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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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Karma summary
A Yogi's Guide to Crafting Your Own Destiny
24 mins
Brief summary
'Karma' by Sadhguru is a guide to understanding the law of cause and effect and how it plays a role in our lives. It offers insights into the power of our actions and thoughts and how they shape our future.
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Karma
Summary of 8 key ideas
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Key idea 1 of 8
Karma is something we generate within ourselves.
Imagine you exaggerated a qualification on your résumé when you applied for a job. A few months into the job, you learn that you’re being fired due to budget cuts. “Why do these terrible things happen to me?” you lament. “It must be my bad karma.”
Or maybe things swing the opposite way: You drop coins into a homeless person’s jar, and, later that day, someone you’ve had your eye on asks you to dinner. “Ah,” you might say. “My good karma is kicking in.”
Actually, neither assumption is true. Rather than some mechanism of justice imposed from above, karma exists within you – and it’s 100 percent within your control.
The key message here is: Karma is something we generate within ourselves.
Here’s what karma is not. It’s not paying a price or reaping rewards for past deeds. There’s no one sitting in judgment with a nice-and-naughty book deciding who to send to heaven or hell.
Instead, think of karma as an internal cycle that we generate ourselves. All through life we respond to stimuli. We have a mental reaction, which causes a chemical reaction, which results in a physical sensation, which then reinforces the chemical and mental fluctuations. These responses form patterns, and these patterns form a shape that we refer to as our personality. In turn, this “personality” affects the way we see the world.
Karmic memory isn’t just something that we create with our minds. It’s a cause-and-effect cycle that operates at multiple levels, including the cellular and genetic.
Here’s another way to look at it: Karma is a sort of software you write for yourself, and it runs repetitively. Due to repeated patterns that result from running this software, our karma creates a vasana, which roughly translates as “scent.” Obviously, the vasana you create for yourself can't be detected with the nose – but, like a good or a bad scent, it can either attract or repel other people or situations. For example, one person may attract the same type of abusive partner over and over again. Another might attract financial fortune.
But karma isn’t in control. You are. Once you recognize and understand it, you can rewrite the software and reclaim the driver’s seat of your own life to live in confidence and joy.
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What is Karma about?
Karma (2021) is a crash course in karma. Filled with explanations, stories, and personal anecdotes, it dispels myths and common misperceptions about karma, explains the science and universality behind the concept, and presents practical tips on how to live a free and joyful life.
Karma Review
Karma (2016) by Sadhguru is a thought-provoking exploration of the concept of karma and how it influences our lives. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- Through real-life stories and insightful teachings, Sadhguru demystifies karma and offers a fresh perspective on its profound impact.
- The book presents practical tools to help readers take charge of their lives and navigate the complexities of karma, providing a roadmap for personal growth.
- Sadhguru's wisdom and clarity shine through as he delves into profound questions and presents thought-provoking insights, ensuring that the book is anything but boring.
Best quote from Karma
With a little awareness, every human being can begin to transform habit into choice, compulsion into consciousness.
—Sadhguru
Who should read Karma?
- Anyone interested in spirituality, mysticism, and the afterlife
- Students of Hinduism
- Seekers of techniques to find peace and joy
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Karma FAQs
What is the main message of Karma?
The main message of Karma is understanding and embracing the concept of cause and effect in our lives.
How long does it take to read Karma?
The reading time for Karma varies depending on the reader's speed. However, the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is Karma a good book? Is it worth reading?
Karma is a thought-provoking read that explores the intricacies of our actions and their consequences. It's definitely worth a read!
Who is the author of Karma?
Sadhguru is the author of Karma.
What to read after Karma?
If you're wondering what to read next after Karma, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Inner Engineering by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev
- Sovereign Self by Acharya Shunya
- Yoga Nidra Made Easy by Uma Dinsmore-Tuli & Nirlipta Tuli
- Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda
- The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Translated and commentated on by Sri Swami Satchidananda
- The Only Astrology Book You'll Ever Need by Joanna Martine Woolfolk
- The Yoga of Breath by Richard Rosen
- Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki
- Ikigai by Hector Garcia Puigcerver and Francesc Miralles
- The Anatomy of Anxiety by Ellen Vora