Karmic Cleansing: How to Cleanse Your Karma and Move Forward in Life

Introduction to Karma

Karma, in its essence, refers to any form of action, and no living being is free from action. However, we often focus on the results of these actions (Karma Phal), which mirrors the idea in Newton’s third law: every action leads to an equal and opposite reaction. But the term action and result is too small to encapsulate the meaning of karma. Karma is more than just a cause-and-effect principle.

Let us first add more clarity to these terms and expand on our understanding of action.

What is Karma?

Action is not limited to physical movements alone; A major part of the term action here includes the mental space from which a person operates. For instance, you may be building a sand castle on a beach in Hawaii (the physical action) but if your mind is not right there with you and is elsewhere, disconnected from the moment (the mental action), your true experience is shaped by that mental action, not the physical one. This mental state determines your Karma Phal.

The same applies to everyday actions like charity. If you're giving from a place of gratitude, acknowledging the privilege of being able to give, the outcome will be positive. However, if your intention is driven by a desire for recognition or praise, you will receive an appropriate result based on your mental action.

Understanding this is important as every action of ours in this birth and the previous ones come together to determine the course of our lives. The Bhagavad Gita teaches us that no action is ever in vain—As you sow, so shall you reap.

This principle is not rooted in punishment stems out of vengefulness, but is the natural order of life. We are the curators of our own life and we have chosen the life we are living. Every single thing manifested in our life is either a result of our own choices and actions or consciously desired.

Methods of Karmic Cleansing

How do we address the consequences of actions taken in ignorance? You might wonder, "If I don’t even know what I did, how can I make it right?"

Don’t worry—you’re in the right place. To mitigate the impact of karma from past actions, especially those done in ignorance, you can adopt these practices and learn how to deal with the wrong :

a. Acceptance

Karma is neither inherently good nor bad; it simply is. It is mere action and result. It is you who determines if the result is bad or good. Yet if you truly believe that your life situation is bad, humbly accept the situation as a result of some wrong you may have done. Trust that the universal balance is fair and that God can do no wrong.

If you want to cleanse the container of your life then you cannot deny that the container may hold rotten elements. Accept that when you open it, you will have to confront whatever is there. Be truthful to yourself and do a mental check before you shift the blame to someone else.

b. Forgiveness

Forgive the people you believe have wronged you. You do not have to confront them directly but do it within your heart. Each morning when you wake up or every night before bed, visualise them with a happy, smiling face and silently repeat in your mind, "I love you, you love me. I forgive you, and you forgive me.” Do this until you feel the knots in your heart loosen.

If you pray regularly, include them in your prayers. Send your strongest and most sincere prayers of their happiness to god.

Bitterness and holding on are more damaging to us than anyone else. By letting go, you signal to the universe that you are ready to release past hurts, and in turn, nature will be more forgiving of your actions.

Listen about forgiveness from Shubha Didi herself - https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAdKRLuynly/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

c. Faith -

Cultivate faith deeply, making it an integral part of who you are. See the divine will in everything and you will be truly rewarded. Karma exists not to punish, but to help us evolve and faith plays a major role in viewing karma as a comrade instead of the enemy. Know in your heart that god can do no wrong and deliver this faith through your words and actions. With this faith, karma’s results (Karma Phal) will no longer knock you down but instead will become stepping stones for your personal growth and transformation.

d. Be in the present

A lot of pain in life is caused when we dwell in the past or dream of the future. Learn the art of bringing your mind to the present. Ensure that your thoughts are aligned with where your body is right now. By staying anchored in the present, you free yourself from unnecessary mental turmoil and avoid creating new karma.

e. Let of the result -

The Bhagavad Gita reminds us through the verse:

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन । मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भुर्मा ते संगोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ॥

Karmanye Vadhikaraste, Ma phaleshou Kada chana - “We have the right to perform our action, but we are not entitled to the results of the action.”

Ma Karma Phala Hetur Bhurmatey Sangostva Akarmani - “Do not let the result be the purpose of our action, and never fall into inaction.”

This teaching encourages us to let of of the attachment to the results of our actions. Learn to focus on the action itself, not the expectation of the result. Doing so will free you from disappointment and frustration. You will then learn how to view your current life circumstances as a mere fruit of past actions, rather than something you feel emotionally bound to.

No one, not even great spiritual figures like Buddha or Krishna, can completely escape the consequences of past karma. But what we truly have is today, and that is incredibly significant. The present moment offers us the chance to transform our lives. The effort that we put in today is the angel and the effort we invest in this present moment is our greatest opportunity for transformation.

If we are awakened towards this strength then the actions we take today can alter the course of our karma. Though past karmic debts may surface, our response to them is entirely within our control. When we don’t get influenced by the karmic debts and instead view these challenges as opportunities for our spiritual growth, we will experience that the karma phal is more manageable and even transformative. Develop this mindset and harness karma to uplift ourselves.