What is Karma?
Frequently, karma is misconstrued as a consequence of good versus evil actions. Maxims like “Karma’s a bitch!” and “What goes around comes around” pervade Western consciousness.
However, karma is not a moral judgment system. The West mischaracterizes karma through cultural constructs of Christian moralism – if you do a terrible thing, you will be punished; if you do a good thing, you will be rewarded.
In Sanskrit, the word karma translates as “action,” “intent,” “deed,” “desire” or “work.” Karma is like a flowing river, the more water added to the river, the longer it flows.
Karma is not a moral justice system. Indeed, karma exists in the realm of nonduality.
It is how one can actively work with or against the co-creation and unification of a harmonious, balanced universe. The goal being to burn away karma through right existence via what Parahamsa Yogananda dubs, “The King Soul”.
The actions and states of consciousness that we enact through the conscious choices we make, the thoughts we think, and the lives we influence affect our karma. It’s simple to be a victim of the external environment and think to oneself, “I am doomed.” Yet, through the force of karma, those thoughts feed into an energetic exchange of condemnation that will repeat itself until it is broken.
Ultimately, thoughts, feelings, and words fuel one’s actions, feeding the karmic cycle.
What is an Example of karma?
Across lifetimes, timelines, and current predispositions, thoughts, actions, and disciplines, karma manifests itself in a huge variety of ways.
In his book “Karma: A Yogi’s Guide to Crafting Your Destiny”, Sadghuru writes of three people with murderous thoughts.
One acts on his murderous thoughts.
One thinks a murderous thought and dismisses it.
The third thinks a murderous thought, plans the murder meticulously, but never acts.
Which one do you think has accrued deeper karma?
If you guessed the first, then you would be incorrect. Karma is not good or bad – the person who acts on the desire has fulfilled that desire, thus releasing their karma. The one who plans the murder meticulously but never acts has obtained the deeper karma because their desire and plan for murder is rooted in the insidious vault of hate.
Of course, this example does not condone violence. I use this extreme to prove a point.
Again, the purpose of karma is not punishment. Do not think of consequences as punishment. In this example, the murderer may be arrested and serve time. Perhaps this leads this person to a yoga practice in jail and their eventual enlightenment. The consequence of their immoral action is liberation.
Yet, the person who plans the murder harbors hateful thoughts and resentments. Eventually they suffer a heart attack as a result of a lifetime brewing in rage.
So they go on to the next lifetime with different circumstances to resolve this desire until they, too, can be liberated.
Karma simply is. It functions as a mechanic of the universe which enables us to lighten the bonds around our spirits. Actions, desires, and fulfillments that we must address in our lifetimes to liberate ourselves from nonsensical suffering.
Spiritual meaning of karma
Another common phrase surrounding karma is “you reap what you sow”. While this statement has some truth, I wish to clarify again: karmic consequences are not punishments or rewards. If one chooses to sow apricot seeds, and another sows avocado seeds, the first will have an apricot tree and the second will have an avocado tree.
Yes, the result of the seed produces the intended fruit. The real question is, how healthy is the fruit that grows?
What is the nature of the soil in which those seeds are sown? Is it fertile and ripe with microorganisms in a healthy ecosystem, or is it sown on decimated and lifeless land?
This is the spiritual nature of karma. The quality of your thoughts, concentration, speech, and livelihood determine the health of the fruit.
This is not a moralistic “right”, or “wrong”. It simply is.
Therefore the spiritual purpose of karma is to burn away the impurities that get in the way of divine co-existence. Just as you nurture the soil to receive a juicy apricot or sweet avocado.
Of course there are many ways one can do this.
The Buddhists follow the Wheel of Dharma and the Noble Eightfold Path. There is meditation, kriya yoga, extreme physical activity, and so many other methods, teachings, and practices.
Whichever wisdom tradition you follow, there is one thing that remains consistent: there is a desire your soul has come to Earth to fulfill. You can feel it in your bones, in every time you question what your purpose is.
And to discover that, you can use astrology.
Method 1: Mapping Karma through eclipses
Throughout your lifetime, you will experience many lunar and solar eclipses. Their effect remains just as potent to your soul whether or not they are visible in your area.
Solar and lunar eclipses occur in pairs, one occurring earlier in the month and one later. The time parameters change depending on the year’s eclipse calculations, but this is a good rule of thumb.
In astrology, each eclipse pair constitutes a thread of karma. Each karma thread has a 19-year cycle based on the moon’s Metonic cycle. Eclipses are carefully calculated and mapped out in calendars like this one.
Typically, the moon’s nodes represent eclipse pairs in the zodiac. These nodes are on opposite sides of the moon (North and South), and on opposing ends of the zodiac.
The pair of nodes you are born with determine your soul’s evolution, purpose, karma, and dharma. Eclipse seasons and their relationship to your moon’s nodes activate the karmic threads in your life.
You can think of these threads as many ropes intertwining in a dance ad infinitum. These threads co-influence and correspond to events in your life in intimate ways.
Some threads correlate to critical life events: transformative moments of maturation and progression into a new stage of life.
Practical Application
So what do all these threads mean as applied to your chart? Each polarity point of the zodiac has an innate lesson to teach about the cosmic puzzle you are a part of.
Polarities are degrees of opposition in space. Think North and South Pole, 180 degrees of movement. The Cancer/Capricorn axis, denoted by the pink circles below, is a zodiacal polarity.
This is called opposition in astrology. Oppositions are key life lessons. They contain wisdom within their intractable yet interlacing energies. Each opposition in the zodiac influences an area of life.
The Cancer/Capricorn polarity is the archetypal Mother/Father. It represents the careful balance of yielding within a safely constructed space. It is the provider and the nurturer.
Often individuals with this polarity point experience conflict with their parents as a necessary obstacle to individuation. These individuals also experience an inner need to reparent themselves; they unlearn to relearn how to hold space for their sensitivity.
When Cancer/Capricorn eclipse cycles occur, these conflicts, among others, are highlighted depending on the house these signs occupy and which planets are influencing them. The individual is forced to confront the realities of unresolved emotions, thoughts, beliefs, and systems in order to overcome them.
The exact process works with all the polarity points of the zodiac but manifests in unique and profound ways inherent to the karmic lessons hidden within those polarity points.
Process of Karma Mapping
The process of karma mapping is taking stock of all pivotal moments in your life, including your family’s. This can be anything from your first kiss, the death of a loved one, graduation, moving homes, and more.
Pivotal moments in your family history and key events in your parents’ and grandparents’ lives also paint a picture of karmic threads in your life.
These pivotal moments are then mapped to the exact dates of the eclipses from at least 100 years prior to and 100 years ahead of your birth.
You’d be surprised how events with similar themes land on specific eclipse cycles.
As of February 2025, we are entering into the Pisces/Virgo cycle. Think back to 19 years ago. Were there events, circumstances, or people entering your life that corresponded to anything in the below table?
My Personal Example
My great-grandmother fled the Bolshevik Revolution in the winter of 1917 during a Cancer/Capricorn eclipse cycle. Her parents and several siblings were tragically murdered on the train, and she lost all of her money and precious belongings.
I am a Cancer sun and Capricorn moon. During Cancer/Capricorn eclipse cycles I have transformational moments of self discovery and relearning how to take care of myself and my mental health.
I’ve identified this thread by mapping critical events in my life: my great-grandmother’s escape, going to the mental hospital, entering into a pivotal, growth-inducing relationship, and seeing the Milky Way for the first time all fell during a Cancer/Capricorn eclipse.
What’s the Point?
Having a high level view of the karmic threads in your life enables you to forecast important themes in the future.
Karma mapping encourages you to reflect on key areas of your life, then consciously analyze them to recognize patterns.
Perhaps you always wondered why your life falls apart like clockwork in the Spring. Eclipses are great endings and beginnings. Portals that fast-track you into the new season of your life.
Having awareness of what to expect gives you a leg up – a way to anticipate potential roadblocks or hazards, and emboldens you with tools to stop repeating the same mistakes.
It is the most intimate self-learning process – to see how integrally connected we are to the cosmic clock.
Just like tarot is a reflection of the macrocosm, karma mapping is a means by which we can empower ourselves with knowledge. By bringing conscious awareness to patterns that rule our lives, we reframe and reconstruct reality to encourage growth and continuous evolution.
If you want to learn more about karma mapping, book a free call with me, or book a karma mapping session.
There is another, more advanced method which I use in my Karmic Pathways reading. I’ll cover it in another post.
