To drift or to steer—

which will we choose? 

Due to our karmas in past lifetimes, we have set the course of our current life.

But that course isn’t fixed. We have the ability to change it through the many choices we make every day. It’s like adjusting the flow of a river. By placing enough stones on one side or the other, we can alter what had seemed inevitable. To accomplish this depends on how many stones we choose, their size, and where we situate them. Dropping them haphazardly, we might re-direct the river toward nearby houses. Positioning them wisely, we could guide the water toward a field in need of irrigation.

Why not just let the river take its course? Because we get precious few opportunities to consciously direct it and, thus, make things better. For the vast amount of time we are too caught up in suffering, or in very rare instances too immersed in enjoyment, to understand what is happening.

And so we get swept along, unable to save ourselves, or others. 

“I am very grateful for your help.

Regardless of the outcome,

thank you very much.”

When someone asks for our help, we may hesitate.

What if something goes wrong?

What if the outcome is not what she is hoping for?

Will we somehow get blamed?

If we’re spending time and energy on such concerns, we’ll have less for the project itself. But what if we know she deeply understands karma? Understands that the project’s fulfillment or failure depends on her conditions. What a relief! With our own understanding of causes and conditions, we won’t hesitate to help out. Not being plagued by worries over the outcome, we can focus all our energy and brain power on the task.

If the outcome is not as hoped, it’s not our fault.

If it does work out, it’s not to our credit.

With such thinking, we eliminate our ego and self-centeredness from the equation. Who wouldn’t want to help someone so at ease with conditions?

Who wouldn’t want to help us if we were too?

I will be teaching and leading a retreat at Buddhist Insights in New York City from May 10th to 14th. For information please see http://buddhistinsights.com.