Karma has become a buzzword for fate—a glib way to explain away everyday calamities, disappointments, and triumphs. But, in fact, karma—which means “action” in Sanskrit—involves free will and conscious choice. It’s a fundamental concept in Eastern thought, with an underlying principle similar to the law of cause and effect: everything we say and do has consequences.

Good Karma shows us how to take responsibility for our words and deeds, to listen to what our conscience is telling us, and to behave in a way that won’t undermine our prospects for happiness. It forces us to examine specific actions closely and untangle the right from the wrong. For instance, where would you draw the line on stealing: is it OK to bring home paper and pens from the office but not the bathrobe from a hotel bathroom? How can we find our way through the karmic labyrinth, clear up past mistakes, and start the future clean? The karmic view on decision-making discussed so intriguingly here is one of the trickiest, most essential forms of self-analysis that we can undertake—and one of the most rewarding.