When we hear the word karma, we often associate it with “bad karma” or the act of justice being served. However, karma in Sanskrit means action. Every action leads to another reaction, creating a never-ending circle of actions and reactions—which could be negative or positive. Every so often, we may think its time to karma cleanse and reset this cycle on a positive note. Here are 12 simple ways to karma cleanse:

1. Make a list of all the things you have to be grateful for right now. Write them down and place it some place where you can see it easily—like your sacred space—to remind you when the going gets tough.
2. Write a letter of forgiveness to someone who has hurt you. It is not necessary to send it. The act of forgiveness takes a load off of you and lets you live without resentment, which just makes one bitter. This also helps break karmic ties because anger, as well as love, is an energy that binds.
3. Write a letter asking for forgiveness from someone you have hurt. This one is also not necessary to send.
4. Practice random acts of kindness without expecting reciprocation or compensation in return. This lets your ego have a much-needed break from the suffering of expectations.
5. Check the intentions behind your actions. Are you seeking some kind of reward and/or boost for your ego? Is it really just all about you and what you want or need? Be truthful with yourself and others.
6. Self-study and reflection, daily moments of non-action and meditation.
7. Add beauty and joy in some way, wherever you go, without needing recognition. Live beauty. Live joy, passionately.  It also lets your hard-working ego and mind have a well-deserved break.
8. Don’t worry about what other people think or say about your. It doesn’t have much to do with you anyway. Live to impress yourself, not others.
9. Always try to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and see things from another angle. This develops empathy and compassion but not pity.
10. Don’t judge others unless you have walked a while in their shoes and even then don’t judge, because we will never know someone else’s entire story.
11. If someone is hurting you, let them know in a neutral manner. Explain how they are causing you distress. Have open channels of communication that is not threatening to either side. If they don´t care to or are not able to stop and walk away, they are just acting out the pain they have inside because they need a way to release it. You are not obligated to continue the cycle of pain and you have every right to protect yourself from toxic behavior and energy. Sometimes the best response is to just remove yourself from the situation. Do not feed into the negative energy exchanges and the cycle will break.
12. Don´t hurt anyone or anything. We are all one family here on our planet. Our action is what we experience. We are all tiny reflections of the Earth, offering and contributing of our small selves to the whole and truly divine picture.