How the Universe Works: Cause, Effect and the Law of Karma

Any action becomes a cause of the events that will follow — the effects, and they in their turn become the causes for something else again. This understanding translates into a very simple formulation of Karma without any flavors of esoterism and religiousness. Chengeer Lee, Life Coach

Karma shapes and effects every aspect of our lives and of those around us. Every choice we take action on is the beginning of the law of cause and effect. Karma, the outcome, is a neutral energy that is neither good nor bad. It is the energy created by an action that is returned in the form of the outcome.

Our actions come from an initial thought or response, it is only when we act that the energy of cause and effect begins, Living a mindful and heart-centered life will change your karma. When your choices are made with purposeful intentions instead of hasty or impulsive reactions, you’ll remove the tendencies from past habitual behaviors that brought an outcome other than what you deserve.

The secret to understanding the way of the Universe;

The process of cause/effect and karma can serve as a way to understand the importance of the mind-heart connection. When you live mindfully, you’ll realize that every situation you’re in has the potential to gain wisdom from the experience. Karma is never meant to be a form of punishment or reciprocal pain and misery. When an unfavorable circumstance reoccurs each time you make a choice, that is the Universe’s way of showing you there’s something to learn from the experience to help you break the reactive/impulse pattern. This is why it is highly recommended that you avoid outside advice and suggestions which will only impede your progress.

For me, being in a state of peace when preparing myself to make important decisions is key. I clear away everything going on in my mind and focus on my innate wisdom and my instincts. I also disregard any distractions or unwanted advice by firmly holding in my mind what I know is the best outcome for me.

Life is a series of events and situations that are not in our control. How we respond to those circumstances that come before us, is. We can either react without thought or carefully respond. It helps to remember that there are a variety of situations that will naturally occur either way.

Every facet of your life, relationships, health, growing older and career all come from the energy that your choices determine. Empower yourself by going with your wisdom and instincts to enjoy the benefits of a heart aligned outcome.

Tips to Help You Consciously Choose:

• Conscious choice begins with being present in the moment, sitting alone in stillness, considering your options and how you’re lining up with what is best for you
• Think about how the choice/outcome you’re considering will effect your life and the lives of those around you
• Don’t allow the advice or suggestions of others make your decision for you. You are the only one that will have to live with the result of your choices
• Check your impulses at the door, from personal experience, reactionary urges have unfavorable and adverse consequences
• Remember begin the actions of cause and effect responsibly, It is never anyone else’s fault or the way of the world that our lives end up going in the wrong direction
• Carelessly made choices become habitual inevitably shaping the consequences of our actions over and over again. This habitual behavior arises from being in a clouded state of mind that colors our every action. When we apply consciousness to our life choices we are aligning ourselves with the way things actually are and seeing clearly the path we prefer

Every time you have the urge to react impulsively, take a breath, ask yourself if you’re absolutely sure and imagine the outcome of your choice. Everyone wants to live their lives with purpose and intention; peace and a better life are just a conscious choice away.

Essential Lessons of Karma/Cause and Effect

When clouds darken, the winds grow strong and the air becomes heavy, we know a storm is on its way, that is cause and effect, not destiny.

Our lives are like that storm because our actions, thoughts and words are the cause and effect in events, relationships and our place in the world. The law of cause and effect states that every material effect must have an adequate cause that existed before the effect, the effect is never greater than the cause.  The river isn’t muddy because a frog jumped in or a book doesn’t fall from the table because a fly landed on it. (apologeticspress.org)

What you resist and how you handle it determines your karma:

I recently experienced a life promotion that I didn’t expect, but it was very welcomed. Have you ever heard that statement, “what you resist, persists”? Well, that goes hand in hand with karma, I know I’ve lived it. I would like to share how we can grow into a better person by being a teacher and student of life.

Three years ago I met a woman who I was fascinated with. She was an enigmatic speaker and seemed to be a person I should get to know. I eventually got involved with her nonprofit organization as a business assistant. We did some good things together we helped people by making a difference in their lives. The working relationship was intermixed with our personal lives, making it complex and an unusual association for me, I had always kept the two separate. Eventually our relationship deteriorated making it inevitable that we should no longer remain connected in any way. One issue remained, I am renting one of the properties owned by she and her husband so the challenges continued for us both. While I know everything happens for a reason, that didn’t lessen the stress and anxiety between us.

I tried my best to keep things calm and simple, I had limited success because my intentions were not aligned with how I really felt about her so we continued to have difficulty communicating. Then things got worse when I wasn’t able to find a new roommate right away and couldn’t meet the full rent for one month. This time I knew I had to handle things differently, I had to be mindful of my words and change the energy behind them. This time I chose to consider the benefit of my actions for both of us.  It worked, it kept communication civil and respectful between us.

Then in the beginning of February, out of the blue the woman’s husband came to the house and told me he and his brother would oversee the property, but that his wife would still collect the rent. That was confirmation for me that things were shifting. Then at the end of the month he came back and told me that he and his brother were taking full responsibility for the property saying that he and his wife were divorcing. I wasn’t surprised because I was witness to the disconnect in their relationship when I was involved with her business. I am grateful for her teachings and for my graduation to another phase of my life.

This story is one of many of my life experiences, however this time I was conscious of what was going on and knew that it is always up to me to change my approach and way of thinking to create an agreeable solution, this is the stuff that a better world is made of.

When we struggle with our life challenges, it always helps to remember how you and those in your life will be affected by what you say or do.  Deepak Chopra is my go-to spiritual teacher to help me develop sound life principles to create a better life for myself.  He offers a few suggestions to help develop a keen sense of how to best create self-awareness and our part in the outcome of our lives.

From the Chopra Center:

Putting the Law of Karma into effect by making a commitment to take the following steps:

1. Today I will witness the choices I make in each moment. And in the mere witnessing of these choices, I will bring them to my conscious awareness. I will know that the best way to prepare for any moment in the future is to be fully conscious in the present.
2. Whenever I make a choice, I will ask myself two questions: “What are the consequences of this choice that I’m making?” and “Will this choice bring fulfillment and happiness to me and also to those who are affected by this choice?”
3. I will then ask my heart for guidance and be guided by its message of comfort or discomfort. If the choice feels comfortable, I will plunge ahead with abandon. If the choice feels uncomfortable, I will pause and see the consequences of my action with my inner vision. This guidance will enable me to make spontaneously correct choices for myself and for all those around me.

“If you become consciously aware that your future is generated based on your choices, then you are making full use of The Law of Karma (Cause & Effect). The more you bring your choices into the level of your conscious awareness, the more you will make those choices which are spontaneously correct–both for you and those around you.” Deepak Chopra, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success