The literal meaning of karma is action. Karma is the law of action and response. Every action has a corresponding reaction that keeps the universe in balance. The scales in the picture symbolize that balancing power.
The corresponding faculty of consciousness allows us to manage karma. We don’t have a proper name for this faculty of consciousness, but seeding comes close to describing its quality. Our actions are the seeds of our karma. As we sow, so we reap. What goes around, comes around.
Instant karma is obvious. If we curse someone, that person will curse back. But a lot of karma arrives delayed, in particular, when we get away with something. That’s where the concept of seeding actions/speech comes in. The fact that the Cycle card preceded the Karma card indicates this.
Both physical and mental actions sow karma. You know the latter as the law of attraction: the karmic responses to our thoughts, imaginations, desires, and emotions.
We also reap karma from what we fail to do. In particular, in business and relationships, failing to do the right thing can produce challenges.
Mind karma is patient but relentless, and while we may delay karma, we can never get away with what we’re doing. The earlier we deal with karma, the less time karma has to manifest in the eternal world.
At the end of the day, there is no bad karma. Bad karma leads to insight into what works and what doesn’t. And insight leads to success. Karma also prods us to try harder. That’s why ageless wisdom assigned the Hebrew letter Lamed to this card, which means ox goad. An ox goad is a sharp tool that farmers used to drive harnessed oxen. The sharp prick of karma drives us to try harder.
The cosmic order is a living organism. It speaks to us through karma. Karma is the cosmic psychologist and an unfailing teacher. It teaches us what works and what doesn’t, and which thoughts and imaginations attract desired situations. The sword in the picture symbolizes the distinction between that which works and that which doesn’t. It also symbolizes the cutting off and elimination of unconstructive imaginings, thoughts, desires, and actions.
Deliberate, well-thought-out seeding produces faith. This is why ageless wisdom assigned the epithet faithful intelligence to this card. Mind the difference between faith and belief: faith is based on reason and foresight, and belief is emotional and irrational.
An auspicious Karma card calls for the careful selection of actions and speech to overcome challenges. It also calls for replacing negative expectations with positive expectations.
An inauspicious Karma card may indicate that the querent is reaping karma from wrong actions or speech, or because she failed to act or speak up. The surrounding cards may indicate the causes of her karma. She needs to pay her karmic debts and reverse negative expectations in the meantime.
On the Tree of Life, the path of the Karma card connects the spheres Necessity (5’s) and the Higher Self (6’s).
The red halo represents Necessity, and the cube (six sides) signifies the Higher Self. This symbolism implies that the Higher Self’s guidance is the throne or foundation of the art of karma.
It also signifies that the purpose of karma is the teaching and evolution of self-consciousness.
Further, if we consider the applicable laws and rules of circumstances and base our plans on those, we will gain faith in our undertakings (faithful intelligence). If we succeed, we will even gain confidence.
The titles and the five core meanings of the Karma card are:
Enlightenment Tarot title: Karma
Traditional title: Justice
Power of consciousness: Karmic seeding
Constructive use: Manifesting, the art of karma
Unconstructive use: Recklessness
Auspicious state of mind: Faith
Inauspicious state of mind: Belief, hopelessness, despair
On the spiritual-intentional level, the Karma card stands for soul karma, spiritual karma, and past-life karma.
On the creative-feely level, the Karma card stands for desirous karma that results from our desires and imaginings (be careful what you wish for). It also signifies the art of karma, aka manifesting.
On the intellectual level, the Karma card calls for positive thinking and the grasp of karmic causality. As you think, so you reap. An inauspicious Karma card may indicate karma from negative thinking.
On the bodily-practical level, the Karma card stands for karma that results from actions, speech, or the failure to act. On this level, the Karma card calls for balance and moderation, in particular, balanced nutrition. An inauspicious Karma card may also indicate, in particular in children, sensitivity to the following afflictions: lower back pain, chronic glomerulonephritis, acute nephritis, chronic kidney disease, kidney inflammation, imbalances of blood chemistry, uremia, polyuria, ureters and ovary issues, eczema, and skin eruption (see body zone below).
More Attributions:
Number: 11
Letter: Lamed, meaning ox-goad (the sting of karma)
Astrology: Libra
Color: green. Green is also the color of the Generation card. Karma responds to our actions by generating experiences that teach. It also means that karma expresses the strict side of motherly love. Karma’s purpose is to grow the soul, not to punish it. Punishment is an unconstructive human adaptation of karma. Mind the complementary color of green is red, the color of action.
Body zone: kidneys, the lumbar region of the spine, the vasomotor system, skin, and the suprarenals.