Is Karma Real? | Unveiled
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00:00 How many times have you been told, or have you thought, that something that happens to
00:04 you is the result of karma?
00:06 In the modern world, karma has become a kind of catch-all term; an explanation to seemingly
00:11 link any one action, event, or experience to another previous action, event, or experience.
00:17 But whenever we do drop the k-word, what's really happening behind the scenes of reality?
00:22 This is Unveiled, and today we're answering the extraordinary question; Is Karma Real?
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00:40 Karma is a centuries-old concept that crosses cultural boundaries.
00:43 It's a key element to various and many major belief systems, and it's a seemingly cosmic
00:49 force.
00:50 But the question always remains; is karma truly governing our destinies, or is it merely
00:55 a psychological creation?
00:57 The term "karma" finds its roots in ancient Sanskrit, with it roughly translating to mean
01:02 "action" or "deed".
01:04 As with a lot of the legend that surrounds it, the precise origin and first use is quite
01:09 unknown.
01:10 But in general, karma emerged in the religious and philosophical traditions of Hinduism and
01:15 Buddhism.
01:16 In Hinduism, karma is a fundamental concept intertwined with the cycle of reincarnation.
01:21 It posits that the consequences of your actions, both good and bad, will go on to influence
01:26 the course of your future lives.
01:28 It's a web of cause and effect, known as the law or principle of karma, which forever encourages
01:34 followers to always try to do the right thing.
01:37 Good deeds breed good karma, which leads to a pleasant and comfortable path through to
01:42 your next life.
01:43 The idea is much the same in Buddhism, too, where karma means that actions shape the trajectory
01:48 of your existence.
01:50 However, Buddhism famously introduces the idea of "breaking free" from the cycle of
01:54 rebirth through enlightenment, through reaching nirvana, at which point karma has a less prominent
02:00 role.
02:01 Elsewhere, karma has found a place in Jainism, Sikhism, and it influences a number of Western
02:06 New Age philosophies.
02:08 Each system, religion, and culture imbues karma with its own unique flavour, with various
02:13 different and subtle nuances, but the essence remains.
02:17 It's a moral law of cause and effect.
02:20 Throughout history, then, ideas around karma have formed the basis for countless myths
02:24 and legends.
02:26 For example, in Hindu mythology, there's the figure of King Harishchandra, who is famed
02:31 for his unwavering commitment to truth and for always keeping his promise.
02:36 Harishchandra is put through a series of major, sometimes harrowing misfortunes.
02:40 However, because despite his suffering, he still keeps his word and integrity, good karma
02:46 eventually means that he is rewarded.
02:48 No matter how bad things get, so the story goes, you will come out the other side of
02:53 your troubles if you avoid bad karma.
02:56 In Buddhist folklore, the Jataka tales recount stories of Buddha's past lives and also emphasize
03:02 the importance of virtuous actions in the journey towards enlightenment.
03:06 These stories therefore show the enduring effect of karma, highlighting how it's a force that
03:11 is often felt only long, long after the original virtuous or non-virtuous act.
03:17 Religious doctrines and theological morality tales aren't enough to definitely prove that
03:21 karma is real, however.
03:23 Over recent years and decades, we've seen philosophies rise that attempt to make better
03:27 sense of, and often oppose, what's really happening.
03:30 For instance, existentialism.
03:32 Many existentialist thinkers, such as the writer and critic Jean-Paul Sartre, would
03:36 likely reject the deterministic nature of karma.
03:39 For them, the whole thing demands too much of a submission to unknown powers.
03:43 Instead, they focus more on personal responsibility and the freedom to choose one's actions,
03:49 emphasizing individual agency and subjective experience, rather than some kind of higher,
03:54 guiding hand… which is essentially what karma amounts to.
03:58 Nevertheless, the idea of psychological karma has taken some hold in modern times.
04:03 The general suggestion is that our actions, chosen or not so, clearly do influence our
04:08 mental and emotional states from that point forward.
04:11 In this way, karma might be viewed more like an accumulation of experience… some of which
04:16 will impact you in noticeably positive or negative ways, depending on what it is you
04:21 have (or haven't) done.
04:23 Still, neither philosophy nor psychology offers empirical, physical evidence… if there is
04:29 any to be found.
04:30 For that, there are some scientific theories that attempt to bridge the gap between a spiritual
04:35 feeling and cold, hard proof.
04:38 Although none has yet revealed any undeniable evidence, there are a couple of fields with
04:42 some interesting crossovers.
04:44 Such as in the ever-murky world of neuroscience, the study of the brain.
04:49 In analysing the inner workings of the human brain, researchers can show that it does at
04:54 least physically record and process moral experiences.
04:58 Actions that could be deemed "good" may trigger positive neural responses, and when
05:03 done over a prolonged period of time, can lead to positive cognitive habits.
05:08 Such as feelings of confidence, happiness, or contentedness.
05:11 At the same time, actions that could be deemed "bad" can set all our worst and negative
05:16 neural pathways flashing.
05:18 In either case, any action in the present seemingly does have the capability of influencing
05:23 our future wellbeing and our overall lives.
05:26 Perhaps this could be said to be karma in action.
05:29 And finally, there's the emerging field that seemingly could hold the answer for almost
05:33 all of life's greatest mysteries, in one way or another… quantum physics.
05:37 The biggest potential link between this and karma is that experiments have shown that
05:41 at their lowest levels, seemingly unconnected particles can be shown to actually be very
05:46 deeply connected.
05:48 Thanks to quantum entanglement, we even know that two subatomic particles will remain intrinsically
05:53 linked no matter the physical distance between them.
05:56 They could exist at literally two ends of the universe, and yet whatever happens to
06:00 one will be mirrored by whatever happens to the other.
06:04 This in itself doesn't prove karma… but there's some argument that a similarly spooky
06:09 relationship perhaps could exist between actions and consequences.
06:13 That in an infinite universe, what we know happens with subatomic particles could also,
06:18 somehow, happen with larger, macro things.
06:21 And perhaps this is karma, instead.
06:23 However you view it, what's clear is that for many people, karma does at least play
06:27 a role in how they live their lives… and seemingly in how their lives play out.
06:32 The belief that good actions lead to positive consequences, whether in this life or the
06:36 next, fosters a sense of moral responsibility.
06:40 The fear of retribution for badness, either in life right now or in future incarnations,
06:45 serves as a deterrent against engaging in harmful behaviour.
06:48 Of course, opponents to karma would argue that you shouldn't need the supposed influence
06:53 of something higher than yourself to persuade you not to do bad things.
06:56 Equally, you shouldn't only do good things in the hope for some kind of cosmic payoff
07:00 in the future.
07:01 But still, when apparently good karma arrives unexpectedly, those who encounter it are left
07:06 feeling satisfied.
07:08 When supposedly bad karma arrives without warning, those who meet it are left to consider
07:12 their life choices.
07:14 Ultimately, as yet, there is nothing by way of clear, empirical, solid evidence that karma
07:19 does really exist.
07:20 Certainly, the idea of karma exists in a big way, and therefore does hold sway over how
07:26 many, even millions of humans live their lives.
07:29 And there are hints at some kind of physical embodiment of karma, via early studies into
07:34 specific neural networks and potential quantum links.
07:37 But, again, nothing has been proven beyond doubt, and, in fact, far from it.
07:42 What's your personal view?
07:44 Have you experienced karma before?
07:46 Have you witnessed it in action?
07:48 Do you live by the law of karma yourself?
07:50 Or do you believe that nothing about it is even remotely possible?
07:54 Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments.
07:57 For now, karma can at least serve as a moral compass for many who even suspect that it
08:01 could be real, guiding actions and potentially shaping destinies.
08:06 It drives a feeling of accountability, reminding individuals of the interconnectedness of their
08:11 choices with the rest of the world, and even with the broader cosmic order.
08:15 While science may not endorse the many metaphysical aspects of karma, it does acknowledge the
08:20 psychological and societal impact that it can have.
08:23 That impact is a real thing.
08:25 So, is karma a true force, weaving the threads of fate all around us?
08:31 Or is it merely a construct of the human mind, seeking to make sense of the complexities
08:35 of life?
08:36 It seems as though there will always be two sides to this particular debate.
08:40 What do you think?
08:41 Is there anything we missed?
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