The word karma, although relatively new in the Western culture and often misunderstood as predestination or fate, is the cornerstone of many spiritual beliefs.
In Buddhism, karma epitomises the infallible law of cause and effect that governs the universe. Literally, the word karma means “action” and karma is both the power latent within actions, and the results those actions bring.

From the personal perspective, what really matters is our personal karma. What do we understand by that? Each action, even the smallest and seemingly least significant, carries its consequences. As Buddha said: “Do not overlook negative actions merely because they are small; however small a spark may be, it can burn down a haystack as big as a mountain.”
He also said: “Do not overlook tiny good actions, thinking they are of no benefit; even tiny drops of water in the end will fill a huge vessel.”

Our karma is always with us. Unlike worldly things, it does not decay, pauses, or becomes inoperative. It can never be destroyed and, unless ripened, it will never disappear.
Often, we naively expect that the fruits of our actions will instantaneously, directly and visibly affect (read: increase) our karma. For it to happen, the results of our actions have to mature and become ripe. So, we forget about what we have done; and when long afterwards the results catch up with us, we are unable to connect them with their causes. The effects of what we do now are often postponed into our future lifetimes. The whole “picture” gets even more complicated by many karmas mixing together. Unable to understand it, we tend to assume that things happen to us “by chance.”

Our individual karma is not isolated, but a part of greater “fields” of the local, national, international and universal karma.
Living in the state of impermanency, the only possession we truly have is our karma. Nothing else is “ours” – not even now, let alone in the future. Is it not prudent then, to live our life with a sole objective in mind: to add more to our stocks of good karma?
After all, we will have to rely on them whilst sailing the dangerous ocean called Samsara… until the fog veil drops and we realize that our destination – Nirvana, is where it always has been – within us.