Karma.

The Universe Keeps Receipts

The concept of karma originated in ancient Indian philosophy, particularly within the religious traditions of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Many of you may already know that I was raised Buddhist, so karma’s a principle that’s been instilled in me almost my whole life. But it’s an idea now adopted by people of many religions. Perhaps that’s because most of us have observed the undeniable patterns of cause-and-effect playing out in our lives and in the lives of others. No matter what our religious beliefs, more people are embracing the idea that there is a moral order to the universe.

While some may perceive karma as mystical, I see it as more straightforward. Simply put, it’s the idea that actions have consequences, and that goodness and harm eventually return to those who create them. Karma is considered by some to be a Universal Law, one of the fundamental principles that govern the workings of our universe across all time and space. The Law of Gravity, for example, is another such force that defines the boundaries of our existence. Many things seemed mystical to man before he discovered science to explain it. Lightning was once seen as a divine phenomenon, often interpreted as a sign of the gods' anger. Now we have a different understanding of it.

Universal Laws aren’t personal, they’re mathematical and impartial. If you stupidly lean too far out of a 12-story window and fall to your death, you’re not being “punished,” it’s physics. These laws simply function without bias or emotion. By understanding them, we can learn to work within their boundaries to create positive outcomes. Just as mastering the science of gravity led to innovations like flight and space exploration, understanding karma allows us to align our actions with positive outcomes instead of being trapped by brutal cycles of cause and effect. Knowledge turns us from prisoners of these laws into masters of them.

This is where personal responsibility comes into play. If actions shape outcomes, then we have the power to change our future through the choices we make today. It’s easy to blame circumstances, other people, or even bad luck for the hardships in our lives, but the truth is often simpler—our actions, words, and mindsets have likely led us to where we are now. Dammit. The good news is that this isn’t a life sentence. Karma isn’t a bitch, she’s a fair and just lady. You just need to know how to treat her. Just as bad choices create negative consequences, conscious, intentional actions can generate opportunities, growth, and success. The first step to transformation is accepting that our lives are largely the product of what we do. Once we take full ownership of that fact, we regain control over our destiny.

But it’s not as simple as a determination to be better. Understanding right from wrong is crucial because, in the end, no one truly gets away with anything. You need to be fully conscious and deliberate in your actions. Feigning ignorance is no excuse. We can deceive others, rationalize poor choices, or ignore the consequences for a time, but the reality of cause and effect never vanishes. It simply waits—sometimes days, sometimes years—before it catches up to us. When we excuse or justify harmful behavior, whether in ourselves or others, we’re not breaking the cycle; we’re just delaying the inevitable reckoning. Kicking the can down the road only makes the fallout heavier when it finally arrives. True accountability means facing our actions now, learning from them, and course-correcting before life forces us to confront the consequences on its terms. Unfortunately, that’s when most of us find out that life has a big old swingin’ d—k. 😳😬

This is why it’s essential to be brutally honest about the excuses we make—for both ourselves and others. Are we turning a blind eye to harmful actions because it’s easier than confronting the truth? Are we making allowances for behavior that we know is unethical just to avoid conflict? Silence can be complicity. When we stay quiet in the face of slander, deception, or exploitation, we may be indirectly supporting the harm being done. Worse yet, we become facilitators of someone else's bad karma, allowing them to continue down a destructive path without accountability, running cover for them so they can go on to harm more people. In these moments, we have to ask ourselves: by not speaking up, are we enabling harm? And, if so, what will karma bring us in return for being an accomplice?

It’s not always easy because there can be real-life risk involved in doing the right thing. For example, people try to justify working for companies or employers that engage in immoral, unethical, and even illegal practices because they’re afraid of jeopardizing their livelihood. They tell themselves, "It’s just a job," or "I have bills to pay," all the while suppressing the inner voice that knows better. But karmic law doesn’t care about job titles or paychecks. By prioritizing financial security over integrity, they may be earning their paycheck at the cost of future consequences—ones that could manifest in ways they never anticipated. Whether it’s a tarnished reputation, worse financial loss, a toll on their health, and/or simply the erosion of self-respect, no one escapes the weight of these compromises forever. At some point, the bill comes due.

It’s a leap of faith, for sure, because karma is not immediate. If “Instant Karma” was a thing, we’d actually be far better off. But I believe karma always pays out, with interest, for those who stand up for what’s right over everything else. It’s only a matter of when, not if. We live in a world of animality where many see life as a ruthless game of survival—eat or be eaten. But what if you could not only survive, actually thrive, while keeping your morality and integrity intact? I think it’s not only possible, it’s more likely. When you take from others for yourself out of fear, you actually limit what life (and God) will give you. How would you behave if you knew you would always be supported? It’s the fear of not being supported that makes many good people do very bad things.

If we truly want to break free of harmful cycles, we have to stop trading short-term “security” for long-term consequences. This means living with integrity even when it’s inconvenient or risky. It means refusing to cover for those who harm others and being willing to take a stand, even when it costs us for now. In doing so, we align our actions with a higher moral order—and ultimately free ourselves from the burden of karmic debt.

As I mentioned in my post the other day, I believe we’re stepping into the Golden Age, and we have the power to decide what comes with us. This isn’t about Trump or world politics—it’s about us and the new world we’re building. We get to choose what we’ll stand for, and what we will no longer tolerate. With this shift comes accelerated, sharper, and more powerful karma. Be prepared to be challenged more than you ever have been. And be ready to “get away with” less than you ever have in your life. As our responsibilities grow, so does the weight of every choice we make. There will be no more hiding behind excuses or gray areas to justify wrongdoing. What once happened in the shadows will be brought to light. Everyone’s true character will be revealed, and any cracks in integrity will be judged accordingly. This exposure doesn’t have to be harsh—it can be done with love, compassion, and empathy. And while true accountability may feel difficult at first, it’s one of the greatest opportunities humanity will ever face. We are here to become conscious architects of a better reality through the karma we create.