"KARMA" means "action." Every action or thought determines a reaction. In the mortal world, the weight of a body creates an opposite energy in the ground. At the emotional level, our approach toward someone (or something) is, consciously or not, reflected back, the other person having the inclination to act precisely according to our feeling towards him/her. At the mental level this is the well-known vigorous interaction between the dominant conscious mind and the executing subconscious mind.

In YOGA Custom, KARMA has a much deeper significance, which, to a certain limit only, is connected to the western idea of Destiny or Fate. In this vision, KARMA is the collection of our prior deeds or misdeeds.

These past deeds (triggering actions) are causes which decide other actions (triggered reactions) in exact harmony with the charge of the parallel past actions.

The veiled oral teachings of TANTRISM say that every action, either physical, emotional or intellectual, every activity happening either on the level of total matter or on the subtler levels, causes an emanation of energy (Shakti), in other words, it produces a "seed".

Being a seed, KARMA does not fructify instantly after it is sown. It needs the fruitful soil of self-arrogation (when a person arrogates to himself the action done in a situation of spiritual illiteracy) and the manure of comparable actions to help its augmentation and results. The inadequacy of self-arrogation keeps the person insensitive to the actions done in that situation of awareness. Self-arrogation is thus the soil lacking which the seed of KARMA cannot augment. The incalculable seeds initiated into the Universe by craving, loathing, love, abhorrence, etc., and the actions caused by these feelings, in the same way as all tangible seeds, have a tendency -- given agreeable circumstances -- to generate active entities of the same categories as that of the parents who have transmitted the seed. In order that the seed should be sown, it is in no way essential that our mind, intentions or reflections should be materialized in conduct. All our subliminal action is a effectual origin from which are thrown out these seeds. Consequently, it matters not only what you PRACTICE, but further what you are.

The Law of Echoes is binding both for triggering actions and for triggered reactions. It can be said that the echo is like a varied impression of an action. The echoes also trigger reactions.

Taking into account the transitory succession of actions, each action has a feedback consequence (going reversed in time and hence affecting all the lurking KARMIC seeds that lay in wait) and a straight consequence (going ahead in time).

The outcome of an action is intensely inspired by comparable subject. When, for illustration, a person practices particular austerities and desires that their consequences should go to the other person for whom he performs them, it is the other that gets the effect, and not the performer.

There is not a blade of grass, not a grain of sand which is not a planter of KARMIC seeds by the activity of its physical and supernatural life, exclusive to its kind, which we must in no way conceive as comparable to our own. Each of our bodily, emotional or intellectual behavior is the outcome of causes coming from the entire Universe and has its repercussions in the entire Universe. For example, if you do a wrong or righteous act toward someone, this triggers a reaction that will be proportionately wrong or righteous, and that will be aimed toward yourself. In this manner, you encounter the bliss or distress that you have created to other living beings.

The supreme benefit of this subtle mechanism is that we learn and gather an obvious indescribable enlightenment that pushes us in the direction of becoming righteous and perfect. Without a doubt, this is a very clear and mechanical elucidation; what actually happens has a perplexity and depth that overcomes even the most ingenious intellect.

KARMA is the storage of our conduct, reported with accuracy in a distinctive memory. These observations are like time bombs which will go off in the morrow. The vision of an object, the rational of a concept, the fulfillment of an act, despite very fleeting, transmit a elaborate trail in the Cosmic Memory (AKASHA), that remains after time, and leaves also a mark in the subliminal mind. This subliminal mark is called SAMSKARA (powerful impelling force). The quality of a man, his ethical or mental position, his "talents", his "likes" and "dislikes", all are decided by his SAMSKARAS, which are the outcome of his KARMA (prior deeds). The SAMSKARAS move from manifestation to manifestation, being never lost. They act like seeds that will mature according to a particular design, which illustrate each of them and which is intimately associated to the charge of the action that created them.

For example, the pattern of evolution of a mango seed is to give birth to a plant containing all the attributes of the mango plant. This is the KARMA of the mango seed. From this elementary illustration you can comprehend how the KARMIC seeds from our subconscious (SAMSKARAS) give birth to surroundings analogously similar to those which generated them. Clearly, if you do good, you will find good, and vice-versa.

A further significant aspect is that the order of the triggered reactions is not necessarily the same as the order of the triggering actions. Some KARMAS (actions) trigger a very swift reaction, others need a extensive or very extensive time to trigger a reaction. The time of developing of the consequences of an action has nothing to do with the time when that action was done, but with its character only.

Each and every action, apart from triggering a reaction, has also an echo i.e., has the inclination to repeat continually. The echo appears after entire cycles of time (24 hours, 2 days, a week, 2 months, etc.). Generally, the echo is manifold i.e., there is an echo after 24 hours (the strongest), one more after 2 days, still another one after a week, etc. These varied echoes are less and less potent, exhausting themselves in time.

If you comprehend the Law of KARMA, you will recognize that there is no destiny other than the human will. Everyone gets precisely what he/she deserves. This is a Universal and Steadfast Law. There is a complete fairness, even when our restrained human intelligence "sees" an "unfairness". The human beings put together their own destiny through their actions, thoughts and intentions. If these have a positive charge, the destiny will be positive. If the actions, thoughts or intentions have a principally negative charge, the destiny will be negative. Mark that you do not necessarily have to do bad things to others for having a bad destiny: people usually do bad things to themselves, and this is enough for creating a negative KARMA. An important thing here is the intention. Remember, the Creator or other Higher Universal Entities at no time penalize a creature for being "bad" and never reward it for being "good".

In view of this Law, man sows seeds (actions) that will develop subsequently. But the ignorant man continually sows seeds and pays no notice to their growth. He does not even understand what he is doing. He does not even understand that what he is doing will have consequences. Nonetheless, this does not make the seeds of his conduct pure, on the other hand: they develop and ripen, and then each must eat of the sweet or sour fruits of his own calling.

Not only our actions, but also our omissions become our KARMA. Even the things that we have failed to achieve trigger reactions that may evolve into events of serious affair. Our fate precipitates itself insidiously in our lives through our countless tiny actions, musings, intentions, habits, the imperceptibly awareness actions and neglects of ordinary everyday life. Then, by way of our unconscious choices and rejections, it progressively thickens until the solution reaches a saturation point and is ripe for crystallization. A small agitation is then sufficient, and what has long been constituting as a cloudy liquid, something uncertain, barely keeping itself in willingness, is instantly precipitated as KARMA, bursts open crystal-clear and solid, and reveals to our overwhelmed eye its inherent store. Then we are astounded. Then we ask ourselves: "What have I done to warrant this? Why me?" What for an extensive time has been put together within in stealth, unpredictably unloads itself with great force into the external world and carries us with it: the machinery of KARMA starts its unyielding work into the scenery that we ourselves, majority of the time unconsciously, have intimately arranged. We abruptly detect that we are trapped in an inevitable net, woven and fitted by ourselves, into which we have recklessly delivered ourselves, and that leads us to phenomena of undiscovered and often unmanageable dimensions.

And the pitiful beauty of this is that all things seems as if it would come from outward, as if we would have no choice, as if we would be the victims of an wrongful judgement, as if the whole world would turn against us in a unexpected outburst of frivolity.

We exist in an enigmatic world, in which we, with our conscious and subconscious sense and belief system, are perpetually building the "actuality" in which we live, manifesting that baffling power called MAYA SHAKTI, by way of which we see the world not the way it is, but the way we want it, consciously or not, to be. This is the same power that the Lord uses to create and manifest the worlds, and to hide Itself from them. You have to behold and comprehend profoundly this essential truth before attempting to perceive the law of KARMA.

It is essential to know that other than the KARMIC debts, the individual has FREE WILL. This permits intellectual choices. Even if you have to endure the reactions of a "bad" KARMA, these choices can create a big difference as to HOW these reactions will exhibited, and indeed IF they will be exhibited at all. Free will is not the same for everybody (it depends on KARMA), but even an extraordinarily "bad" KARMA gives possibilities to exercise free will at certain crucial points in life.

Counter-balancing inert KARMAS

Now, we come to the idea of "altering the KARMA". Ordinarily speaking, the common human being supports passively and unconsciously the outcomes of his KARMAS (actions). In this state of awareness, he/she unconsciously generates other KARMAS (actions), which trigger parallel reactions, and so on. Evidently, this vicious circle has no end.

The YOGA Culture puts forward plainly that the human being has the ability and the privilege to alter his karma and find an exit from this vicious circle. This is called "escaping the wheel of reincarnations". KARMA itself is called "The Wheel of Endless Returning".

We have seen that the condition of KARMA, when it is asserting itself or is at the point of affirming itself is called mature KARMA. Once this condition is reached nothing and no one can stop it from running its path, nothing can interrupt its realization. By comparison with this, there is the other state in which, the state of affairs being greatly unfavorable for its growth, KARMA stays dormant (latent KARMA).

The fruition of such KARMA only can be demolished by a counter-action such as kindness, spiritual application, etc. The preventive measures against the fruition of latent KARMA are like inoculation to safeguard a person against the attack of a certain disease. And just as inoculation, though effective if it be done long before the attack, is yet useless when the attack has come, i.e., when the KARMA has achieved maturity. The mature KARMA is like a rock slipped from the top of a mountain, which knows no barrier and must have its course till it reaches the flat land. Keep in mind that KARMA is the primary purpose of our presence in this world. A person is not only influenced by his own KARMA, but also by that of the society or race to which he belongs (collective KARMA). A good or bad KARMA is evenly undesirable for he who yearns to liberation, since it enchains the person on the Wheel of Endless Returning. In YOGA concept, KARMA is "good" when it allows the person to understand the spiritual development, and it is "bad" when the converse is the case. "Bad" KARMA means that a lot of lessons have to be learned; "good" KARMA means sufficient lessons were learned, so the human being can start the conscious work of inner growth. The advanced YOGI yearns to get liberated of any kind of KARMA. Solely in this way will he be completely free of any bonds with the lower planes of consciousness, being able to blend continually into the Eternal Bliss of the Supreme Consciousness.

The timeless teachings of the KARMA YOGA system are the following:

(a) Not even for an instant can a human being be without action. Hence inaction or abstaining from action must NOT be the goal of a yogi. Detached and sanctified action is much preferred rather than inaction.

(b) Particular actions are requisite and hence have to be done but in a condition of flawless indifference and consecrating their fruit to God.

(c) We must neither hunger nor be fearful of the results of our indifferent actions. We must devote these fruits to God. The fruits of an action should be offered to God in a state of humbleness, and we should act for the love of God. This internal feeling of devotion implies a profound regard and mindfulness for the action that is being done, and a perfect indifference from its fruit. Consecration implies a higher creditability, because now the attribute of the action is a magnitude of the proportion of love for God and of communion with the Universal Harmony. In the light of this instruction, no action is to be heeded as being without significance, immaterial or incompatible with the role we CONCEIVE (but don't know by direct experimentation) we have to performance in this life.

(d) We should not at all be attached to action itself.

(e) We must never think about ourselves as being the authors of our actions. We should keep in mind that God is the one who acts through us. Hence, PRIOR TO implementing an action, conjure with passion the proximity of God and offer Him in a state of humility both that action and its fruits.

(f) Any action executed in the spirit of KARMA YOGA (i. e., respecting the above five principles) does not give birth to any KARMIC chains.

KARMA YOGA creates an unambiguous differentiation between:

(a) The AIM of an action (the condition of mind at the time of an action);

(b) The action itself;

(c) The product of the action;

Out of these three situations, only the aim creates new KARMA (traps us to the Wheel of Birth and Death). To evade this, the aim has to be uninvolved and devoted to God.

Out of these three situations, only the aim creates new KARMA (traps us to the Wheel of Birth and Death). To evade this, the aim has to be uninvolved and devoted to God.

Consecration of actions

It is necessary to devote all major actions to God.

When you decide to offer an action and its fruits to God, it is of supreme significance that you do that BEFORE the action starts. Consecrate the fruits of the action to God in absolute earnestness, without impeding anything. When you offer the fruits to God, you agree that the results of the action, which were presumed to come to you, are offered to God and you willingly confer them.

The instant of offering is instantly succeeded by an exceptional state of intimacy, of sincerity, of charging with a divine flux of rapturous dynamism, which always expresses in your being FROM TOP TO BOTTOM (from the center above the head down to the root center). You then feel this fluid entering the crown of the skull and piercing your being, bathing you in a brilliance of heavenly influence. This condition is the indication that God has received your offer and that you can proceed and commence the action, being assured that now God is action through you, heartening and directing you all the way.

Thus, in KARMA YOGA consecration has two parts:

1. Offering the fruits of an action to God BEFORE beginning the action.

2. Sensing, in a state of inherent focus and observance, the ANSWER that God sends us, and that means He has accepted our offer. This answer is a feeling, occasionally very delicate and hardly discerned, and occasionally an staggering state of increased attentiveness, or any degree in between. The main thing here is to perceive a state of uplifting, a downfall of grace from above the head up to the base of the spine. After a brief time, this condition fades, but what is material is that it came upon you.