Your Decisions
Let’s have a look at the kinds of choices and decisions we make. They are mainly three categories:
1. Fully aware and conscious decisions. We are not hindered by conditioning and are fully aware when we make choices and decisions. We use the information that is available to us, balance it, look at from all possible angles and listen to the signals our body is giving us through intuition or our gut feeling before we decide. We take full responsibility for each decision, knowing and feeling it was the right thing to do.
2. Conscious but conditioned decisions – influenced by our subconscious mind. These decisions are colored, based on past experiences, fear, our culture, what our friends would like us to do, advertising and other sources. Our subconscious play a major part in our decision making progress as well. Often we think we have a choice, but the way our subconscious mind is “programmed” is actually determining the outcome of the decision. We are aware we take decisions, but not why we take them.
3. Fully unconscious decisions. These are the decision we make while we are not really aware making them, and cannot explain why. This can be decisions made out of habit or generally doing something without thinking about the consequences for yourself and others. Most crimes are “planned” this way. It’s like switching on the TV, selecting a channel, and at the end of the evening not remembering which show we watched. This is autopilot mode, fully unconscious. We give away the control over our lives and often blame others for the consequences.
Most of your decisions made by others, will fall in category 2 or 3. This is the first step towards a more conscious way of living and taking decisions in your life. Now you are aware of this, you can decide to change. The goal is to make fully conscious decisions as much as possible. Knowing how and why you make decisions, fully conscious and aware, making the right choice, will enrich your life; by doing so you regain full control as you are the director of your life, you decide.
You can start by examining your own decision making process. Why do I take this decision? What are the pros and cons? Am I influenced by someone or something else? How do I feel? Remember, any decision is better than no decision at all. Make decisions that feel good. Decisions made out of fear are usually never good. Make decisions with your heart, feel what is right for you.
Most of the time we understand to listen to your heart means how we project our love. Our projection of the love comes from category 3. So when you can listen to your heart is only when you are detached or conscious of your emotions. Detachment means compassion and your attachment means pity.
The trick is that compassion means different things to different people. A lot of it boils down to an individual’s motivation. From the big picture, there are two primary motivations that drive compassion: sympathy and empathy.
Sympathy comes from the ancient Greek word sunpathos, which includes the concept of suffering and pity, whereas empathy comes from the Greek word empátheia, which means passion. To actually feel someone’s pain is to be empathetic, and to be passionate to help that person create a different experience. This usually has a positive effect on both individuals.
If you are sympathetic you are helping others and if you are empathetic you are supporting others.
