Karma
Karma is the law of cause and effect, creating the game of reincarnation and destiny.

Karma loka is the plane of action and here the exploration of the third Chakra starts. The only desire which remains true for all times and places is the desire for fulfillment. All other desires are manifestations of that one desire, the desire for completion, for self-realisation. On whatever level the player vibrates, on that level does he seek fulfillment.

In the first and second chakras the desire was manifested as the pursuit of money and sex. In the third chakra the dominant concern becomes identification of the ego, and achievement of power. The player becomes conscious of social and political influences on the development of his personality. The Ego comes into action.

According to the "Bhagavad Gita" [the famous sacred Hindu scripture] the law of karma is the law of cause and effect. From time immemorial the Jeeva (the individual self or Jiva) or player has been acting in the material world and enjoyed or suffered the reactions of his own actions. His actions or karma bring about his incarnation from one material body to another.

Karma is the cause of the cycle of birth and rebirth. And karma alone can win liberation from this cycle, creating both bondage and liberation.

Basically, each individual has karmic responsibilities for his own self, for his visible body, and his invisible being. There are karmas towards the body and towards consciousness. The body is the world it contains all the elements of gross manifestation. So karmas towards the body are also towards the whole world. Consciousness is the essence of the world and the karmas towards consciousness also cover the whole world.

Karma yoga is the yoga of selfless action. Karma covers all acts done by the individual from birth to death. An individual who performs karma with attachments uses any means which serve his purpose and in his selfishness causes harm to others. One who is not attached to his actions and performs actions because they are unavoidable, performs karmas with a disinterested interest and does not adopt wrong means. But karma performed by right means do not harm anybody and are in accordance with the law of dharma.

This introduction to Karma was extracted, synthesized and added to by Sangeetha Johari on the basis of "Leela - the game of Consciousness", by Harish Johari. Click here for all extracts from this book.