--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Karma is often wrongly confused with the…" description: "\"Karma is often wrongly confused with the notion of a fixed destiny. It is more like an accumulation of tendencies that can lock us into particular beha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/jon-kabat-zinn-1327_accumulation_karma-is-often-wrongly-confused-with-the_32605.jpg" --- # Karma is often wrongly confused with the notion of a fixed… ![“Karma is often wrongly confused with the notion of a fixed destiny. It is more like an accumulation of tendencies that can lock us into particular behavior patterns, which themselves result in further accumulations of tendencies of a similar nature... But is is not necessary to be a prisoner of…” quote by Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/jon-kabat-zinn-1327_accumulation_karma-is-often-wrongly-confused-with-the_32605.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/jon-kabat-zinn-1327_accumulation_karma-is-often-wrongly-confused-with-the_32605.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fb/jon-kabat-zinn-1327_accumulation_karma-is-often-wrongly-confused-with-the_32605.jpg) > “Karma is often wrongly confused with the notion of a fixed destiny. It is more like an accumulation of tendencies that can lock us into particular behavior patterns, which themselves result in further accumulations of tendencies of a similar nature... But is is not necessary to be a prisoner of old karma.” [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Karma reflects accumulated habits that shape future actions, not a predetermined fate; we can change patterns by altering our responses. **In simple terms:** Karma = habit accumulation, not destiny. Key Takeaway We can break old patterns. Themes personal growth mindfulness determinism habit formation agency Mood reflective motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - stressful decision-making - relationship conflicts - career stagnation - habitual procrastination Key Concepts behavioral conditioning cause and effect self-awareness Practical Applications - mindfulness training - behavioral coaching Questions to Reflect On - How do your current habits limit you? - What small change could shift your trajectory? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accumulation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accumulation/) [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Behavior patterns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior-patterns/) [Buddhism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhism/) [Confused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confused/) [Confused Notion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confused-notion-431311/) [Destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destiny/) [Fixed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fixed/) [Fixed Destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fixed-destiny-431310/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Karma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/karma/) [Karma Wrongly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/karma-wrongly-431309/) [Locks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/locks/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Notion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notion/) [Old Karma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-karma-431308/) [Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particular/) [Patterns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patterns/) [Prisoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prisoner/) [Results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/results/) [Tendencies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tendencies/) ## Related quotes > [“The people of the world have a fixed destiny. But the spiritually developed receive what is “not” in their destiny.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/the-people-of-the-world-have-a-fixed-destiny-but-the-spiritually/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [The notion that the colonel need be a better man than the private is as confused as the notion that the keystone need be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-notion-that-the-colonel-need-be-a-better-man-than-the-private-is/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“Even at a young age one sometimes recognizes that there are behavior patterns that would simply be a waste of time for everyone concerned,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whit-stillman/even-at-a-young-age-one-sometimes-recognizes-that-there-are-behavior/) [Whit Stillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whit-stillman/) > [Character is expressed through our behavior patterns, or natural responses to things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/character-is-expressed-through-our-behavior-patterns-or-natural/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [Life is unpredictable when you get non-standard behavior patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-busey/life-is-unpredictable-when-you-get-non-standard-behavior-patterns/) [Jake Busey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-busey/) > [Babies are equipped at birth with a number of instinctive reflexes and behavior patterns that cause them to spend their first several years trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/babies-are-equipped-at-birth-with-a-number-of-instinctive-reflexes/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Many Christians have what we might call a 'cultural holiness.' They adapt to the character and behavior pattern of Christians around them...But God has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/many-christians-have-what-we-might-call-a-cultural-holiness-they/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [The biggest fear that I have is settling into too many set behavior patterns, where I feel like I'm no longer exploring possibilities anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-watts/the-biggest-fear-that-i-have-is-settling-into-too-many-set-behavior/) [Reggie Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-watts/) > [Here was one of the white man's most characteristic behavior patterns - where black men are concerned. He loves himself so much that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/here-was-one-of-the-white-man-s-most-characteristic-behavior-patterns/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Human behavior is subject to the same laws as any other natural phenomenon. Our customs, behaviors, and values are byproducts of our culture. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/human-behavior-is-subject-to-the-same-laws-as-any-other-natural/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [They're so attached to their patterns that they've forgotten rule number one of human behavior: there are no patterns. People just do things. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-faulks/they-re-so-attached-to-their-patterns-that-they-ve-forgotten-rule/) [Sebastian Faulks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-faulks/) > [Many of us understand giving, but some of us may still be confused about the meaning of forgiveness. Some people may go through life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-templeton/many-of-us-understand-giving-but-some-of-us-may-still-be-confused/) [John Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-templeton/) > [Through constant familiarity, we can definitely establish new behavior patterns, using our tendency to form habits to our advantage. If we make a steady…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/through-constant-familiarity-we-can-definitely-establish-new-behavior/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [We have to learn to deal with this situation and prepare for contact. Studying the behavior pattern of the phenomenon, I came to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hesemann/we-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-this-situation-and-prepare-for-contact/) [Michael Hesemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hesemann/) > [Our whole evolution up to this point shows that human groups spontaneously evolve patterns of behavior, as well as patterns of training people for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-simon/our-whole-evolution-up-to-this-point-shows-that-human-groups/) [Julian Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-simon/) ## More by Jon Kabat-Zinn > [Living in a chronic state of unawareness can cause us to miss much of what is most beautiful and meaningful in our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/living-in-a-chronic-state-of-unawareness-can-cause-us-to-miss-much-of/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Mindfulness means moment-to-moment, non-judgmental awareness. It is cultivated by refining our capacity to pay attention, intentionally, in the present moment, and then sustaining that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/mindfulness-means-moment-to-moment-non-judgmental-awareness-it-is/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Paying attention and awareness are universal capacities of human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/paying-attention-and-awareness-are-universal-capacities-of-human/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [“One practical way to do this is to look at other people and ask yourself if you are really seeing them or just your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/one-practical-way-to-do-this-is-to-look-at-other-people-and-ask/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [I thought it was a stroke of genius that Hans Selye used the word stress, because it's true that if you don't know how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/i-thought-it-was-a-stroke-of-genius-that-hans-selye-used-the-word/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [“dwell in stillness and to observe without reacting and without judging.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/dwell-in-stillness-and-to-observe-without-reacting-and-without-judging/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Generosity is another quality which, like patience, letting go, non-judging, and trust, provides a solid foundation for mindfulness practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/generosity-is-another-quality-which-like-patience-letting-go-non/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [The little things? The little moments? They aren't little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/the-little-things-the-little-moments-they-aren-t-little/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Arriving someplace more desirable at some future time is an illusion. This is it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/arriving-someplace-more-desirable-at-some-future-time-is-an-illusion/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [“Give yourself permission to allow this moment to be exactly as it is, and allow yourself to be exactly as you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/give-yourself-permission-to-allow-this-moment-to-be-exactly-as-it-is/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Generosity is another quality which, like patience, letting go, non-judging, and trust, provides a solid foundation for mindfulness practice. You might experiment with using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/generosity-is-another-quality-which-like-patience-letting-go-non-2/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Science gave me a cosmic religious feeling, and I would get the same feeling when I was dragged to the Met and the Museum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/science-gave-me-a-cosmic-religious-feeling-and-i-would-get-the-same/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [Look at other people and ask yourself if you are really seeing them or just your thoughts about them… Without knowing it, we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/look-at-other-people-and-ask-yourself-if-you-are-really-seeing-them/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [“In fact, even if distraction does alleviate your pain or help to cope with it some of the time, bringing mindfulness to it can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/in-fact-even-if-distraction-does-alleviate-your-pain-or-help-to-cope/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [There are a lot of different ways to talk about mindfulness, but what it really means is awareness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/there-are-a-lot-of-different-ways-to-talk-about-mindfulness-but-what/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) [Explore all 252 Jon Kabat-Zinn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) ## More Accumulation quotes > [Age is an accumulation of life and loss. Adulthood is a series of lines crossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-goodman/age-is-an-accumulation-of-life-and-loss-adulthood-is-a-series-of/) [Ellen Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-goodman/) > [Before World War II, I was living a very cloistered existence, as most cartoonists do. The work I was pouring out did not come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-eisner/before-world-war-ii-i-was-living-a-very-cloistered-existence-as-most/) [Will Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-eisner/) > [It is more than a little ironic that "capital accumulation" once a rather tendentious Marxian view of a supposed capitalist obsession, should have become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kuttner/it-is-more-than-a-little-ironic-that-capital-accumulation-once-a/) [Robert Kuttner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kuttner/) > [The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, selfappointed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-accumulation-of-all-powers-legislative-executive-and-judiciary-in/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [I think that only daring speculation can lead us further and not accumulation of facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/i-think-that-only-daring-speculation-can-lead-us-further-and-not/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [There has been, for some reason (or more likely an unfortunate accumulation of reasons) a trend over the past several decades for parents to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-hax/there-has-been-for-some-reason-or-more-likely-an-unfortunate/) [Carolyn Hax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-hax/) > [Ageing is, simply and clearly, the accumulation of damage in the body. That's all that ageing is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-de-grey/ageing-is-simply-and-clearly-the-accumulation-of-damage-in-the-body/) [Aubrey de Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-de-grey/) > [For me, personally, there is one really interesting thing. You're all a bit too young for that, but when you get to a certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christoph-waltz/for-me-personally-there-is-one-really-interesting-thing-you-re-all-a/) [Christoph Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christoph-waltz/) > [The mounting burden of taxation not only undermines individual incentives to increased work and earnings, but in a score of ways discourages capital accumulation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hazlitt/the-mounting-burden-of-taxation-not-only-undermines-individual/) [Henry Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hazlitt/) > [When the accumulation of wealth is no longer of high social importance, there will be great changes in the code of morals. We shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/when-the-accumulation-of-wealth-is-no-longer-of-high-social/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) > [The native American has been generally despised by his white conquerors for his poverty and simplicity. They forget, perhaps, that his religion forbade the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-alexander-eastman/the-native-american-has-been-generally-despised-by-his-white/) [Charles Alexander Eastman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-alexander-eastman/) > [The soul lives forever by giving, not receiving. This is the grand paradox. You get most by giving most. Conversely, by receiving much you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-johnson/the-soul-lives-forever-by-giving-not-receiving-this-is-the-grand/) [Julian Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-johnson/) > [Forgiveness of the present is even more important than forgiveness of the past. If you forgive every moment - allow it to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/forgiveness-of-the-present-is-even-more-important-than-forgiveness-of/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Too much and too long, we seem to have surrendered community excellence and community values in the mere accumulation of material things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kennedy/too-much-and-too-long-we-seem-to-have-surrendered-community/) [Robert Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kennedy/) > [“Great offense and poor defense translate into under accumulation of wealth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-stanley/great-offense-and-poor-defense-translate-into-under-accumulation-of/) [Thomas J. Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-stanley/) [Browse all 412 Accumulation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accumulation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Karma is often wrongly confused with the notion of a fixed destiny. It is more like an accumulation of tendencies that can lock us into particular behavior patterns, which themselves result in further accumulations of tendencies of a similar nature... 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