“When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy.” Rumi
How do you make decisions? From the ego or from your higher self? How do you know when you’ve made the best decision?
Which Way is San Jose?
Do you remember the song, “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?” Recently, as it floated through my mind as old songs often do, I decided to look at the lyrics, most of which I didn’t remember. I discovered that the narrator in the song is longing to return to San Jose because she wants to leave Los Angeles and return to a place where she can find peace of mind, space to live, and reconnect with friends. She wants to return home where she has what she really needs because her Hollywood dream has fallen apart.
Becoming Aware of Wrong Choices
Like so many, the narrator of this song was pursuing a dream that evaporated in the midst of the noise, intensity, and superficial environment of L. A. How many of us have experienced something similar? How many times do we have to make the wrong choice in order to see what the right choice would be? Hind sight is always a valuable evaluator.
When the path takes us to places that are the wrong places for us, how we respond to these situations is very important. We often blame ourselves for being foolish or blind to the reality we can later see clearly. But what if these twists in our spiritual path are simply other ways to get to the place we need to go?
We are not all infallible. We can only see what is possible based on the level of our consciousness. More than once in my life, I have chosen to stay in a job, friendship or relationship because I was afraid of the consequences of leaving or because I thought I could fix what was wrong with the situation. Sometimes we can resolve the challenges that face us, so knowing when to leave is a huge decision.
Higher Choices Come From the Soul Level
In order to make the highest decisions, we need to consult our soul, go deeper, meditate, and take the time to evaluate the spiritual value of the situation. When we do this, and out of this contemplation, we discover an answer, we then need to look closely at that answer. Could ego have slipped in there to derail our best intentions? Will the way we decide to handle a situation hurt someone? I test myself by asking this question: “What choice can I make that is for the highest good of all?”
If we live in love for other humans, the decisions that are the most difficult are the ones where we know others will be hurt by our decisions, but sometimes walking away from a situation is for the highest good of all although it hurts. It may be the higher choice. We not only need to love others, we need to love ourselves as well and choose not to allow others to undermine and abuse us.
I once met a woman who stayed with a man who abused her. When I asked why she did that, she replied that she believed showing him unconditional love helped him to finally see that what he was doing was wrong and that it motivated him to change. Did she make a decision that was for the highest good of all? I don’t know. I wouldn’t make a similar choice, but I do not know the details of her journey or the lessons of her lifetime.
Soul Choices Expand Our Lives and Free Us
The choices we make from the soul level are the highest choices no matter how they look to others. They always serve us well even when the path is difficult. They take us deeper. They expand our understanding. When I had to walk away from a relationship I’d been in for eight years, I was terrified, and yet, the moment after I said good-bye I was flooded with peace and joy. I never expected this response; I just wanted to be free of the irresolvable conflicts. But no matter what doubts I’d had before that, I knew in that moment, I had made the highest choice.
Although we may sometimes feel we are overwhelmed by that river moving within us that Rumi refers to, it will lead us to moments of joy, confirming we have chosen the best way. It is all part of the dance of life, and the more we awaken to our higher choices, the more we will love our lives.
What higher choices have you made lately? Please share your thoughts.
© 2012 Georganne Spruce
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