In the 12 principles of Karma, today we will learn about the Fourth Law of Karma. The Fourth Law of Karma is the law of evolution. The law of evolution suggests that we should focus on altering our inner environment rather than attempting to change our outer environment.
This law of evolution tells us that the change we bring about within ourselves—through our thoughts, personality, and actions—is the same change we see in the external world. Instead of trying to change the world, we should work diligently on ourselves.
Don’t complain, work on yourself.
Often we complain that people are evil, the world is very bad, circumstances are always against us, people don’t always live up to our expectations, and life isn’t as simple as it should be. Such thoughts are natural, but the law of evolution says that instead of giving these thoughts space in our minds, we should focus on working on ourselves.
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This world is vast. We cannot control anything in the external world. We can control things within ourselves. Therefore, according to the fourth law of karma, always keep working on yourself.
When the world within us begins to change, changes in the external world start to appear on their own. These changes won’t be the ones we’ve imagined, because as mentioned before, we have no control over the external world. What is meant to be, will be.
But our perspective opens many doors of possibility for us. Things that used to make you angry will start to make you laugh after you work on yourself.
You will find that the external situation remains the same, but a new thought has been born within you, and that has changed your perspective. Now, the very thing that was bothering you yesterday seems like child’s play today. This is the power of inner growth.
Expecting is futile; growth is action.
Make this a point; expecting anything from the external world and trying to control it is utterly futile. The law of growth says that the more we expect from the outside world, the more our inner world will be affected, and the more negativity will surround us.
However, when we work on ourselves, the external world will automatically change for us. When you plant the seeds of inner development within yourself, the fruits of the trees that will grow will be very sweet for you. This principle of karma tells us that to know ourselves, we must look within.
Trying to control external circumstances, placing excessive expectations on others, and waiting for the fruits of various actions—all of this leads us toward materialism. None of this brings about any development as human beings, whereas when we begin working on ourselves. We come to know that a vast reservoir of energy is hidden within us; we realize that beneath our outer surface, a vast ocean of joy is surging, one we were completely unaware of.
Growth is a unique confluence of faith and action.
It may be that as you read this, your circumstances are not in your favor; you may have faced many hardships, and you might feel that these things are meaningless. You might think that this will not change your external circumstances, but think again. No matter how hard you try, you cannot control external circumstances.
The sooner you accept this, the sooner you will learn to deal with external circumstances. Now, since you cannot control external circumstances, what can you control? You can control yourself: the reactions that come from within you, the various kinds of thoughts that arise, and those desires that will remain unfulfilled. And you can only bring them under control once you’ve done a great deal of work on yourself.
So, it might not be that your circumstances change immediately when you start working on yourself, but gradually, the time will come when, whether your circumstances change or not, you will have learned to deal with them.
The principle of karma also says that when your energy wave rises from within you, whether it’s positive or negative has a huge impact on you. Therefore, keep working continuously on your inner development.
