Karma and Dharma: an introduction

One of my Karma and Dharma tattoos. I have one on each wrist.

 

Karma and dharma are two powerful driving forces of the way your life unfolds. In order to have a happy life you must fulfill your dharma and burn your karma.

The law of Dharma

Your Dharma encompasses all the duties and responsibilities you have in this life time. We have certain roles we play, for example- being a student, a teacher, a parent, a son, a daughter, a citizen, a husband, a wife – and all these “titles” come with responsibilities. Our dharma is to accomplish these responsibilities. Whatever duties and responsibilities that you do not complete properly, in a previous life, or in our current life, it will be sent back to you in the form of Karma, and you will have to work through it. That is the law of Dharma.

The law of Karma

These days, “Karma” has become quite a trendy word to use, and it’s true meaning is being lost as more and more people use the word “Karma” as a spiritual weapon for revenge. We say things like “How dare that person hurt me so much! Well, I believe in Karma, and so I know that it will come back to them one day.” But this is not the kind of Karma we need to concern ourselves with. What is more important is our own Karma. We have to work through our own Karma. Another person causing us pain us is not about their Karma. It is about ours.

Also, Karma is not something that happens every once in a while, that makes you stop and think “Oh, that must be Karma!” Karma is something is collected and burnt every day. It is an ongoing and never ending process. You can burn your Karma by working through the challenges that you have to work through in order to attain Karmic balance. Your karma is composed of karma from your previous incarnations, your every day actions, your relations and interactions at work, and your biggest and heaviest karma is attained from how you behave in your family life. Ultimately, your karma is created from your Dharma.

When a person can consciously work through their Karma, and fulfill their dharma, they will have a happy life. A life that is at the very least, moving forward and progressing.

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Different types of Karma

There are three types of Karma.

Light Karma: Light Karma is collected during our day-to-day life. Things like being rude to a stranger, or littering etc. This type of Karma can be worked off in a few minutes to a day.

Medium Karma: Medium Karma is collected during our work life. It comes from our relations at work, with our colleagues and co-workers and how we work through challenges at work. Medium level Karma can be worked off in a few months.

Heavy Karma: Heavy Karma is collected in our family life. It is the most difficult Karma to work through because it is not easy to change your family relationships. If you consciously try and resolve it, it can take up to a year or two to burn completely.

Notice how as our duties increase (our dharma) in a certain area of our lives, so does the weight of the Karma. We have medium-level duties at work, and we have our heavies responsibilities in regard to our family life – which is why it is the hardest Karma to lift.

Male and Female Karma

The light body of the man and the woman is structured differently, and they both have different Karmic and Dharmic responsibilities.

Women tend to burn and pay off their Karma in their lifetime, whereas men tend to collect their Karma.

What does this mean?

This means that women tend to suffer more in life, because they have to work off their Karma.

The man collects his Karma, which means that he may suffer less in his life, but his life can degenerate at a greater extent.

How can I use this knowledge?

You can use this knowledge of Karma and Dharma as the background driving forces and principles of your life. Always be aware of your duties and responsibilities and try to complete them as well as you can. Study how to become a good wife, a good friend, a good person, a good student, a good teacher – and become them.

Also be aware of the Karma you need to work through in your life right now. What is challenging for you right now? That is your Karma. What lessons can you learn from this? How can you “pass this test”? Try to anticipate what other things may be an issue for you in the future – it may not always be so obvious.

If you are in a relationship, think about the Karma that the two of you are bringing into your relationship, because you are going to have to work through it. It may not be today, but one day, it is going to come up.

There can be obvious Karma, such as; past relationships, past experiences, “emotional baggage”, issues either of you have with jealousy, anger etc. But there can also be other Karma that is less obvious.

Karma doesn’t mean “bad”, it just means the balancing act of the universe. It just means that some areas of your life will require more effort than others. Being aware of what Karma you may have to work through together puts you in the best position of actually working through it.

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Wishing you happiness,

m