From the day we were born, what we ate, what we read, what we did, in what kind of environment we lived, with what kind of people we were in contact with, all these factors together have shaped us into the kind of people we are now. From the day we were born, whatever action we did has led us to become the kind of person we are now.
Karma means action. Karma is not some kind of reward and punishment system. Karma is just action and consequence. For every action there is a consequence. This action need not be just physical. Action is on the mental, emotional, physical and energy level. Every action is recorded and an impression of that action is there. Because of these accumulated actions that we call karma, you tend to develop certain tendencies. These tendencies can either lead you to health and well-being or ill-health and other kinds of situations in life. But they are not the deciding factors. They are just tending to take you in a certain way. You can always steer yourself the way you want. That is the ability of human consciousness – you can go beyond the mass of accumulated impressions and still do what you want. What we are doing now, what karma we are doing at this moment is very important. What we did in the past may have been in unawareness but at this moment, if you have some awareness, you will not do the karma which leads to suffering. No man will do it.
What we are going to do with our life today and tomorrow is more important for us, not the old karma. We cannot change what has already happened. But we can bring some awareness to ourselves by looking at what has already happened; whatever has already happened can be a lesson to us. We cannot change it but we can do something about what is happening now. We can also do something about whatever is going to happen in the future, if we focus our attention and energy on it. This is a big problem in our country: we do not change what is before us, we do not do what is in our hands, but we keep telling God daily what He should do. Doesn’t God know? Leave Him alone and let Him do his work. You should do your own work properly. You should do what is in your power as a human being.
— Sadhguru,
Source: Isha Foundation
