THE BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO KARMA

Lama Lhanang Rinpoche and Levine of the nonprofit Jigme Lingpa Center offer a quick reference and guide to understanding karma and bringing goodness into one’s life.

In this short nonfiction title, the authors aim to introduce readers to the concept of karma and show how they can use it to improve their lives and make the world a better place. Starting with the origins of the idea, over 2,600 years ago, they include how the Buddha started teaching the concept of karma and how his method may have differed from those of past teachers. Although many readers may understand the idea of good and bad karma, and how one might earn each, the authors expand upon the topic at length. They discuss “heavy” versus “light” karma; how karma is a type of habit that’s related to “the ways we view ourselves and our identity” in “the stories we tell ourselves”; the importance of “right speech,” and other topics. The book focuses heavily on Buddhist teachings, but the authors do a fair job of also explaining how concepts and practices may be followed within other spiritual or religious beliefs. The book relies heavily on agricultural metaphors, as karma is ultimately a practice of sowing good seeds for a future harvest, but it brings in pop culture references as well, including mentions of the films Groundhog Day (1993) and The Big Lebowski (1998). The book’s short chapters allow for a quick read, but readers can also elect to take their time by using the end-of-chapter exercises to focus on inner peace and building good karma. To that end, the authors include useful meditations, examples of virtuous and non-virtuous acts, and visualizations in appendices.

A short but detailed introduction that may inspire readers to set out on a karmic journey.