Karmic Relief: Harnessing the Laws of Cause and Effect for a Joyful, Meaningful Life

"A wise, inspiring, and beautiful book offering potent medicine for our times." -Miranda Macpherson, author of The Way of Grace: The Transforming Power of Ego Relaxation

"Karma" is in our vocabulary, but do we really know what it means?

The word is everywhere--not just in alternative spirituality, and among Hindus and Buddhists, but in news reports, ads, sitcoms, sports columns, and the everyday conversations of people who wouldn't know the Upanishads from Us Magazine. Stephen Colbert invokes the term on TV and Taylor Swift summons it in song.

This book chronicles the origin and evolution of karmic theory and describes how the concept came to the West. It explains exactly what karma means--and, crucially, what it doesn't mean--then shows how to apply karmically sound ethical principles to relationships, life decisions, health, death, and all aspects of self-development. "We're always planting karmic seeds," writes Philip Goldberg. Our task is to "choose the right seeds and plant them skillfully, in the right way, at the right time, under the right conditions."

Karma is a profoundly useful idea, and Karmic Relief is a profoundly useful book. It offers a blueprint for building a fulfilling life and a way to reconcile some of life's most vexing conundrums.

Philip Goldberg has been studying the world's spiritual wisdom for more than fifty years, as a practitioner, teacher, and author. His many books include American Veda: From Emerson and the Beatles to Yoga and Meditation, How Indian Spirituality Changed the West, named one of the top ten religion books of the year by the American Library Association. He has lectured and taught at venues throughout North America and India, and conducted online courses for platforms such as Spirituality & Practice, Embodied Philosophy, and Hindu University of America. He also teaches private online courses on the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, and other topics. Since January, 2023, he has hosted the podcast "Spirit Matters with Philip Goldberg" at mindbodyspirit.fm. Learn more at PhilipGoldberg.com. He lives in Great Barrington, MA.