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Karmic Relief: Harnessing the Laws of Cause and Effect for a Joyful, Meaningful Life Kindle Edition
by Philip Goldberg (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars (5)
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“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.
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"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
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Karmic Relief: Harnessing the Laws of Cause and Effect for a Joyful, Meaningful LifeProduct details
ASIN : B0F4WFVHC9
Publisher : Monkfish Book Publishing
Accessibility : Learn more
Publication date : 14 October 2025
Language : English
File size : 3.8 MB
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Not Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Print length : 215 pages
ISBN-13 : 978-1966608004
Page Flip : Enabled
Best Sellers Rank: 1,065,859 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)206 in Hindu Theology
274 in Indian Philosophy
328 in Hindu Rituals & Practice
Customer Reviews:
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars (5)
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Philip Goldberg
Philip Goldberg grew up in Brooklyn and moved to Los Angeles like the Dodgers before him. A professional writer for 45 years, he is author or coauthor of numerous books, all but one nonfiction. He is also a skilled public speaker, meditation teacher, and ordained Interfaith Minister. He leads tours to India and cohosts the popular podcast Spirit Matters. His 2010 book, American Veda, which chronicles the impact of India's spiritual teachings on the West, was named one of the top 10 Religion books of the year by Huffington Post and Library Journal. That was followed in 2018 by a biography: The Life of Yogananda: The Story of the Yogi Who Became the First Modern Guru. Website: www.philipgoldberg.com. His current book, Spiritual Practice for Crazy Times is the #1 New Release in 3 Amazon categories.
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margaret cotter
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!!Reviewed in the United States on 10 January 2026
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
A terrific book that explores many aspects of karma, and inspires the reader to explore in a compassionate way causes and effects of karma one's own life. Appreciated it so much that it was my recommendation for a small book group where we are now exploring it!
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Diana Denton
5.0 out of 5 stars An Inspiring Book!Reviewed in Canada on 3 February 2026
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
An exceptional book that offers real insight and thoughtful inquiry into the notion of karma. Phil Goldberg inspires readers to reflect on their own lives. Complex ideas are rendered in a way that is accessible and can resonate with readers' own experience. In this book, Phil brings his wisdom as a long-time spiritual teacher and author to illuminate the ways of karma. An excellent read!
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Gillian Renault
5.0 out of 5 stars Accessible and inspiringReviewed in the United States on 12 November 2025
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Phil Goldberg has written a wonderful book that works on several levels. As a brief non-academic history of karma. As a spiritual guide. And as an honest discussion of something that can never be proved, all in accessible language. As he writes more than once in the book karma is unfathomable. But read this and you will start thinking about your actions and their affects in ways you may never have before.
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Brenda Griffey
5.0 out of 5 stars an excellent and enjoyable discussion of a complex topicReviewed in the United States on 29 October 2025
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Goldberg has the ability to distill ancient, sophisticated spiritual knowledge and wisdom into modern day language and concepts. Like his previous books, American Veda and The Life of Yogananda, he gives us a complete and clear understanding of the topic while at the same time giving us an enjoyable read. In a life of busyness and information overload, it's especially gratifying to read a substantive book that is also short! Goldberg covers all of the bases of the concept of karma and leaves the reader, believer or non-believer in karma, with much to contemplate.
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