Twenty-six centuries ago, the Buddha fleshed out the universal law of the spiritual realm: karma, which holds that our actions, our words, and even our thoughts inevitably produce effects that return to us in some form -- in this lifetime or a future one. In The Beginner's Guide to Karma, Lama Lhanang Rinpoche and Mordy Levine encourage readers to forget what they've heard about karma and look at the subject afresh. Delving into Buddhist scripture and tradition, the authors give a comprehensive overview that incorporates psychology, ethics, and metaphysics. Using everyday language and real-life examples, they clear away myths, illustrate how karma works in daily life, and offer practices to build positive karma. The Beginner's Guide to Karma neatly sums up the Buddhist worldview and makes a compelling case for a way of being that nurtures compassion, joy, and inner peace in an uncertain world.

Beginner's Guide to Karma: How to Live with Less Negativity and More Peace, Lama Lhanang Rinpoche and Mordy Levine, New World Library, Paperback, 120 pages, $16.95

Born in the Amdo region of historic Tibet, Lama Lhanang Rinpoche received a traditional monastic education and later studied under several respected lamas. Today, he teaches Vajrayana Buddhism at the Jigme Lingpa Center in San Diego, California, where he lives with his wife and child.

Mordy Levine is an entrepreneur, a meditation teacher, and the president of the Jigme Lingpa Center.