Karma is a Mixed Conditional

We usually think of karma as "good" or "bad", but I found this interesting definition as well, if we consider thoughts and words as actions:

"Karma is the Sanskrit word for action. Basically, when we exhibit a negative force in thought, word or action, that negative energy will come back to us. However, karma is not meant to be a punishment. It is present for the sake of education. How else is someone to learn how to be a good person if they are never taught that harmful action is wrong? A person suffers much more if they have created the conditions for suffering. Karma is a lifestyle that promotes positive thinking and actions. It also employs self-reflection to fix the problems in one’s life."

As you can see, the question of cause and effect can run very deep, and this is why conditional structures are so common and frequent in everyday language. We use them to talk about a wide spectrum of ideas and notions, from:

"If it's sunny tomorrow, we'll have a picnic in the park" (first conditional, high probability), to

"A person suffers much less if they practise creating conditions for happiness and well-being (for themselves and others) through wholesome thought, speech and action" (zero conditional, that is, scientific fact)

Easier said than done, right? That's why this example says "practise".

I associated mixed conditionals with karma because one of the ways we use them is to talk about past conditions creating present or future results.

Are you able to recognise past conditions in your current experience?

WATCH HERE: How to Understand, Create and Use Mixed Conditionals - English Grammar Lesson with Examples

I’d love to hear from you and know how this resonates in the comments - meet you there?

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