The Beginner’s Guide to Karma: How To Live with Less Negativity and More Peace

Rinpoche (Vajrayana Buddhism, Jigme Lingpa Center) and Levine (president, Jigme Lingpa Center) are the coauthors of The Tibetan Book of the Dead for Beginners. They’ve partnered again to offer this slim volume, a primer that introduces readers to the spiritual concept of Karma. Intended to appeal to readers who are not familiar with the subject or who are aware of Karma only from pop culture, their book acknowledges that Karma predates the birth of Buddhism. But the authors correlate Karmic concepts with those of Buddhism and its practitioners. Brief chapters—“What Is Karma,” “When Do We Experience the Results of Karma,” “What Happens to Your Karma When You Die,” and nine others—look at fundamental questions. Exercises to help readers discern the role of Karma in their own lives are included at the end of each chapter. Readers are given advice about how to improve their Karma and practice habits that reduce negative behaviors. Appendices include an easy meditation, a list of 10 virtuous and unvirtuous actions, and a visualization for encouragement.