Karma Clean-Up

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Karma is a Sanskrit word that translates into English as act or action, and reminds us that our acts and actions inevitably result in consequences, both positive and negative. It is the belief that our thoughts, words, and actions create feelings and behaviors that lead to outcomes in our life. Some feel karma is a law of the universe and it is a fact that more loving action results in more loving experiences.  

From Hindu teachings, the Vedas and Upanishad scriptures teach that as one acts, so one becomes. Our decisions shape our character and who we become, so the wisdom is to chose these actions with an intention to become a more compassionate person. Karma is a way of ethical living and high conscious intentions.

In Buddhism, karma is an invitation into introspection and awareness of how my actions impact the lives of others positively or negatively with the intention to do no harm and make choices that exhibit only loving kindness.

In the Jain faith, karma is thought of as energy and atoms that “stick” to us attracting back toward us what we send out into the word. They teach that if I send love, I experience more loving people in my day. If I behave with greed, pride, anger, or deceit, I am more likely to experience negativity and negative consequences of my behaviors. 

A very simple summary of karma is: love begets love, good begets good, and bad begets bad.

This teaching is found in the words of Martin Luther King Junior in Strength to Love as, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that". He is reminding us of our individual responsibility of karma that hate begets hate, love begets love. 

I read many of Jesus’s teachings as lessons of karma, here are a few of those: Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. All who take the sword will perish by the sword. A man reaps what he sows.

I think 2026 is an opportunity for a karma clean-up for us and our nation. It starts with us as individuals. As Mahatma Gandhi taught from his Hindu and Jain wisdom, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”

What would a karma clean-up look like for you?

Maybe we just start with one thing every day and see what we notice shifting in our own lives. Then maybe we begin a ripple effect of loving action that begins to shift the collective consciousness of humanity.

Here are some ideas for things you could try. Choose one each day to be intentional about and take notice of the effects of your actions (how you feel inside, how your day goes, how people engage with you). 

  • Forgive one small thing or give grace for a grievance. 

  • Make one repair in a relationship. Say one “I’m sorry” or take responsibility in a conflict. 

  • Clean-up one activity regarding money. Pay a debt, make a donation, or take a pause and resist spending frivolously. 

  • Stay off of social media for 24 hours to be free of triggering anger from news stories. 

  • Set one loving boundary to protect yourself or your energy. 

  • Do one kind act of service anonymously.

  • Do the kind thing for yourself that you keep pushing to the bottom of your list. 

  • Challenge yourself to a day of no complaining. 

  • Resist the urge to gossip or talk about someone.

  • Release judgement of others and yourself for one day. 

  • See if you can tell an old blame story without the blame. 

  • Send a loving thought to people next to you at intersections: may you be safe, may you feel loved. 

  • Write a sincere thank you note to someone for “just being you.” 

  • Release your attachment to something you want that you don’t have. 

  • Show up on time to honor the time of the person you are meeting. 

  • Resist the need for recognition.

  • Listen to someone without offering what that person should do. 

  • Refrain from anything that causes you to think thoughts of comparison and not-enough-ness.

  • Tell the truth when it’s tempting not to. 

  • Speak to yourself in the way you would as a beloved child. 

  • Begin and end the day with connecting with God or your higher power and setting an intention of love for your thoughts, words, and actions.

Try a variety of these each day for a week and notice the feeling of living in higher consciousness and cleaning up your karma.

When we each do this, we begin to shift the collective consciousness.

And, I think we would all vote for more of that. 

Sending you love and good karma, 

 
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