Karma is all about making conscious choices

Many a time we find ourselves at cross-roads in life, each road directing us to different destinations. Students need to opt for hard work over lazing idly to land in a good college that will open gateways to a bright future for them.

They need to make a choice of subjects according to their interests and sensibilities, that will streamline their course of life – their vocation, income and lifestyle, in the years to come. We face many situations throughout our life where we have to make choices – big or small, that will lead to changes – major or minor, respectively.

All that we are today is a culmination of our choices made in the past; and the choices we make today, shape our tomorrow.

A fitting example would be the choice of a healthy diet and regular exercise that will definitely result in a healthy mind and body.

To quote Dumbledore from Harry Potter and the Secret of Chambers: “It is our choices that show who we are, far more than our abilities.” It will not be far-fetched at all to say that our choices affect our karma; hence, we should make our choices more consciously and with responsibility, taking care to see who all will be affected by the choices we make. One cannot blame destiny for the choices we make.

What destiny does, perhaps, is to offer choices to shape our future. Fate is not something that comes etched on a stone that cannot be changed.

There are times when we believe that we are destined to make a choice against the wishes of family and friends. For example, committing adultery. Later in life, we may realise that the power of choice that we had was probably misused – we were not placed in that situation by fate but chose this fate by taking that particular path. 

As in the law of physics, every cause has an effect, so it is with life’s choices. Deepak Chopra explains it beautifully – the software of the soul auto-records all our choices of thoughts, speech and action and metes out the outcome accordingly, by default. 

The law of karma is essentially about one thing – conscious choice making; so, pause to ponder over the consequences.

One might be tempted to think, “I don’t believe in karma,” but rest assured karma believes in tracking your deeds.