By Rukmini Devi Dasi
The sad irony is how little we actually have to do with our choices. The Bhagavad-gita gives an eyeopening account of the many voices behind the "I" that makes a choice and the powers that influence them. You're walking down the street when the smell of freshly baked bread tantalizes your nostrils. You can almost picture the crusty outside and the soft, warm center drizzled with butter. The first voice is so quick its almost imperceptible,"That smells so good." A second voice goes, "I'm hungry. I need to eat." You even feel your mouth watering. "Now," a third voice pipes up, "breakfast was only an hour ago. What about that low-carb diet you resolved to follow for the new year?" The second voice responds, urgent and more forceful, "Forget it. I want it and I want it now. Just one piece wouldn't hurt."Half an hour later you are exiting with a couple of loaves and a bag full of other "baddies" that you never knew you needed. Was this your freedom to choose? Well, Yes. But which part of you? The first voice belongs to our senses which act as receptacles for impulses that the world throws us.