The Real Definition of Karma

Karma is a word that is often misunderstood. The common conception of karma is that if you so something good, you’ll be rewarded and if you do something bad, you will be punished. But that is not how it works. The yogis knew exactly what karma meant: It is the spiritual law of cause and effect.

Our present condition is a direct consequence of our past actions or inactions. Our desires in the past led us to act upon them, and now we see the outcomes of those actions in the present moment. We are not being punished for our past actions, punishment is not a part of this universal law. However, we had certain desires and acted upon them to the best of our abilities, and now we are experiencing the inevitable consequences. It is like putting our fingers into fire, getting them burned and then tending to the resulting wound.