These Are The 12 Laws Of Karma & How They Affect Your Life

The energy we put out into the world always makes its way back to us. That is karma.

Derived from Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, karma is a concept of action. It’s about the cause and effect of energy we put out into the world. In Hinduism, there are 3 types of karma — Sanchita Karma (what is going to be the action), Prarabdha Karma (the action itself), and Agami Karma (the consequence of the action on the future).

Here are the 12 laws of karma and how they affect your life:

The Great Law

When we think of the word “karma”, this is what we think of. It’s the cause and effect–whatever you put out into the world, you get back. Good or bad. Every action we take has consequences. You’re rude to service workers? You’ll get that negative energy in return one day. Do you offer to pay for someone’s meal in line behind you? You’ll get that good energy back!

Law of Creation

Have you heard the phrase “You are the co-creator of your life”? That’s this karma — the Law of Creation. This is the action of going out and making things happen for yourself and your life. You won’t become a millionaire by sitting on the couch. You can’t sit around and wait for things to happen to you — you have to go out and get it.

Law of Humility

There’s something to be said about humility. The word “humility” means to be modest of one’s self. This law is about being humble and accepting of the fact that your current reality is the result of your past actions.

Law of Growth

With every passing day, we are growing…and our growth starts within us.

The law of growth is about looking at the things you can’t control and accepting whatever fate is for you. It’s about you and you alone, but more specifically, how you can grow as a person from every decision you make in this life.

Law of Force

This law is also considered to be called the Law of Focus. It’s about how we are directing our energy out into the world.

Ask yourself: Am I being present? Am I being mindful? Am I projecting the best version of myself?

Law of Connection

Everything in your life — your past, present, future, the people you come in contact with, the choices you make — is connected. I mean, everything is connected. “Everything happens for a reason” as the saying goes — and the reason is you. Your previous actions. Who you will be tomorrow will be the result of who you were yesterday.

Law of Giving

This karmic law is about selflessness. Generosity. According to researchers of religious text, this law “relates to the Eastern concepts of dāna and puja, with puja being acts of devotion, and dana being the practice of cultivating generosity.” In other words, this is about serving and giving out of the goodness of your heart, as means of attracting good karma.

Law of Responsibility

This law is about taking ownership of the choices you make and taking accountability for your actions. You are responsible for how you choose to live your life and how you show up in the world. You are responsible for how you allow others to treat you and how you treat other people.

Law of Awareness

This is also known as the “law of the here and now.” When you’re trapped in the past or too future-oriented, you’re unable to notice and appreciate where you are. This law is about being present. It’s about being in the here and the now.

Law of Change

The experiences we have are a means of learning and changing when necessary. This law is about creating a better future for yourself. If you want to grow, you have to accept change. You have to make the necessary changes. You have to learn from your experiences and mistakes. If you don’t, history will repeat itself.

For example, if you keep dating emotionally unavailable and relationship-avoidant people, even though you want a relationship and you believe you can change them and their mind, you will remain there: unhappy, wasting your time, always longing for something you’ll never get.

Law of Patience and Reward

When you start a new habit that is good for your emotional or physical well-being, you can’t expect to see results right away. You know you won’t see results right away. But you also can’t give up when you start to feel defeated or feel as if you’re not making any progress.

For example, let’s say you’ve been working out consistently for a few days, but you’re not seeing any results yet. So you give up. You go back into your old, bad habits. That’s sabotage!

This law is about being consistent in your goals and you will see it all come to fruition. Patience is a virtue.

Law of Significance and Inspiration

When you’re lacking inspiration or motivation or feel as if you don’t have a purpose in this world, think about this law. Think about your contributions to the world. Think of how you can present yourself authentically and generously.

This law is about us and the valuable role we play in this human story. We each have something to contribute to the world: art, talent, skill, knowledge, strength, gifts. While you might feel as if you’re merely a small nothing on this planet, you still have an enormous significance to those around you.