By Dr. Devan*

Introduction: The Cycle of Cause and Effect Across Lifetimes.

In life, it is tempting to assume that our current circumstances—our health, wealth, relationships, and opportunities—are entirely the product of our present efforts. Modern society reinforces this belief, promoting the idea that hard work in this lifetime is the sole architect of our success. But for those who believe in the doctrine of karma and the continuity of the soul across multiple births, the picture is far richer and more complex.

According to karmic philosophy, much of what we experience today—whether it is pleasure or pain—has its roots in actions performed in previous lifetimes. The kindness you extended, the integrity you upheld, and the sacrifices you made in prior incarnations may be flowering now as unexpected blessings. Likewise, the selfishness, cruelty, or negligence you once indulged may manifest as challenges in the present.

If this is so, a compelling question naturally arises: if the “good” you are now enjoying is the result of your past life’s karma, what seeds are you sowing for your next life? Are you merely enjoying the harvest of the past, or are you actively planting for the future?

The Nature of Karmic Debt and Credit

Karma functions much like an intricate system of universal accounting. Every thought, word, and deed carries an energetic signature. Positive, selfless actions create karmic credit; harmful, selfish actions create karmic debt. Over lifetimes, these balances mature into circumstances, much like investments yielding returns or liabilities demanding repayment.

When we are born into favorable conditions—good health, loving families, material security, and supportive opportunities—it is tempting to attribute this purely to luck or personal merit in the present lifetime. But from a karmic standpoint, these advantages are often repayments for the “loans” of goodness we extended to others long ago.

Just as a wise investor does not spend all of their gains without reinvesting, a spiritually aware individual must recognize that enjoying karmic returns without replenishing the account is dangerous. Without ongoing deposits, the next lifetime could be impoverished, spiritually and materially.

The Present Life: A Bridge, Not a Destination

Too many of us live as if this lifetime is the final chapter—an isolated stretch of years to be maximized for comfort and personal pleasure. But from the karmic perspective, each life is only a bridge between the one before and the one after. What we experience now is largely predetermined by past causes, but what we create now will set the trajectory for the next.

This is not to say that present efforts are irrelevant; rather, they are most potent when seen in both immediate and long-term contexts. A charitable act performed today may bring joy in the moment, but it also plants a seed that may blossom decades—or even lifetimes—later. Similarly, a selfish act may yield an immediate advantage but eventually ripen into hardship in a future existence.

The Illusion of Permanent Security

One of the subtle traps of enjoying the fruits of past karma is the illusion that such blessings will last indefinitely. The wealthy man may assume his fortune will sustain him forever. The healthy woman may believe her vitality is an unchanging fact. The loved and admired may think their social standing is immutable.

However, karmic “capital” is finite unless replenished. Just as a farmer who fails to sow crops in a fertile year faces famine in the next, so too does a soul risk spiritual and circumstantial decline if it fails to engage in actions that generate future credit.

Laying Down the Foundation for the Next Life

If we accept the continuity of the soul and the operation of karma, it becomes clear that our current life has two simultaneous purposes:

To enjoy and use wisely the returns of past life’s good actions.

To actively sow seeds for an even better future—both in this life and the next.

The question is—how does one consciously build this foundation?

1. Cultivating Inner Qualities

External acts matter, but their karmic weight depends greatly on the inner qualities that motivate them. Acts born from compassion, integrity, and humility are karmically potent. The cultivation of virtues like patience, forgiveness, and detachment from ego ensures that our future life circumstances are harmonious and elevated.

2. Service Without Expectation

Selfless service—helping others without any expectation of return—has long been regarded as one of the highest karmic investments. Whether it is giving material aid, offering emotional support, or sharing knowledge, service generates goodwill that often transcends lifetimes.

3. Right Livelihood

Earning one’s living in ways that do not harm others ensures that the fruits of one’s labor are free from karmic contamination. Professions and actions that exploit or destroy create negative karmic residues, no matter how materially profitable they may be in the short term.

4. Mindful Speech and Thought

Karma is not only about actions but also about the quality of our thoughts and words. Harsh words, deceit, and malicious thoughts can plant seeds of discord, while truthful, kind, and uplifting speech can create harmony that carries forward into future births.

5. Detachment and Gratitude

Enjoying present blessings without clinging to them or becoming arrogant is itself a karmic practice. Gratitude transforms enjoyment into a humble acknowledgment of the universe’s generosity, inspiring further acts of giving.

The Dangers of Complacency

If one believes that current comfort is solely self-created, there is a risk of falling into arrogance, entitlement, and negligence. These attitudes not only erode current relationships but also generate negative karmic seeds for the future. Conversely, if one realizes that much of today’s joy was “prepaid” by another self in another time, humility and responsibility naturally follow.

It is also dangerous to defer good actions, assuming there will always be time later. Just as financial investments need consistent contributions to grow, karmic wealth must be accumulated steadily, not sporadically. Every day wasted in complacency is a day lost in building the next foundation.

Living With the Awareness of Continuity

Imagine living as if you were both the heir of your past self and the benefactor of your future self. You inherit a certain “karmic estate” at birth, but you also have the responsibility to enlarge and enhance it for your successor—you. This awareness transforms ordinary living into conscious living.

Eating a meal becomes an act of gratitude. Helping a stranger becomes a deliberate planting of future blessings. Resisting the temptation to harm or exploit becomes an investment in peace yet to come.

Balancing Enjoyment and Effort

It is neither necessary nor wise to live in constant austerity or self-denial. The point is not to reject present joy but to enjoy it in balance with ongoing karmic “deposits.” This is akin to living off the interest of your wealth while reinvesting enough to ensure continued growth.

Present joy is a gift from the past. Future joy is a gift you can send ahead to yourself. The truly wise enjoy what is given without exhausting the source.

Conclusion: Today Shapes Tomorrow’s Dawn

If the pleasures and privileges you now experience are indeed the echoes of past-life virtues, then it follows naturally that your current actions will echo into the life to come. This understanding reframes every moment—not as a fleeting chance for indulgence, but as an eternal opportunity for creation.

You are not only living your life; you are building your next. Every word, every act, every intention is a brick in that unseen foundation.

So, the question is not merely, “Are you enjoying your life?” but rather, “Are you building the one that follows?”

If the good you are enjoying today is a reflection of yesterday’s kindness, wisdom, and courage—then today, let your kindness be greater, your wisdom deeper, and your courage brighter. For in doing so, you ensure that your future self will one day thank you for the life you left behind.

*Dr Devan is a Mangaluru-based ENT specialist and author.

Hindusthan Samachar / Manohar Yadavatti