Karmic Relief - by Philip Goldberg (Paperback)

About the Book

""Karma" is in our vocabulary, but we don't know what it means. The word is everywhere-not just in alternative spirituality, and among Hindus and Buddhists, but in news reports, ads, sitcoms, sports columns, and the everyday conversations of people who wouldn't know the Upanishads from Us Weekly. Stephen Colbert invokes the term on TV, and Taylor Swift summons it in song. iTunes in fact lists more than 150 karmic song titles. This book highlights karmic belief and practice throughout history and how they came to the West, then applies the principles of these ethics to relationships, life decisions, health, death, and all aspects of self-development. "We're always planting karmic seeds," writes Philip Goldberg. Karma is a profoundly useful idea, and Karmic Relief is a profoundly useful book. It offers a blueprint for building a fulfilling life and a way to reconcile some of life's most vexing conundrums"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

"A wise, inspiring, and beautiful book offering potent medicine for our times." --Miranda Macpherson, author of The Way of Grace: The Transforming Power of Ego Relaxation

"Karma" is in our vocabulary, but do we really know what it means?

The word is everywhere--not just in alternative spirituality, and among Hindus and Buddhists, but in news reports, ads, sitcoms, sports columns, and the everyday conversations of people who wouldn't know the Upanishads from Us Magazine. Stephen Colbert invokes the term on TV and Taylor Swift summons it in song.

This book chronicles the origin and evolution of karmic theory and describes how the concept came to the West. It explains exactly what karma means--and, crucially, what it doesn't mean--then shows how to apply karmically sound ethical principles to relationships, life decisions, health, death, and all aspects of self-development. "We're always planting karmic seeds," writes Philip Goldberg. Our task is to "choose the right seeds and plant them skillfully, in the right way, at the right time, under the right conditions."

Karma is a profoundly useful idea, and Karmic Relief is a profoundly useful book. It offers a blueprint for building a fulfilling life and a way to reconcile some of life's most vexing conundrums.

Review Quotes

"Karmic Relief is a wise, inspiring, and beautiful book offering potent medicine for our times. With the clarity and humility that come from a lifetime of dedicated study and practice, Goldberg invites us to embrace the beauty and power that comes from living ethically." --Miranda Macpherson, author of The Way of Grace: The Transforming Power of Ego Relaxation

"For years, this frequently misunderstood topic has been crying out for illumination. Goldberg takes it on with a relaxed, accessible voice that makes his solid scholarship go down easy. He embodies the kind of practical, humane, nondogmatic wisdom that all spiritual teachers would do well to emulate." --Dean Sluyter, author of The Dharma Bum's Guide to Western Literature

"Millions of people believe in karma. However, believing in karma, much like believing in gravity, is meaningless. If you fall off a thousand-foot cliff, gravity explains why you are falling; karma explains what led you to fall. Belief in either is irrelevant to both. Karma is a law of reality, and Philip Goldberg's Karmic Relief is a powerful guide to living with it wisely." --Rabbi Rami Shapiro, author of Zen Mind, Jewish Mind

"This eminently readable book explains a foundational worldview shared throughout nearly all Asian religions: through our actions (karmas) we write the script for our own futures. Drawing from his own experience and the wisdom of countless teachers, Goldberg makes this core philosophy easy to understand, and more importantly perhaps, easy to practice. This book is truly a call to right action!" --Christopher Chapple, Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology, and director, Master of Arts in Yoga Studies, Loyola Marymount University

"At last, a concise, friendly book that explains what karma is--and, crucially, what it's not. In his usual lucid, practical, and entertaining style, Phil Goldberg gives us everything we need to reset our Karmic Positioning System and glide into a happier future." --Marci Shimoff, #1 New York Time bestselling author of Happy for No Reason

"The task of transmitting the ancient Eastern idea of karma to the contemporary world is daunting. For years, I've been wondering who would take on the challenge--and I have considered it myself a number of times. Philip Goldberg now has, and we should all be grateful. His book is an astonishing feat of high-wire balance. It's beautifully written; manages to be accessible without losing any of the subtlety of its complex subject; is full of the kind of cultural context that probably only Goldberg is equipped to provide; and most astonishingly, it manages to be both conceptually accurate and extremely practical. As with his previous book, American Veda, Goldberg writes about the ineffable with a master's touch. It is positively thrilling to read an author at the height of his powers. This book is destined to be a classic." --Stephen Cope, scholar emeritus, Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health; author of The Great Work of Your Life and many other books

"Karmic Relief is a gripping, erudite, and immensely practical meditation on the workings of karma and its therapeutic and spiritual value. A must read." --Swami Medhananda, Vedanta Society of Southern California, Hindu Chaplain at UCLA and USC, author of Karma and Rebirth in Hinduism

"Your karma is not your fate--it's your freedom. In Karmic Relief, Philip Goldberg hands you the keys to transform your life from the inside out, with timeless wisdom made practical, soulful, and real. Learn how every choice you make can plant seeds of peace, purpose, and joy--for yourself and the world." --Acharya Shunya, Vedic Scholar and teacher; author of Sovereign Self

"Philip Goldberg brings wisdom and discernment to everything he undertakes and every book he writes. He explores his subjects deeply and presents them with nuanced, fresh perspectives. When you read one of his books or listen to one of his talks or interviews, you won't receive a rehashing of ideas you've already pondered. You'll learn something new. This book is no exception." --Rick Archer, creator and host of "Buddha at the Gas Pump"

"Karmic Relief marries timeless wisdom with modern sensibility, crafting a blueprint for how to co-create a more ethical and compassionate world. With the erudition of a scholar and the warmth of a friend, Goldberg demystifies karma, rendering it both profound and practical. His wit and insight make the complex accessible, serving up a feast of wisdom and humor that will leave you empowered to make change for the better for yourself and the world." --Kimberley Lafferty, teacher-practitioner with The Confluence Experience

"Karma has practically become an English word, yet the depths of this concept are rarely understood in the western world. This book will hopefully go some distance toward correcting this situation." --Jeffery D. Long, Carl W. Zeigler Professor of Religion, Philosophy, and Asian Studies, Elizabethtown College; author of Discovering Indian Philosophy

"Drawing from Eastern traditions while speaking to universal moral insights, Goldberg encourages us to consider how our choices ripple outward--inviting a more thoughtful, grounded, and conscious way of being in the world, especially for a time when quieter wisdom and humane clarity are often drowned by noise and spectacle." --Father Adam Bucko, director, The Center for Spiritual Imagination, Garden City, NY

". . . an intriguing deep dive into karma that many readers should find enlightening. Goldberg ultimately breathes new life into an often overused concept by breaking down karma's core principles and applying them to ordinary life." --Kirkus Reviews

For the author's earlier books:

"An illuminating, gracefully written and remarkably thorough account of India's spectacular impact on Western religion and spirituality." -Deepak Chopra

"American Veda shows us how we got to where we are. It chronicles a revolution in consciousness and describes India's lasting influence on our culture, from gurus, meditation, and yoga to sitar music and aromatic curries. Savor it." -Michael Bernard Beckwith, author of Spiritual Liberation: Fulfilling Your Soul's Potential

"Documents an important cultural change and is an impressive book: informed and informative, well researched and readable." -Roger Walsh MD, PhD, University of California Medical School, author of Essential Spirituality: The Seven Central Practices

"Intriguing reading, fascinating profiles and great storytelling of Yoga luminaries adapting the teachings to fit modern American life. This book inspires us to continue to deepen in our body, mind, and spiritual journey." -Lilias Folan, PBS Host and author Lilias! Yoga Gets Better with Age

About the Author

Philip Goldberg has been studying the world's spiritual wisdom for more than fifty years, as a practitioner, teacher, and author. His many books include American Veda: From Emerson and the Beatles to Yoga and Meditation, How Indian Spirituality Changed the West, named one of the top ten religion books of the year by the American Library Association. He has lectured and taught at venues throughout North America and India, and conducted online courses for platforms such as Spirituality & Practice, Embodied Philosophy, and Hindu University of America. He also teaches private online courses on the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, and other topics. Since January, 2023, he has hosted the podcast "Spirit Matters with Philip Goldberg" at mindbodyspirit.fm. Learn more at PhilipGoldberg.com. He lives in Great Barrington, MA.