Friday, March 30, 2012

The Choices We Make

We all make choices as we live our lives each day. Often we make our choices instinctively based on past events in our lives. For example, we were hurt once maybe physically or emotionally and we then hold an imprint of this event within ourselves. Depending on the severity of the event it will leave a greater or lessor imprint within us. When a painful event happens repeatedly or is very severe to begin with, we automatically and instinctively put “structures” in place to help us avoid this “thing” in the future or even what we might conceive of as a similar thing, something similar to the painful event.

This happens all the time as we are living our lives. When we are a child and growing up the events that happen to us shape and form how we make our choices as an adult. We may not remember what happened or we might remember the “Story” we made up as a child to make sense of the painful event, to understand it from a child’s perspective. Most of these painful events are stored within us and we as an adult are not conscious of them even though they can run our lives the way a computer program that is running in the background determines how the computer will work with whatever input is given too it.

In this way we are hard wired to avoid pain and painful events. Yet often the criteria that can direct our choices are hidden from us in the form of unconscious beliefs. These unconscious beliefs make commandments that govern our interactions and the choices we make. As a result we function much more unconsciously than is good for us. Our unconscious beliefs can have the effect of not allowing us to live as richly, fully, lovingly, consciously and wisely, as we might believe!

The best way to enhance our choice making is to become more conscious. Become conscious of why you are doing what you are doing or not doing. There are all kinds of ways to bring more conscious awareness to your actions. Many systems have been developed to help us humans attain more awareness, to be more awake. As we are all so different from each other we have a wide choice of paths to becoming more conscious. Whatever “path” you may be following there are some things you can do easily to become more conscious and aware right now.

A simple way to become more conscious is by paying attention to what is happening within you moment by moment. Notice and bring attention to how you are breathing. Is it slow and full or shallow? Are you relaxed or tense? Where are you feeling tension? How does it feel to breathe more deeply or to allow your tension to release? What is it that you daily do to become more aware of yourself and your motivations? Why are you making the choices that you are? Do your choices pave the way for the future you most desire to live in?

Become curious like a detective. Discover through personal observation of your own body’s tension and breathing as you go about your day when you are constricting or being relaxed, when you are breathing fully and deeply. When we allow ourselves to relax we become available to see and observe more within ourselves that may previously have been hidden. We are also better able to deal with life situations and make more conscious choices that serve us better here and now, as we are no longer a child.

Often we do not need to intellectually understand or know the reason or story behind some of the past events that have caused us enough pain to build the energetic structures we unconsciously believe will protect us in the future. They can be weakened and even dissolved through some energetic clearing techniques. We also have a natural impulse to attract situations, events and people into our lives that will help us to become more aware and conscious.

Sometimes we can realize and understand this by our own detective work. Sometimes we benefit from the assistance of someone trained to assist us in releasing those things that no longer really serve us. The goal is to become as the fully functioning adults that we choose to and desire to be.

Some kind of easy and daily meditational practice is invaluable in releasing old hurts and pains. Meditation works by helping us to be more conscious here and now and not functioning from the child part of ourselves that formed beliefs and patterns from the child’s perspective.

When you follow your joy, your creativity and what you are passionate about, when you make the choice of loving and honoring yourself first and foremost you “write” a new program for yourself. I invite you to rise to the challenge of loving yourself so much that it overflows to everyone else around you and into everything you put your attention into. From the heart-centered loving place that you can choose in each moment by making choices to love and nurture yourself “now” you will automatically encourage everything around you to blossom and grow more beautiful.

Wishing you great love, beauty, awareness and heart-centered consciousness!

Adama