Karma and Samskara are the same chapter in my book, and I can see how they are closely related. While karma is focused on how energy is cyclical and our actions are energies that balance out, samskara is our habits that affect our karmic actions.

Samskara is the habits that we have as individuals – how our actions affect our memories. The author used the example of creating an exercise habit and how it can either strengthen or weaken your body or mind. A habit of daily meditation will create a positive action, while a daily habit of using meth will destroy your body. Intervening the harmful habits with more positive ones will strengthen.

There’s an example in the book about modern medicine and holistic/alternative healers and how keeping your mind open to new ideas (or maybe different ideas) and improvement rather than staying stuck in our samskaras. This one hit me hard because I had just finished up a video for class that was about ayurveda, the centuries-old method of healing in yoga. Oh boy was I skeptical, and I have yet to write up my summary for the movie and have actual medical journals up on google search to read more about this. After reading that paragraph in the book, I felt called out. And I have to remember that diet and nutrition does make a difference in people’s health, absolutely. The movie even mentioned that a balance between our modern medicine practices and ancient practices of ayurveda is ideal. I’ve got to keep an open mind.

Finding the source of our samskara, how it began, can help us take steps toward how much of a hold that our habits have on us. It does take effort, though, and it takes a willingness to do it and make a change where needed to make our actions helpful, positive, and for the sake of others.