What does karma mean?

What Gurudev says

You know the feeling: you wake up, there's no coffee in the house — and suddenly a headache creeps in? Gurudev uses exactly this everyday example to show what karma really means.

First, the simple definition: karma is the impression an action leaves behind.

So Karma means the impression of the past, which will draw similar situations in the future and that is the future Karma. And present action what you are doing is creating an impression in your mind and that is again called Karma.

From the official Art of Living website — “Human Beings Have The Most Advanced Intellect” (Apr 30 2012)

Gurudev makes it concrete with a very everyday example: the habit of drinking coffee every morning.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See, we do many actions but their impressions do not stay on our minds. For example, if I ask you a week later, 'What did you have for breakfast on Saturday', you will not remember, unless it was an occasion or you had a fight! If someone asks you, 'What did you have for lunch or dinner on December 29th', I don’t think you will remember. If you are able to tell them, then it means you have that karma! Certain activities and actions do not imprint an impression on the mind, in this case there is no karma . If I ask you, 'Which movie did you watch on September 23?' And you do not remember, it means that the movie has not caused a karma on you. Any impression which is compelling is what karma is . For example, you have a habit of drinking coffee every day, and one morning you wake up and there is no coffee available, or you decide not to drink coffee, what happens? I have heard people say that they get a headache. This is coffee karma! It is when you don’t do something and there is a reaction to it. But, you can get over that karma. If you have a headache, instead of having coffee again, take an aspirin or drink lots of water and bear that little pain, and then in 2-3 days you will no longer have headaches. This is how you get over coffee karma. Similarly, people who smoke, their compulsion to smoke is smoking karma, but they can say no to it. Every habit is nothing but a karma pattern . If you say no to it, then you are already getting over it.

From the official Art of Living website — “Take The Best And Leave The Rest” (Feb 14 2015)

But Gurudev takes this further. For him, karma is ultimately also a question of separation — and that separation can dissolve.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Just having the knowledge that it has merged with the ocean, the wave achieves mukti (freedom). The bondage of karma lasts only as long as the wave finds itself separate from the ocean. Once the wave realizes that it is not separate from the ocean but an inseparable part of it then done.

From the official Art of Living website — “The bondage of karma lasts only as long as the wave finds itself separate from the ocean” (Sep 1 2011)

The image of the wave and the ocean points to what matters most for Gurudev: as long as you experience yourself as separate — from others, from the whole — the bondage of karma stays in place. See that separation as an illusion, and it loses its grip.

What you can do

1. Watch your own habits, the way the coffee example shows. Notice the small reaction that comes up when you break a habit — that's exactly where a karma pattern shows itself.
2. When a reaction feels strong, ask yourself: is this really necessary? Not every impulse needs following just because it feels urgent.
3. Consciously say no to a compelling habit. For Gurudev, that conscious no is already the first step in getting over a karma pattern.
4. Practice feeling less separate. The more you experience yourself as part of something larger, the less weight the bondage of karma carries for you.

Frequently asked questions

What is karma, explained simply? Gurudev explains karma through the example of hurt: what happens to you right now is often nature bringing back something you caused in the past — and knowing that can bring a sense of settledness instead of feeling like a victim. At its root, karma for him is simply action: past, present, and future deeds leave impressions that shape what shows up as a result right now.

What is karma? Gurudev traces the question of karma back to its root: pleasant and unpleasant events simply arise according to your own karma and pass through you — there is literally nothing you truly need to worry about. Elsewhere he describes karma simply as action: past, present, and future leave and shape impressions that help determine the result you see now.

Why do seemingly undeserved bad things happen to some people? Gurudev says pleasant and unpleasant events arise according to your own karma and simply pass through you. Using the example of hurt, he explains further: what happens to you is often nature bringing back something from your past. Understanding this can bring a sense of settledness, rather than experiencing yourself as a victim.

Is karma a punishment or a law of nature? Gurudev compares karma to a law of nature: break traffic rules or put your hand in fire, and the consequences follow right away — karma works the same way. In another image, he compares it to money you put in the bank and expect back with interest: a natural process, not a punishment. Accept a mistake and move on, and the intensity of that karma eases.

Related questions

• What does resolving karma mean?
• What is karma yoga?
• What does it mean to act without expecting a particular result?
• What is the difference between karma and responsibility?
• What is karma?
• Karma & Action — overview

Sources

The quotes on this page come from:

• Official Art of Living website — “Human Beings Have The Most Advanced Intellect” (Apr 30 2012)
• Official Art of Living website — “Take The Best And Leave The Rest” (Feb 14 2015)
• Official Art of Living website — “The bondage of karma lasts only as long as the wave finds itself separate from the ocean” (Sep 1 2011)