The Karma of Thoughts and Intentions

Nothing can exist without a cause.
Voltaire

What if karma was based on our true intentions instead of merely our actions? This would certainly seem to make our thoughts much more important, especially if you believe in the karma, the law of cause and effect. It is commonly believed by many people that our actions, both good and bad, will come back to us in one form or another. But actions can be deceiving. Many actions which appear honorable and good actually have hidden agendas and less than honorable intentions.

With this in mind, let’s examine karma a bit deeper. The law of karma basically means that the present quality of your life is determined by your behavior in the past. For example, if you have been a good person and spent at least some of your time helping others in the past, you may find that people seem to offer you help when you need it today. On the other hand, if you have been mean and nasty to people in the past, you can expect that same attitude to revisit you in the future, in one form or another.

A simple way of looking at karma is whatever you send out in this world will eventually come back to you. If you send out love, kindness, and harmony, then those wonderful traits will eventually manifest in your life in the future. But, as with everything in life, there are two sides to the karmic coin. The law of karma does not discriminate. If you mistreat people, are mean and nasty, cheat people, manipulate people, etc., you can expect those actions to eventually catch up with you too.

It is a pretty simple concept to grasp. Your actions, both good and bad, will come back to you at some time during your life. For every action, there is a reaction. Everything you do carries a consequence of some kind, whether good or bad. Most people who believe in the reality of the law of karma, or as many in the West prefer to call it, the law of cause and effect, accept the belief that our actions have consequences. But what about our intentions and thoughts; are they also susceptible to karma?

There is no act, however trivial, but has its train of consequences.
Samuel Smiles

The field of quantum physics has now proven that our thoughts contain energy. Thoughts are forces. Negative thoughts contain negative, low level energy; and positive thoughts contain positive, high level energy. Every thought that you have, produces some effect, just as every action produces some effect. While it is true that the effect of many of our thoughts is minimal, they do produce an effect nonetheless.

If this is true, and it is, then why would our thoughts and internal intentions be exempt from the law of karma? Are we not just as responsible for the thoughts that we entertain as we are for the actions which we take in our lives? Of course we are. You and you alone, are responsible for your thoughts, at least the thoughts that you allow your mind to dwell on for any length of time. And, you are surely responsible for the intentions behind your actions.

This brings me back to the original question, what if our thoughts and intentions are susceptible to the law of karma, just like our actions are?

There would be no hiding malicious intentions behind the veil of what appears to be honorable actions, at least not from the universal laws of the Universe. The thoughts that we dwell on would produce effects in our life just like our actions do. Our thoughts and intentions would become as important as our actions, at least as far as the building of our future life is concerned.

Do evil thoughts of retaliation injure oneself or one’s enemy?
Nagarjuna

Well, I have some news for you. Karma does apply to your thoughts and intentions. Do you think that the Great Spirit of our Universe cannot see the intentions behind your actions? Are you so clever and cunning that you can con the Universe by hiding your less than admirable intentions behind the veil of your seemly good, but empty actions? Can you manipulate karma like you manipulate naïve, trusting  people who cross your path? I don’t think so!

Karma cannot be conned. What you send out, in any form, will come back to you. It doesn’t matter if it is evil, selfish actions, or malicious, negative thoughts and intentions, you will reap what you sow. Your intentions do matter. It is your intentions behind your actions which make your actions honorable or dishonorable, not the action itself.

Thoughts give birth to intentions, and intentions give birth to honorable or dishonorable actions. This is a package deal. Your thoughts, intentions, and actions cannot be completely separated.

Think of these as parts of a recipe and once you mix them all together, there is no separating them again. They become a part of the whole creation that you alone created, and you alone will be responsible for. You will either reap the benefits of it or the detriments of it. It may not happen overnight, but be assured, eventually you will see the results of your creation.

There is always a cause for everything in your life – both the good and the bad. Your thoughts and intentions are not exempt from the laws of the Universe. Make sure that your thoughts and intentions, as well as your actions, are pure and honorable. You may fool the naïve eyes of man, but God sees behind the veil of your actions.

Now, though I do no wrong, I’m punished by my past. Neither gods nor men can foresee when an evil deed will bear its fruit…When you meet with adversity don’t be upset, because it makes sense…
If we should be blessed by some great reward…it’s the fruit of a see planted by us in the past.
Bodhidharma

Bohdi Sanders

Author of:
Secrets of the Soul, Wisdom of the Elders,
Warrior Wisdom, and Modern Bushido

CLICK HERE TO SEE BOOKS BY BOHDI SANDERS

Spiritual Power and Human Perception

Ponder all things, and establish high your mind.
Pythagoras

The majority of people tend to be overly sure about how things on this earth are. They are willing to fight over their opinions, even if their opinions are unfounded. They will confidently tell you how the world works, what is possible and impossible, and what should and should not be done, all according to their own personal understanding of the world.

Of course their understanding of the world is based only on what they have seen, heard, experienced, or read. With most people, this is merely a miniscule fraction of the knowledge that mankind has, and the knowledge that mankind actually has is a drop in the bucket compared to what we do not know.

On top of that, each person tends to see things through a set of filters, filters which have many complex layers. Your experiences affect how you perceive things, what you believe, and basically what you think about the world in general.

People should not be so sure of what is and what is not possible, or about how the world really is. The fact is, when it really comes down to it, they do not know. When you base your opinions on only what you personally see, hear or feel, it is easy to feel that you are correct because you believe that you have experienced something personally and therefore “you know.”

But that is not always the case. For example, you have all seen sand. There is probably no one reading this that has not played in sand or walked in sand at one time or another. If I asked you if you know what sand looks like, your answer would be, “Of course I do!” You would say this with complete confidence and no doubts.

But do you really know what sand truly looks like? Probably not. Oh, of course you know what sand looks like to you, but do you know what sand actually looks like in reality?  I mean, what it looks like to God. The link below shows you the reality that you cannot perceive with your physical eyes, at least not without some help.

A CLOSER LOOK AT SAND ~ THIS WILL AMAZE YOU!

Hummmmm… Has your perception of sand changed some, now that you have seen sand from another side? I bet it has. This same reality can be applied to most things in life.

Do you really understand who and what you are? Most people will quickly answer, “Of course I do.” But take a minute and ponder whether you truly know who and what you are. Do you really know who and what you are or do you merely know what you can perceive with your physical senses and the limited ability of your mind?

Maybe there is more to you than meets the eye. Maybe if you could see yourself through the eyes of God, you would see something much more beautiful, exquisite, and powerful than your mind can even imagine.

If an ordinary grain of sand looks so beautiful and amazing when seen as it truly is, imagine how you must look through the eyes of God. What does the part of you, which is unseen to the human eye, truly look like? What could you actually do if you used all of the power available to you?

Imagine the spiritual and mental power that you have, which you are unaware of simply because you have never seen it or used it. Is there much more power available to you than you thought there was? Do you have abilities that you have never even imagined?

Just like there is much more to a “common” grain of sand than meets the eye, there is much more to you than you know. Maybe it is time for you to tap into the unseen and see yourself as you truly are, and start using the power that you truly have to change things in your life and in your world. Don’t sell yourself short. You don’t have to see yourself through ordinary eyes. Be brave enough to take a much closer look and you may find that what you thought you knew, only scratched the surface of reality.

The landscape lies far and fair within, and the deepest thinker is the farthest traveled.
Thoreau

Bohdi Sanders

author of:

Secrets of the Soul: Your Guide to Uncovering Your Hidden Beliefs

and Modern Bushido: Living a Life of Excellence.

Click here to see books by Bohdi Sanders

The Noble Eightfold Path of the Warrior

1 – Right Understanding

Right understanding is essential to the warrior. It is not good enough to just memorize your martial arts techniques or to memorize some wise sayings. You have to go past rote memorization and get to the point of having a thorough understanding of the underlying principles behind your art and your values. Simply scratching the surface doesn’t cut it. In whatever you do, pursue understanding…correct understanding.

Knowledge without wisdom is a load of books on the back of an ass.
Japanese Proverb

2 – Right Thought

Science has proven that our thoughts are actually energy and have an effect on exterior things. No, I’m not just talking about the information such as the theories contained in the book The Secret. Our thoughts have a powerful influence on both our emotions and our body chemistry. Sad/depressed thoughts will cause the body to produce different hormones, enzymes, etc. than happy/excited thoughts do. This can even be measured in the composition of someone’s tears. Tears of joy have a different chemical make-up than tears of pain or tears of sadness.

In addition, your thoughts control your emotions and it is very important, especially for the warrior, to keep your emotions in check. If you doubt that your thoughts control your emotions, sit and meditate on something very sad for a while and see what affect it has on you, or put on some great music that you love and see if your thought pattern and your emotions don’t get a boost. Thoughts matter…

It is the mind which makes a man, or mares him.
Sai Baba

3 – Right Speech

This is a biggie! The person walking the path of the warrior has to watch his speech. It is so easy to say the wrong thing, especially if you are out of sorts. Be even more careful to watch what you say if you are angry or upset with someone. You can say something in a split second, which will cost you dearly for days, months, or even years to come. Right speech is a form of self-discipline. Simply put, it is self-control. Control your emotions and your speech, instead of letting your emotions control you or your speech. If you want the respect of others, watch what you say.

Don’t talk too much – your ignorance exceeds your knowledge.
Spanish Proverb

4 – Right Action

A man’s action is evidence of his creed. Every action that you take, everything you think, say or do, either brings you closer to your goals, or takes you further away from your goals, on the journey through the warrior lifestyle. Your actions matter. Make your actions right. Listen to your spirit and follow your intuition. Let your personal code of ethics and honor guide your every decision. Do the right thing, at the right time, and in the right way.

Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard
than anybody else expects of you. Never excuse yourself.
Henry Ward Beecher

5 – Right Livelihood

There is nothing more draining for a warrior than going to a thankless job, which he absolutely hates, every single day. This sucks the life from your spirit, the energy from muscles, and the vitality from your mind. Nevertheless, the warrior will continue to do his job to the best of his abilities until the right livelihood comes along. Finding the right livelihood makes life so much better, especially if it is one in which the warrior can feel he is fulfilling a higher purpose with his life. When you do find the right livelihood you will know it because work will no longer be work, but rather a passion for you.

The talent of success is nothing more than doing
what you can do well, and doing well whatever you do.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

6 – Right Effort

Buddha said that whatever you do, you should put your whole heart into your task, being diligent and energetic. Put forth your best effort. If it is worth doing at all, it is worth doing well. If the task is only worthy of a partial effort, why even bother with it. The warrior aims for excellence in all that he does; there is no room for half-hearted effort in the warrior’s world. If the mind and heart are right, the effort will be right.

Put your heart, mind, intellect, and soul even to your smallest acts.
This is the secret to success.
Swami Sivananda

7 – Right Mindfulness

Right mindfulness is very close to right thought. Right mindfulness is what you keep your mind focused on throughout the day. Are you focusing on your goals, your training, and becoming the best person that you can be, or are you simply daydreaming your time away? It is important to keep your mind focused in the now. If you continue to focus on what is happening at this very moment, you will not find yourself regretting the past or worrying about the future. Stay in the moment.

It is the mind that leads a man to power, not strength of body.
Crow Maxim

8 – Right Concentration

According to Hsun Tzu, the superior man is committed to focus. Learn to concentrate on what you are doing, and do only one thing at a time. Today, we are all too prone to multi-tasking, doing several things at once. The sages taught that to do two things at once is to do neither. In order to perform at our best, we have to give our total attention to the task at hand. Take care of one thing and then move on to the next. Concentrate all your thoughts on the work at hand. Concentration is key to proper martial arts techniques. Without concentration your technique will lack energy.

A concentrated mind will pierce a rock.
Japanese Proverb

Bohdi
Warrior Wisdom

NATIVE AMERICAN CODE OF ETHICS

1. RISE WITH THE SUN TO PRAY, PRAY ALONE, PRAY OFTEN. THE GREAT SPIRIT WILL LISTEN IF YOU WILL ONLY SPEAK.

2. BE TOLERANT OF THOSE THAT ARE LOST ON THEIR PATHS. IGNORANCE, CONCEIT, ANGER, JEALOUSY, AND GREED STEM FROM LOST SOULS. PRAY THAT THEY WILL FIND GUIDANCE.

3. SEARCH FOR YOURSELF BY YOURSELF, DO NOT ALLOW OTHERS TO MAKE YOUR PATH FOR YOU. IT IS YOUR ROAD AND YOURS ALONE. OTHERS MAY WALK IT WITH YOU, BUT NO ONE CAN WALK IT FOR YOU.

4. TREAT THE GUEST IN YOUR HOME WITH MUCH CONSIDERATION. SERVE THEM THE BEST FOOD, GIVE THEM THE BEST BEDS, AND TREAT THEM WITH RESPECT AND HONOR.

5. DO NOT TAKE WHAT IS NOT YOURS,WHETHER FROM A PERSON, A COMMUNITY, THE WILDERNESS, OR FROM A CULTURE. IT WAS NOT EARNED NOR GIVEN. IT IS NOT YOURS.

6. RESPECT ALL THINGS THAT ARE PLACED UPON THIS EARTH, WHETHER PEOPLE, ANIMAL, OR PLANT. HONOR THE SPIRIT IN ALL THINGS.

7. HONOR OTHER PEOPLES THOUGHTS, WISHES, AND WORDS. NEVER INTERRUPT ANOTHER, MOCK OR RUDELY MIMIC THEM. ALLOW EACH PERSON THE RIGHT TO PERSONAL EXPRESSION.

8. NEVER SPEAK OF OTHERS IN A BAD WAY. THE NEGATIVE ENERGY THAT YOU PUT OUT INTO THE UNIVERSE WILL MULTIPLY WHEN IT RETURNS TO YOU. ALL PEOPLE MAKE MISTAKES, AND ALL MISTAKES CAN BE FORGIVEN. BAD THOUGHTS CAUSE ILLNESS OF THE MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT. PRACTICE OPTIMISIM.

9. NATURE IS NOT FOR US, IT IS A PART OF US. NATURE IS PART OF YOUR WORLDLY FAMILY.

10. CHILDREN ARE THE SEEDS OF OUR FUTURE. PLANT LOVE IN THEIR HEARTS AND WATER THEM WITH WISDOM AND LIFE’S LESSONS. WHEN THEY ARE GROWN, GIVE THEM SPACE TO GROW.

11. AVOID HURTING THE HEARTS OF OTHERS. THE POISON OF YOUR PAIN WILL RETURN TO YOU.

12. BE TRUTHFUL AT ALL TIMES. HONESTY IS THE TEST OF ONE’S WILL WITHIN THIS UNIVERSE.

13. KEEP YOURSELF BALANCED. YOUR MENTAL SELF, SPIRITUAL SELF, EMOTIONAL SELF, AND PHYSICAL SELF ALL NEED TO BE STRONG, PURE, AND HEALTHY. WORK OUT THE BODY TO STRENGTHEN THE MIND. GROW RICK IN SPIRIT TO CURE EMOTIONAL AILS.

14. MAKE CONSCIOUS DECISIONS AS TO WHO YOU WILL BE AND HOW YOU WILL REACT. BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN ACTIONS.

15. RESPECT THE PRIVACY AND PERSONAL SPACE OF OTHERS. DO NOT TOUCH THE PERSONAL PROPERTY OF OTHRS, ESPECIALLY SACRED AND RELIGIOUS OBJECTS-THIS IS FORBIDDEN.

16. BE TRUE TO YOURSELF. YOU CANNOT NURTURE AND HELP OTHERS IF YOU CANNOT NURTURE AND HELP YOURSELF FIRST.

17. RESPECT OTHERS RELIGIOUS BELIEFS. DO NOT FORCE YOUR BELIEFS UPON OTHERS.

18. SHARE YOUR GOOD FORTUNE WITH OTHERS. PARTICIPATE IN CHARITY. BE WILLING TO GIVE BACK TO THE PEOPLE SO THAT THE PEOPLE WILL LIVE.

AHO!
(Reprinted with permission of my friend Jim Standing Bear)

Bohdi Sanders

The Wisdom Warrior