In this post, we talk about 5 easy steps that we can take on a daily basis to effectively generate good karma and relish the blessings it bestows upon us.

Before moving on to the topic at hand, let us first explain what karma really means. Karma is the balance between cause and effect. It represents how our present actions affect our long term future. This deserves a bit more elucidation. Karma can essentially be considered as an extremely accurate ledger of one’s actions maintained down to the last detail by our beloved universe itself. The universe then sets out to balance our actions with appropriate reactions which are both generous as well as just. Now, don’t get confused by the word generous. The reaction may be generously good or generously bad depending upon the nature of our initial action.

The concept of karma might seem a little woo-woo in the beginning. But if you asked an experienced elderly about it – someone who has seen all facets of life up close – he or she will unquestionably tell you that karma is a truth to acknowledge and reckon with. Plus, when you take into account everything that goes on in this world, you tend to think that there must be some higher force keeping a record, because otherwise all of life’s beauty and complexity will be reduced to nothing but irrational chaos.

Nevertheless, irrespective of whether you give credence to karma or not, whether you are a believer or an atheist, we strongly urge you to at least read what we have to say with an open mind. You do that, and you’ll find that even if you put the religious and the spiritual aspects of karma aside, it makes all the sense in the world to follow the techniques mentioned in this article. And once you’re done reading, we’re sure you’ll sincerely agree with us when we say that the world can certainly use individuals driven by selflessly positive motives and intentions. With this, let us begin enlisting 5 easy ways that you can adopt in this very moment to generate good karma.

What goes around comes around

We’ve all heard the phrase “do unto others what you would have others do unto you”. This is an extremely powerful lesson to learn and implement in life. There’s a reason it’s called the “Golden Rule” after all. What it essentially means is this: If you want people to treat you nicely, you’re going to have to behave nicely with them first. Conversely, if you tend to act rude and mean with others, you are bound to receive the same treatment irrespective of whether you do it knowingly or unknowingly. We are the most intelligent species on this planet, and it is our sacred duty to be aware and sensitive as to when we’re being helpful, and when we’re being hurtful. This is the simplest version of the deeper meaning encompassed within this Golden Rule. Before diving into how we can use this rule to our advantage, let us first talk about its significance in brief.

The Golden Rule is most definitely not limited to good behavior alone. It actually extends to almost all our day to day actions along with their effect on those around us. It forms the fundamental principle behind establishing a progressive, peaceful, and high functioning society filled with trust and harmony. The way we think and interact with others, the way we design our lifestyle, the way we use our position of power and our resources, from our intentions to our personal and professional conventions, everything goes in conjunction with this rule.

Newton rightfully noted “every action has an equal and opposite reaction”. What’s amazing is that this rule is not just applicable at an individual level, but beautifully pans out at a cosmic level as well. Not to mention, nature has a habit of upholding its laws. When we do right by others, we become worthy of receiving the best of nature’s blessings, while when we happen to consciously wrong others, we become deserving of receiving the worst of its curses. Period. It’s imperative to mention here that the Golden Rule has been stated in all existent religious and spiritual teachings and with great emphasis.

Empathy begets empathy. Love begets love. Hatred begets hatred. And hurt begets hurt. This is the basic philosophy behind the phrase “what goes around comes around”. If you wish to be understood, you will have becoming understanding first. If you wish to be loved, you will have to love unconditionally and selflessly first. If you continue to spread hatred, you will receive hatred in return. And if you continue to spread hurt, you will receive hurt in return.

Now that you’ve gained a pretty good insight about the significance of this universal law, let us move on to discussing some of the ways in which you can utilize it to fulfill even the most ambitious of your goals and dreams.

Practice loving kindness

Be gentle and kind in your conversations. Everything that can be said lovingly must be said lovingly. And this can easily constitute 95% of what you convey on a day-to-day basis. Avoid acting rude with those around you, even when they act rude first. From a societal point of view, a person who knows how to control his or her speech and the associated emotion not just earns public goodwill, but is also seen as someone who knows what he or she is doing. It also forces the other person to contemplate upon his or her actions without you having to put in any strenuous effort.

You can also practice loving kindness by giving out genuine compliments. When you think someone has done a good job, be sure to acknowledge it. It can be as simple as telling a traffic policeman that he has been working tirelessly in rain, in heat, and in storms even, and that you’re grateful for his flawless service. Also, when you feel the need to give a person some constructive criticism, be gentle about it as well. There is already a lot of hate being thrown around in the world. Let’s not contribute to it any further and be nice to each other as much as we can.

Be helpful for no reason at all

Having an ulterior motive behind helping a fellow human being is probably not a good idea whether you are consciously trying to generate good karma or not. You’ll need to cultivate a different kind of mindset here. Most of us are accustomed to helping those who may prove to be useful for one of our own goals in the future. And we do this subconsciously. Most of us also end up believing that we’ve performed a noble act when it is nothing more than an investment or a selfish deed. More often than not, this tends to have a negative impact on our karmic ledger. Now, we’re not saying you shouldn’t do favors for those who can benefit you in return. But we are asking you to see this act for what it really is.

If you look forward to doing good for the society, you will have to take a step further from where you are now. Instead of doing favors, you will have to consciously make it a point to help whomever you can, whenever you can, wherever you can. If you see someone struggling, tell them that you’re willing to help. Even when they haven’t asked for it specifically, just go out there and take the initiative of providing any form of unsolicited assistance that can ease their suffering.

Do volunteering work

There are several organizations that work with volunteers for causes that matter. You could always join an organization that is focused on a cause you can relate to. You will have to set aside a few additional hours for it, but we assure you, the feeling of accomplishment you’ll gain afterwards will be totally worth it. Alternatively, you could also become a regular sponsor for their activities in case you seem to be at a loss of time. We’ll discuss this in detail in a separate section below. If you do not wish to get associated with a proper organization, you could always choose to do freelance social work as well.

Some of us are privileged to have servants. You could teach their children basic concepts of subjects like mathematics, science, or english. If there is a slum area nearby, you could distribute everyday resources like soaps, toothpastes, first-aid kits, raw food items, etc. When you pass by a group of children looking eagerly at a bakery shop, you could buy them some chocolates or pastries to make them happy. The truth is, little things do matter. Your actions may not be enough to bring about a global revolution, but taking baby steps will take you a long way, dear friend.

Bless those in need

Whenever you see someone in pain, bless him with the strength and the courage to fight through his problems. Whenever you see someone going through a financially difficult situation, bless her with prosperity, wealth and abundance, with good resources, and the wisdom to use it all wisely. Repeat these exact words in your mind, or out loud. Alternatively, you can create your own phrases for blessing people who are going through challenging times and in turn generate good karma for yourself. This becomes extremely useful when you know you cannot help the other person tangibly in his or her time of need. The best part about this technique is that the possibilities are endless.

You can also use it to create selective good karma so as to tackle a specific problem. Let us consider the following example. Imagine that you have been suffering through some health issues. You’ve been in great discomfort for quite some time now. Instead of condemning your bad luck, you can very well choose to alter the latter as per your will. All you have to do is recite this phrase in your mind or out loud, whichever suits you best, repeatedly: “let people who are sick and ailing be blessed with good health, with inner strength, with divine guidance, help, and protection”. Practice this regularly, and you will notice many remarkable changes in your own health and thought process in good time.

One more activity that you can do is to go through the daily newspaper and practice blessing people who are going through a difficult time. The sad truth about the world we live in is that it can be exceedingly cruel at times. People hurt each other for personal gains, and sometimes just for the sake of it even. From murder, to rape, to invasion, to ethnic cleansing, the list of crimes goes on and on. And we who stay protected from this aspect of life owe it to the people who suffer some form of comfort and help that we can provide. It can be anything. Even blessing those in need with inner strength and courage from a distance can prove to be useful in such times. Consider it a solemn social responsibility, if you may.

There is a guided meditation technique (based on the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi) called the Meditation on Twin Hearts. In this technique, we first bless the earth with attributes likes peace, love, hope, faith, joy, etc. This is followed by a short meditation session to center our mind and bring focus and clarity in our thought process. The two stages of this technique compliment each other on a spiritual level and help generate good karma in the longer run. The Meditation on Twin Hearts can serve as a powerful tool for those who wish to turn their lives around by doing good while becoming better versions of themselves. It’s simple, easy to comprehend, and does not take much effort to practice. Click here to view the abridged version of the same.

Periodic tithing

One of the higher truths about life is that it’s important to give before you become worthy of receiving. And practicality states that we all need a constant supply of quality resources to lead a good and meaningful life. Combining the aforementioned points with the Golden Rule gives us a crystal clear picture as to why tithing is important and how it can benefit us financially. It is an extremely important practice to follow if you really wish to generate good karma in your life.

Tithing, in the literal sense of the word, indicates the practice of donating one-tenth of your income for a selfless cause. In many religions, strong references have been made to tithing, wherein great religious and spiritual leaders have repeatedly urged their disciples to indulge in this charitable act. Now you must be wondering where did this magic number come from, and whether or not you should strictly adhere to the said specific amount only. If you ask us, we believe that it does not matter how much you donate. You could do one-fifth, one-fifteenth, or one-fiftieth even depending upon your capability and desire. The key is to stay true to yourself and make a decision accordingly. One-tenth sounds like a reasonable percentage of your income to begin with. It does not exert much pressure on your daily spendings and allows you to maintain a healthy balance between your investments, donations and basic expenses.

Once you get into the habit of tithing, it does not take long for it to become second nature. It tends to spread out and affect other aspects of your life as well. This is because when you selflessly contribute to the society, you feel responsible for bringing about a positive change in people’s lives, followed by a deep sense of satisfaction that goes with it. You become an important member of the society. This is turn helps you generate good karma in many different categories, thereby making you worthy of receiving a sundry collection of blessings from the universe. It also improves your perspective towards reality as a whole.

There are numerous platforms that you can use to donate money as well as other resources to those in need. At the same time, we suggest that you stay vigilant as to where your money goes and for what purpose. Always invest in a cause that you can relate to. Select reputed platforms only for making transactions. Verify the paperwork so that you don’t end up funding a fraud. Click here to view a list of popular platforms which you can explore and make donations on in order to generate good karma.

Disclaimer: I Feel Human is not associated with any of the organizations mentioned in the provided link. The sole purpose of featuring these platforms is to assist in bridging the gap between those who wish to help and those who need it.

Cultivate unconditional gratitude

Louise Hay rightfully observed: the universe loves grateful people. And once you get into the good books of the universe, there is no force in this world that will be able to stop you from achieving your dreams and goals. This is a remarkably effective way to generate good karma.

We all tend to take our lives for granted every now and then. We forget how privileged we are to have access to an abundance of resources. And this in turn makes us reckless. When we do something nice for someone and receive gratitude in return, it makes us want to do more for that person. On the other hand, when our kindness is reciprocated with callousness, we end up second-guessing our decision of helping that person in the first place. The same is true for when nature does so much for us, while we continue with our unceasing criticism for it.

When you show gratitude for your existing blessings, you become worthy of receiving more. Because then the universe understands that you truly value its gifts. It ends up giving you more, and more, and more, because it knows you will respect it and take care of it. Gratitude makes you humble and grounded.

Everyday, when you wake up, say to yourself, “I am grateful for all the resources I have been blessed with. I am grateful for my health, wealth and protection”. Whenever you find yourself to be complaining about something, remind yourself of everything good that has been going on in your life. Remind yourself of all the privileges that you enjoy on a daily basis; privileges like healthy food, clean water, fresh air, warm shelter, a loving family, many caring friends, and the list goes on and on. Be grateful and it will change the way you look at life altogether.

Instead of saying “I got to do something”, try saying “I get to do something”. Here, something can be anything that you find difficult or troublesome. For ex. Instead of saying “I got to go to the office tomorrow”, say “I get to go to the office tomorrow”. Instead of saying “I got to pay my bills”, say “I get to pay my bills”. Instead of saying “I got to walk all the way from the market to my house”, say “I get to walk all the way from the market to my house”. You see how replacing one tiny vowel can change your entire perspective towards all your persistent problems and challenges?

You could also maintain a gratitude journal wherein you’d write about all the many things that you are grateful for or the many acts of kindness that you witness on a daily basis. Click here to know more about cultivating gratitude as a virtue.

Avoid generating bad karma

Avoiding deeds that generate bad karma is just as imperative as practicing actions that generate good karma. And if you were to look at any other ledger or balance sheet in the field of accounting, you’d find that refraining from negative actions makes all the sense in the world considering how karma really works. It’s similar to a simple credit and debit score that’s maintained in your bank account for every transaction that you make. You perform a good deed, you generate good karma which is credited to your karmic account. Conversely, if you perform a bad deed, you generate bad karma which leads to the deduction or debit of the previously generated good karma from your karmic account.

Many a time it so happens that while reaping the fruits of our old negative actions, we end up sowing more negative seeds. This gives birth to a never-ending cycle of suffering and misery. Many a time we fail to handle our blessings from our old positive actions. Yet again we end up sowing negative seeds, and so the cycle continues. It is crucial to stay aware of our actions and their impact on those around us. When you receive a blessing, make sure you share it with others. When you receive a curse, make sure you keep your actions in check so as to avoid hurting someone else in the process.

For ex. many of us tend to direct our anger and frustration towards our family. We feel powerless to hurt the outside world, so we choose to hurt those whom we can. This generates bad karma for us. Your family loves you, and tolerates your behaviour when you act out. Don’t misuse it to your advantage. Be grateful that you have people who know you and adore you anyway. We all have our skeletons. Respect those who accept you for who you are. Always remember: do not sow new (negative) seeds while reaping the fruits of old (negative) ones.

Conclusion

It is easy to generate good karma when you know what needs to be done. Sure, you will have to make a few sacrifices. You will also have to invest some amount of time and effort initially. But in the end, it will all be yield remarkable results. You just have to keep one thing in mind: give before you ask. And this becomes applicable to all aspects of life. One reaps what one sows. So make it a point to consciously sow good deeds, and you shall receive unprecedented abundance and prosperity in return.

Share this article if you think there’s someone in your circle of impact who can benefit from reading this. Also, do remember to check out the resources provided below. Tap on the enclosed link if you wish to purchase the related item.

Resources

We have added links for purchasing books that we believe you may find useful while applying the above mentioned strategies for generating good karma. If you’ll use the provided links for your purchases, we’ll receive a small commission which will help us to continue publishing free quality content for you.

What goes around comes around

Cultivate unconditional gratitude

Finis – The End