Editor’s note: How do we take decisions? Each of the lower centers has its own needs and desires. How do we decide what is right action?  How do our external choices affect our inner life?  From a student of the Fourth Way today.

Decisions

Every day, indeed, every second, one is making decisions.  The instinctive center is automatically making a lot of decisions, like breathing.  Fortunately, for the most part, one doesn’t have to worry about that happening; it just does.

When eating, one makes a decision, which yummy morsel of food is one going to select next?  How about a refreshing libation, so I don’t choke?

We make decisions about who we spend time with, where we go, what entertainment we might fancy.  We make decisions about what kind of art we like.  Art is energy, energy from the artist.  This is what truly gives art its value, how people perceive the energy coming through from the artist.

However, art is subjective, very subjective. One person’s art may be another person’s trash.  If the artwork, whatever it may be, doesn’t resonate with one, one is wasting one’s time considering it.  Run away and don’t look back or you may get frozen in place by Medusa’s fair locks.

We also make decisions about expressing negativity.  Expressing negativity is always a decision one makes.

Perchance one may find oneself in a situation where negativity is being expressed.  If you notice carefully, negativity is expressed by the tone of the voice.  This tone carries emotional energy and this is what we hear and feel.

When negativity is being expressed by someone, one feels like one is being assaulted. Not fun at all!  At that moment, one has a decision.  One can decide to throw this negativity back out, try to get rid of it.  Or one may choose to internalize it, separate from it, drop it.  Then, of course, one tries to avoid that person forever and ever. Who, in their right mind, wants to go through that again?

Nobody makes us express negativity; it is a decision.  It is always a decision.

Decisions are seldom dramatic. For the most part, they are fairly humdrum.  Most often, decisions are not black or white, but shades of gray.

Some decisions move us in a better direction, in a way that fosters spiritual and psychological development.  One measure of a better decision is, does it make one feel good?  Does it feel healthy, inspiring, wholesome?  If someone is trying to lead you in a direction that feels wrong, then listen to your heart and run for the hills.

We make decisions that are indifferent.  Of course, being indifferent, they don’t do much.

And, we make decisions that are not so good.  In this case, one is going nowhere psychologically.  One is just going in circles, round and round.  For many people, in fact I dare say most people, this is preferred, to make not so good decisions.

It is easy to deceive oneself.  One may think, “Well, I am certainly taking right action in most all of my decisions.”  When one thinks that, one is in deep trouble.  When you know something, we you are absolutely convinced something is true, the seductive Medusa has you deep in her clutches.

Good decisions require an effort. Not so good decisions require less effort.  In general, people try to get by with the least effort.

The moral: If the decision is hard, if it requires soul searching, if it feels good, if it there is a cost, it is probably the better decision.

-Charles Sharp is a freelance writer living in Northern California.