Do Prayers to Heal Past Karma Work?

Question

Does prayer asking for forgiveness for our bad karma, after we have learned our lesson, actually work?

—Sonia, India

Answer

Karma involves action, and reaction… So prayer and devotion, as divine actions can certainly help to expiate our bad karma. Why? Because when we have harmed others in one way or another, we have forgotten that God resides in each and every human being. These words of Jesus Christ describe it well:

Then one of them… asked him a question, … saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Matthew 22:35-40

So, to love God, and to love God in others, are two manifestations of the same Divine law. When we feel that we have somehow fallen short of our ideals, we can increase our loving connection with God through prayer and spiritual practices. Pray to God, and also to the soul of the person, expressing your sincere apologies for your actions, and any pain you caused through those actions.

If it is possible to make amends outwardly to the person or people you harmed, then do so. This helps to heal the karma. But very often we cannot make amends directly, for time has passed and circumstances have changed. If so, you can do serviceful acts to help people who are in a similar position to those whom you have harmed. Feel that you are serving the God in them, and thus making the amends to God in all.

These things can help us when we know the past karma we are trying to heal. It impresses upon our minds that we do not want to do such harm now, or ever in the future; instead we seek God’s bliss by compassionately blessing others.

You will find further insights here: How to Transcend your Karma

And finally, the practice of Kriya Yoga helps to burn up the seeds of our karma that are held in the astral spine, from this life and past lives. You can learn more about Kriya by contacting Ananda Kriya Sangha in the following location nearest you: