Yoga tells us that karma is certain. Every thought, word, and action has a vibrational energy that consciously, or unconsciously, creates our reality and experience. In simplest terms, this is karma. 

You don't have to believe in past lives or anything esoteric to understand karma. It's the idea that everything we do or think, has a reaction and a result. It's a simple law of cause and effect. Einstein told us that the Universe is curved, supporting Newton’s Law and the Law of Karma, that everything will eventually, and inevitably come back to us. 

The lessons of karma have an important role for our evolution. It guides us like a treasure map to journey into the mysteries of who we are and what we desire. However, not all experiences of our karma feel good.

The challenges we’ve faced like a “bad” relationship, job, illness, or addiction, are a result of our karma, and are actually guiding us. The guidance leads us to know with certainty what kind of relationship, job, lifestyle, or behavior we want. Karma can remind us that we deserve the best that we can imagine for ourselves, and if things aren’t going so good, it’s time to change.

I remember my yoga teacher, Sharon Gannon, saying that sometimes on the search for discovering who we are, we will be guided by the experiences that enlighten us into who we are not. That sometimes in order to really figure out what it is that we desire in our lives, we have to experience the things we don’t want.

Resistance to this more challenging side of karma is a crutch to our evolution. See the moments of challenge as a freeing force, offering us the grace to change, to evolve, and to come into our highest good. This contrast also reminds us that if we are experiencing a challenging environment or relationship, that it is time to step back, quiet ourselves, and explore the truth about our own role in creating our problems. 

Taking the time out from engaging in life’s drama gives us the opportunity to go within, which will show us the way beyond our problems. It is scary to show up, to be really real with yourself about why you are the one causing what's not working in your life. Yet if we can be real, real about the energy we are putting out there, real about the emotional and mental blockages and limitations we create, there will be an eventual response of love, forgiveness, and understanding. We then have the power to break free from the causes of our suffering. Self-doubt and not knowing our power in creating our reality, is perhaps the greatest human tragedy. 

Don’t let karma make you feel enslaved, shift your perspective into the momentum and empowerment of how we drive our own karma! When we put out more good karma through our actions, thoughts, and words, we get to enjoy and experience more good in life! 

Karma can teach us that there are multiple perspectives and different realities to be experienced. Realization into the laws of karma may help us to soften our attitude towards ourselves and towards one another. It can help us remember our collective oneness and that we're all just riding the waves of life the best we can. Understanding karma can also encourage us to side step the drama of karma, and to trust ourselves to manifest our desires.

The practice of yoga can also help us navigate our karma. It offers us clues into who we truly are and can inspire magical shifts to adjust our energy, so that we are putting out a vibration of that which we wish to attract. Yoga also reminds us that everything we desire is on the other side of fear. Be brave!

By Shannon Connell

Shannon is a certified Jivamukti, Power, Hot Yoga, and Mindfulness Meditation Instructor, Usui and Karuna Reiki Master Teacher, and Registered Psychotherapist. She honors the interconnectedness between All-beings and All-things and is passionate about participating and supporting her community in physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Visit her at her website www.shannonconnellhealth.com.

Start creating good karma now with a yoga class!

Happiness Flow with Jackie Casal Mahrou

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