Filling Your Karmic Piggy Bank

 

I believe in karma.  I expect that what I do and how I act will have an inevitable and substantial impact on future events in my life (lives).  I know that every action that current me takes will have a direct impact on future me.

Recent years have found me undergoing a karmic rehabilitation.  I have some things to make up for.  Thankfully it is not big stuff, or at least not like deadly sins kind of big stuff.  There were times, however, when I could have been kinder, when I could have spoken from a place of love rather than from a place of anger.  There were occasions when I allowed pettiness to rule my actions and reactions.

We cannot undo our prior bad acts.  The best we can do is to try to make amends for them.  If given the opportunity we can make sincere apologies and prove ourselves through our future actions.  We can request forgiveness.  Foremost, we can be better.  We can implement change, and we can begin to restore our kismet so that it promises a better future.

I have done a significant amount of work on shifting my karma to a place where it is likely to repay me in a fair and kind manner down the road.  There are acts that come naturally, and then there are those that require nudges and reminders.  Over time and with practice these, too, can become second nature.

Here are a few ways to increase your good karma:

Be kind to animals.  I am certain that if you treat animals well you will amass huge quantities of positive karma.  Not everyone is an animal lover, but you can still do no harm.  I have to believe that anyone who intentionally sets out to inflict pain on an animal instantly and irrevocably destroys their karma.  I invest a great deal of my energy into caring for our four-legged friends (perhaps a bit less on our eight-legged and legless slithering friends, but I am working on that), and I must admit to doing so with a purpose.  I am hoping that karma will see fit to bring me back in my next life as a cat in a home like ours, where I will be protected and loved for all of my days.

Be a champion to those who are not yet strong enough to be champions for themselves.  Speak up for those who have not found their voice.  Find the person in the room who looks out of place and uncomfortable, and engage him in conversation.  Do not allow another to be bullied.  Stand up next to him in a show of friendship and solidarity.  Be bold enough to go against the grain.  Take care with your words, as they can stay with someone for a lifetime.  Leave your impression through words of kindness and encouragement.  Be the person who helps another to find his own inner champion.

Be appreciative of nature.  Treat it with respect.  Leave it as you found it.  Take the time to pick up trash left behind by another.  Remove as much of your trace from it as you can.  Savor its beauty, and be in awe of its power.  Listen to its lessons, and allow it to teach you patience and peace.  Accept the gifts that it offers, but do not take advantage of it.  Caring for our universe allows it to care for us in return.

Be kind to one another.  Yes, this one may well be the most difficult.  How do we act in a loving manner when the world can at times be full of hatred and negativity?  These are the times when we must breathe deep and summon the reserve of goodness that sits in our very core.  Be kind when it is the hardest thing you have to do, when every instinct is pulling you in the other direction.  Do not allow yourself to absorb another’s negative karma.  Respond in a manner that not only keeps your dignity in tact, but that also adds to your positive karma stockpile.  By doing so you teach others to act in a similar manner.  If each of us practices this turning away from spite and animosity then we can create an echo of kindness that will reverberate throughout the world.

Doing good allows us to care for and help others while reaping positive benefits for ourselves.  It enables us to live a healthful and happy present life that will extend to the years still to come.  Whether you believe in it or not, it couldn’t hurt to have a few extra coins in your karmic piggy bank.  Trust me, future you will thank you!

Do you believe in karma?  Do you think that your actions today will influence your tomorrows?  How do you invest in your karma account?  As always I welcome your comments and feedback!  Cheers! Karen

All photo credits to: http://www.pixabay.com