What goes around comes around. And what goes up must come down.

It's all in the karma, and we've heard all of it before in many songs (raise a hand if you still rock Karma from Alicia Keys), movies, books, conversations with friends.

Karma, karma, karma - everyone talks about you, and since we're all in the same deep dark hole together, it seems like not many understand how you work.

So, what is karma indeed?

Buckle up. This is going to be an adventurous ride around the karmic cycle.

Understanding Karma

First things first. To understand the principles of karma, one must know the meaning of the word itself.

Karma originally comes from the Sanskrit language and it means action.

It's easy, and it works similar to Newton's law of motion: for every action, there is a reaction equal in size and opposite in direction.

But is it the same?

The Law Of Karma

There is no doubt that you've heard the phrase "you get what you give" so many times.

And really, this is an ugly truth. Because indeed, the choices we make every day are deeply interrelated with everything we get in return.

In his book, The Third Law Of Karma, the author Deepak Chopra wrote:

"Every action generates a force of energy that returns to us in like kind...what we sow is what we reap. And when we choose actions that bring happiness and success to others, the fruit of our karma is happiness and success."

So yes, our actions and everything else we do in general will give results that correspond with the things we did.

And this is what we call karma.

What Is A Karmic Cycle?

To understand karma, first, we must know that the karmic structure is cyclical too.

Moreover, if you take a closer look and try to observe the stages in life, you'll see that not everything comes naturally or unintentionally. On the contrary, every unaddressed circumstance that provoked a big change in our life repeats itself in some other similar form after some time.

And this basically is what people call a karmic cycle.

Inner peace and each one's stage of consciousness are a big deal. And they're maybe the strongest links that prepare the karmic cycles.

These two are responsible for whether your cycle will repeat itself in small and fast intervals like 40-minutes or things will take some time, and your karma will need a year or twelve to work its magic.

The Stages Of The Karmic Cycle

We figured out that karma works in cycles. So, the next logical step would be, roughly said, to rummage a bit through her operating style.

The interesting thing about karma is that she runs in intervals. And the usual period is 12 years.

And to see how this works during our lives.

1. Childhood Cycle (0-12 Years)

The first karmic cycle is the most innocent one, where the human being still isn't aware of its past deeds.

But despite everything, this is the best phase of every individual's life. And flatter yourself, it's not because the children don't go to work and deal with other things.

Children are adaptable to all changes life serves them. They're like wet clay and can be molded and constantly remolded in any form. Depending on the situations they go through in their young life, each time they take a new shape until they find themselves.

2. Youth Cycle (13-24 Years)

Youth is a very delicate phase of the karmic cycle.

This is the point in life when the past karma starts showing up. And the young person starts being conscious about the everyday surroundings on a deeper level than before.

During our youth, we start discovering who our true self is. Here, we often choose and take our path in life, and this is what makes this cycle an important part of our life journey.

3. Adult Creation (25-36 Years)

Regarding karma, a person becomes an adult at 24 years. And the third phase of the karmic cycle is the adult creation, when the adult problems begin.

Welcome to adulthood. Buckle up, and enjoy the ride!

It is firmly believed that the karmic pattern is finished with its forming by this stage. And now comes the best part - the karma is ready to "go" and do its thing.

4. Adult Expansion (37-48 Years)

At this stage of life, the karmic patterns are out and about.

Moreover, by this time, life had probably knocked you over with a feather in many situations before. It all depends on you, whether you'd overcome all challenges that were served in front of you or not.

If, in any case, your battle hadn't resulted in success, your baggage will expand and burden you until you learn how to handle it properly.

5. Adult Contraction (49-60 Years)

The last karmic cycle is the moment of life when the effects of karma start slowly dissolving.

Karma's strength declines because you either have solved everything that came to you along the way, or you postponed your burdens for your next life.

However, this doesn't mean that your karma will fully disappear when a person turns 60.

After the last karmic cycle, karma still works in cycles of 12 years. And this process lasts until our last day in this world.

Is It Possible To Break The Karmic Cycle?

Some experts claim that when it comes to karma and karmic cycles, nothing should be ever taken for granted.

The key hides behind being aware of where you are in life. Of getting the real picture about yourself and your whole being, without any filters or polishing.

Being awake will help you open your eyes wider than before. Moreover, it will teach you to be more observant and critical.

Because if you take a closer look at karma's cyclical behavior, there is no doubt that you'll notice one thing. That inside the boundaries of a karmic cycle that lasts 12 years, some patterns repeat all the time.

And if you dig deeper, you'll see how these patterns, cycles, you name it, repeat even on a daily basis.

To be precise, the karmic cycle actually takes force every 40 minutes. And this repeats every single day, for the rest of our lives.

So, if you think that you might be stuck with your bad karma forever, then this might cheer you up. Because each day, every 40 minutes, you have an opportunity to try and break anything that makes you feel sad, bad, or unfortunate.

Everything is in your hands, use your time well.

Break The Karmic Cycle 101

Everything else you need to know about the details on how to break your karmic cycle is here in front of you.

These steps might look like nothing, but practicing them will lead you to a whole new adventure with yourself. Imagine it as a journey you need to take to get to know yourself better. To feel what's torturing you, what makes you happy. Which sides you need to strengthen, or when you need to relax from your overwhelming thoughts.

It might sound like nothing new, but it will change some parts of your life for sure.

Be present and don't overthink. It will only leave you anxious. Overthinking is your enemy, and try not to lose yourself in that labyrinth.

Learn how to forgive. Holding grudges means that you didn't learn how to handle your problems with someone or something. You have to understand that other people are not you, and they too have their path in life they decided to walk through. Be objective with the situations you face with. It will help you understand that sometimes you just need to let things go to feel better.

Weakness is nothing bad, we're all weak, and all of us have our soft spots. Don't feel bad if you're feeling that you're losing hope or you're not strong enough to deal with something that life offered you. Just analyze and see what needs to be changed for you to feel more secure. It will help you grow beyond your fears.

Positivity is something that we all hold on to when times are hard. Although the line between illusion and reality is paper-thin, don't depress yourself with some worst-case scenarios. You know that these things just feed your anxiety and nothing more or else.

Handle everything with care. But if you feel a little something that whispers in your ear that this might not be your thing, don't be afraid of saying no. Do the things you love, and do them with loads of passion.

Toxic people are the worst people you could surround yourself with. Not that they will only start projecting their insecurities on you, but they will make you doubt yourself, and you'll feel like you're not worthy.

Be a responsible human. There is a reason for every battle that we lost and for everything that we couldn't do. Instead of spending your time whining over things you can't change - take responsibility. Analyze your weaknesses and try to overcome them the next time life puts you on a challenge.

Understand your karma. Grab a cup of coffee or tea (hey, wine is good too!) and have a good conversation with yourself. And make it a tradition, and practice these small but important talks with yourself every day. Only this way you'll understand yourself more, and it will lead you to the answers you seek.

Breaking The Code Of A Karmic Relationship

A karmic relationship is something that every one of us has or will experience once in our lifetimes.

These turbulent relationships are not promising at all.

Usually, you're aware of everything about your partner but still, you need some time to swallow everything and to see it for yourself that this relationship doesn't have any future.

Karmic relationships are temporary, although they last enough to teach us a valuable life lesson that we need. Indeed, that is their purpose in the first place.

People often think that karmic relationships are something similar to our soulmates. But that is not true.

Yes, karmic relationships could also happen with people who were somehow connected to us in our past lives. However, this is not the same thing as a twin flame or a soulmate.

Just think of it as a person who was here to teach you a lesson, to help you overcome and progress on your spiritual path.

Understanding How The Choices We Make Influence Our Karmic Cycle

If there's something that you need to know, it's that everything starts with you.

You are the person behind the wheel, and you have the power to control everything. So, trust your intuition no matter what. If there's something fishy, then believe your instincts and press the brakes.

Breathe. Observe. Think. Analyze.

Don't rush yourself, because acting fast without thinking won't bring you anything good when it comes to your life decisions.

And although these "do good and change your thoughts with better ones" lines might sound silly initially, you know that it's not about them at all.

All answers to your bad karma problems lie in you.

You, being eager to become a better version of yourself for yourself.

And you, willing to not only make some changes in the habits that bring you no good in the end but to apply everything and break the walls that surround you. To break your own boundaries that get in the way of your spiritual unfolding.

Just be present in anything you do, and read the signs. You won't be sorry, you can be sure of it!