self awoke

self awoke in darkness,
troubled and alone.
to emptiness spoke desperately,
"make me better!"
silence followed.
from which Self replied,
"you are."

We Are At Choice

Every moment of our lives we are at choice. Mindfulness is essential not only to making right choices, but even to being aware that choice is possible.

Here are some of the fundamental choices we cannot avoid making in our everyday lives --

• The choice between acting (or not acting) out of love or out of indifference

• The choice between giving our best effort, or doing just enough to get by

• The choice between cherishing our bodies as temples of Spirit, or trashing them

• The choice between generosity and miserliness

• The choice between faith and fear

• The choice between teamwork and competition

• The choice between openness and isolation

• The choice between compassion and hatred

• The choice between Spirit and ego
  

• The choice between awareness and denial

• The choice between Oneness and separation

• The choice between mindfulness and unconsciousness

Even saints are human and don't make every choice in the way that brings them closer to Spirit. All that we can ask of ourselves is to remember that every action is a choice, and to take the time to understand just what our choices are.

The good news is that, like most things, this process becomes easier with practice. Practice staying awake, practice recognizing your choices, and practice making those choices that are consistent with your chosen Path. Finally, practice forgiving yourself for those instances when you stray.

Namaste.