions and their consequences. The law of karma suggests that our past actions, thoughts, and intentions shape our current reality and our present actions shape future experiences. Everything currently in your reality is the result of choices you’ve made – consciously or unconsciously.

It’s important to note that karma isn’t about punishment or reward. Rather, it’s a neutral force that reflects the natural order of the universe. Positive actions produce positive results, while harmful actions lead to negative consequences. This principle is echoed in many spiritual traditions and is even reflected in scientific principles like Newton’s third law of motion: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. In other words, you reap what you sow.

What are the ’12 Laws of Karma’?

While not mentioned in Deepak Chopra’s book, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, some sources describe the ’12 laws of karma’. These are not universally recognized spiritual values but offer an expanded perspective on karmic principles. Here’s a brief summary of each:

1. The Great Law: What you sow, you reap.
2. The Law of Creation: Life requires our participation to unfold.
3. The Law of Humility: One must accept the root of something to change it.
4. The Law of Growth: Our growth begins within ourselves.
5. The Law of Responsibility: We are responsible for our own lives.
6. The Law of Connection: Everything in the universe is connected.
7. The Law of Focus: We cannot think of two things at the same time.
8. The Law of Giving and Hospitality: Our behavior should match our thoughts and expectations.
9. The Law of Here and Now: Old thought patterns prevent us from having new experiences.
10. The Law of Change: History repeats itself until we learn from it and change.
11. The Law of Patience: All worthwhile rewards require persistence.
12. The Law of Significance: Our contribution to anything determines its value.

These 12 laws expand on the core principle of cause and effect, offering different ways to understand and apply karmic concepts in our lives. If these granular aspects of the law of karma are helpful in fostering good actions in your life, allow them to become tools for creating a better future.

How Can We Apply the Law of Karma to Change Our Lives?

Applying the law of karma in our lives involves becoming more conscious of our thoughts, words, and actions. 

Here are some practical steps to harness the power of karma:

Be mindful of the present moment

Mindfulness is the foundation of karmic awareness. By focusing on the present moment, you become more attuned to your thoughts, emotions, and actions as they occur. Present-moment awareness allows you to catch negative thought patterns and reflexes before they manifest into unwanted results. You can practice mindfulness in even the most mundane moments of your daily routine. For example, when eating, pay attention to the taste, texture, and smell of your food. When walking, notice the sensation of your feet touching the ground. This heightened awareness will help you make more conscious choices aligned with positive karma.

Notice your choices

Every moment presents an opportunity for choice, no matter how small. Start paying attention to the myriad decisions you make throughout your day – from what you eat for breakfast to how you respond to a coworker’s email. By recognizing these choices, you empower yourself to make more intentional decisions. Keep a “choice journal” for a week, jotting down the significant choices you make each day. This practice will illuminate patterns in your decision-making and help you identify areas where you can make more positive choices.

Pause before reacting

In our fast-paced world, immediate reactions are often automatic and don’t always come from a place of love and intentionality. When faced with a challenging situation, take a deep breath and count to ten before responding. This pause creates space between the stimulus and your response, allowing you to choose a more thoughtful action. For instance, if someone criticizes your work, instead of reacting defensively, pause and consider whether there might be truth in their words. Either way, choose your response carefully. How can you de-escalate the situation or invite a more constructive conversation to take place? This practice can transform potentially negative interactions into opportunities for growth and understanding.

Consider the consequences of your choices

Before making a decision, take a moment to envision its potential outcomes. Ask yourself: “How will this choice affect me and others in the short term and long term?” This foresight can help you avoid actions that might create negative karma. For example, before sharing gossip about a colleague, consider how it might impact their reputation and your relationships at work. By consistently considering consequences, you’ll naturally gravitate towards choices that create positive outcomes.

Listen to your intuition

Your body often knows what’s right before your mind does. Pay attention to physical sensations when making decisions. Many people feel the physical sensation of right vs wrong in their solar plexus or heart area. Do you feel a sense of expansion or contraction? Does your stomach tighten or does your breath become shallow? These bodily cues can guide you towards karmic-positive choices. Practice tuning into your body’s wisdom by taking a few deep breaths and scanning your body before making important decisions. If you’re feeling torn about a decision, ask yourself which is the right choice and focus on your heart. Your heart can detect negative energy long before your mind can – listen to its intuitive wisdom before making big decisions. 

Related: How To Separate Your Intuition From Your Anxiety

Set good intentions

Intention is the seed of karma. Start each day by setting positive intentions. For example, “Today, I intend to bring more kindness into the world” or “I intend to approach challenges with patience and understanding.” Throughout the day, check in with your intentions and realign your actions if necessary. Remember, even if the outcome isn’t perfect, good intentions contribute to positive karma.

Practice kindness and compassion

Actively look for ways to be kind each day. This could be as simple as offering a genuine compliment, helping a stranger carry groceries, or listening attentively to a friend in need. Compassion extends this kindness to understanding, or at least respecting, others’ suffering. When someone behaves negatively, try to consider what pain or fear might be driving their actions. This perspective can transform potential conflicts into opportunities for connection and healing. Everyone has different life experiences contributing to their actions and reactions – try to practice empathy before assuming the worst of your fellow human beings.

Take responsibility

Embracing responsibility means acknowledging that you are the creator of your reality. When faced with challenges, resist the urge to blame others or circumstances. Instead, ask yourself, “What role did I play in creating this situation?” and “What can I learn from this?” This approach empowers you to change your circumstances and create positive karma moving forward.

Focus on personal growth

Instead of trying to change others, direct that energy towards your own spiritual development. Set personal growth goals and work consistently towards them. This might involve reading self-improvement books, attending workshops, or seeking therapy. Remember, as you grow and evolve, your positive energy will naturally influence those around you, creating a ripple effect of good karma.

Cultivate patience

In our culture of instant gratification, patience is a major challenge for many of us. However, the law of karma operates on a longer timescale than we might prefer. Trust that your positive actions are creating good karma, even if you don’t see immediate results. Practice patience in small ways daily – perhaps by waiting calmly in line without complaint or giving a new skill time to develop. This patience will serve you well as you navigate your karmic journey.

By consistently applying these principles, you’ll become more attuned to the workings of karma in your life. Over time, you’ll likely notice positive shifts in your experiences and relationships, reflecting the good karma you’re cultivating through your conscious choices and actions. By incorporating these practices into your daily life, you can start to shape your karma in a positive direction, leading to a more fulfilling and prosperous life.

What if I Have Bad Past Karma?

Many people worry about bad karma from their past actions or even past lives. It’s important to remember that karma isn’t about punishment, but about learning and growth. If you feel burdened by past karmas, there are several approaches you can take to restore karmic balance in your life.

Pay Your Karmic Debt

One way to address bad karma is to work to balance it out. This doesn’t mean you need to suffer, but rather that you should focus on creating positive karma to counteract the negative. Deepak Chopra says that “no debt in the universe ever goes unpaid.” Many people “choose” to pay there karmic debts but do so unconsciously. This approach usually involves a lot of suffering. However, suffering isn’t necessary to balance the karmic scale. Some steps you can take to pay your debt include:

• Acknowledge past mistakes without dwelling on them
• Make amends where possible
• Restore prosperity and growth wherever you impeded it
• Practice forgiveness, both for yourself and others
• Create a clear path forward that gives back to collective well-being

Transmute/Transform Your Karma

Another approach to restoring balance to your karma is to transmute or transform your karma. Through this process, you ask the yourself and the universe, what can I learn from this experience? What has my suffering taught me that I can share with my fellow human beings? You can tie the answers you discover to your “dharma” or purpose in life. By using your experience to benefit mankind, you are transmuting your karma into positive experiences.

• Learn from past mistakes
• Use past events as catalysts for personal development
• Turn negative experiences into opportunities for learning and growth
• Tie what you learn from your karmic debt into your personal dharma or purpose
• Transform your negative experiences into positive experiences for your fellow human beings 

Transcend Your Karma

The highest spiritual approach to restoring your karmic balance is to transcend your karmic debt altogether. To transcend your karma, Chopra explains that you must de-identify with your “local self,” or your ego self. Through meditation, you can detach yourself from what you think of as being “you” (the experiences of your life, previous lives, etc.), and therefore shed your relationship to “your” karma. It cannot be yours if you are no longer beholden to the definition of “you.” 

• Connect with your Higher Self, the universe, Spirit, the collective consciousness
• Develop non-attachment to the fruits of your actions
• Act without ego involvement
• Align with your higher purpose or dharma
• Cultivate inner peace and radical compassion for all living things

Final Thoughts

The law of karma is a powerful tool for spiritual growth and personal development. By understanding and applying this principle, we can take greater responsibility for our lives and create positive change.

Remember, karma isn’t about judgment or punishment, but about cause and effect. Every thought, word, and action is a seed that will bear fruit in due time. By cultivating awareness, making conscious choices, and acting with positive intentions, we can create good karma that will benefit us individually and collectively.

As you continue on your spiritual journey, let the law of karma, along with all seven spiritual laws of success, guide you toward making choices that align with your highest self. Remember, every small action counts. As the Bhagavad Gita teaches, “No effort on the spiritual path goes to waste.”

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