44. Balanced Decision making

We all make several decisions for ourselves, our family and society based on a variety of factors. Krishna exhorts us to take this decision making to the next level when he says (2.50) ‘Yogah Karmasu Kaushalam’ (every action/deed is harmonious in yoga -of equanimity). It’s about dropping kartapan(doership) and ahankaar to experience the harmony that flows out, like the beauty and fragrance of a flower. As the karta, all our decisions are directed towards attaining pleasure and avoiding pain for ourselves and our families. The next level of the journey is making balanced decisions, especially when we are responsible for organizations and society, however, the karta still exists.  Here, Krishna is speaking about the ultimate level where kartapan itself is dropped and whatever flows out of such a person is harmonious. The all-pervading Chaitanaya becomes the karta for them. This stage is an important part of the journey for all decision makers, motivating the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) to adopt ‘Yogah Karmasu Kaushalam’ as its motto.  It's about not identifying with emotions, prejudices and memories as these blur our ability to absorb facts and result in poor decisions. It's about coming back to the middle quickly when hit by polarities which mainly arise out of human interactions. Implementation of law or any decision making isn't always pleasant. Being in the middle helps us absorb both praise and criticism stoically.  Unlimited potential exists in terms of intelligence, energy and compassion for all those who firmly straddle the middle. With access to such resources, one is bound to outperform even from a manifested/physical world point of view. Life on earth is possible because it stands in the middle (neither too close nor too far from the Sun), thereby allowing life-giving water to be in liquid form.