Free Will

 We give more importance to action --free will. destiny has no independent place. Effort--free will gives birth to destiny. Free will of yesterday gives rise to destiny of today. We accept the destiny of yesterday--we go for the endeavor--the free will of today--even though accepting destiny of yesterday. Free will of today can rectify the destiny of the past. Just by the effort of sitting and meditating we cultivate the blissful influence of life.

 The Upanishads say: Even if there is a mountain of sin extending for miles, it can be brought to ashes by the yoga of action which takes our mind to the transcendent. We sit and transcend, and the mountains of sin are washed away. Free will which belongs only to man is more important than destiny. No free will to the extent that man has, belongs to any other species.

 The formula for producing maximum results is to disregard the obstacles and negative influences which off resistance to the performance of action. The doer should engage in action and continue until the desired results are achieved. When the standard of consciousness is raised through the process of meditation, the action performed at that higher level of life energy and intelligence will have an overriding influence on karma from the past and will produce maximum results.

 This is how, by the regular practice of Transcendental Meditation supplemented by the power of charity and virtuous deeds, the negative influence of past karma can counteracted and the path of present karma smoothed. Then the action will be performed without resistance of obstacle, yielding maximum results.

 This is how, by the power of present action or karma, destiny is controlled. Herein lies the full meaning of the saying that man is a master of his own destiny.