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Click here to read the introduction to the series of posts relating to Decision-making Structures.

(This material was originally entitled ‘Decision Making; Lecture No. 32; Centre for the Living Force’. We believe this archive material was channelled by Eva Petriarchos in the mid-1970s as part of a series of talks she and her husband John gave to the Foundation membership, but we have been unable to trace the authors.)

The subject of DECISION is a very, very important one in man’s life. For everything is a decision. This is true not only of your deeds, your obvious and material choices, but it is also involves every emotional attitude a decision holds. The majority of human beings are incapable of making clear cut and mature decisions. That is why their souls become sick and suffering. That is why a great disorder is created in the soul, which of course leads to confusion and conflicts. For you who are on this path, it might be very beneficial to start to view your life, particularly your conflicts, from that point of view. Have you made a real decision? Have you decided here and there superficially, not weighing, not facing what is involved and then, as a result of it, when things naturally do not turn out to your satisfaction, do you then feel thwarted? Do you then revolt against yourself, your surroundings, and with life in general?

As long as you are living in this sphere of matter, every decision offers two and sometimes more alternatives. With some decisions and in some cases, there are several wrong ways and one right way. Only mature and responsible searching will eventually show you what the right way is. However, in many instances, it actually does not matter on what way you decide, provided the decision has been made wholeheartedly, awarely, responsibly, not shirking any issues or possible results. Even in the cases where one way would be right or better for you than the other alternatives, it is infinitely healthier for your soul, strange as it may appear at first, if you choose the wrong way but in the right attitude.

Now what is the right and mature attitude with which to decide? The answer is simply to know what you want; to know what is the price involved; to realise that you cannot fully have what you want on this earth sphere because there is always a price or a disadvantage with every alternative; and to be wholly willing to pay the price even before it becomes a certainty that the possible disadvantage may turn out to be true. On the other hand, let us assume you chose by accident the right alternative. (When I say ‘by accident’, I mean that you have chosen immaturely, with half-closed eyes, not accepting beforehand the disadvantageous side.) In this way, you harm your soul a great deal more than by shouldering a needlessly more difficult alternative because for the moment it just seems better to you for some reason.

By doing it with the right attitude, you responsibly accept the price to be paid. So beware of making your decisions half-heartedly like a child, going into it with closed eyes, wishfully thinking that the price can be evaded. With each alternative lies on one side an advantage and on the other side a disadvantage, as long as you live in the world of matter.

In high spiritual spheres and realms, this negative side does not exist any more. On the other hand, in the lower spheres of darkness, no alternative carries with it an advantage, so to say. In your sphere there is always an advantage and a disadvantage, as long as you have not raised your spiritual development to the point when, even whilst still living in a body in the world of matter, you have worked yourself up to these higher spheres where no disadvantage can befall you. But to reach such a point, you have to go through the laws governing this lower sphere that is rightfully yours for the moment; you have to fully accept these laws and keep them willingly, not being forced by life to do so. Then, and only then, will you reach that point and not by trying to avoid the laws of your own world, no matter what ‘spiritual acrobatics’ you may try. By the same token, a human being, bound to the world of darkness, will have the very same conditions governing this latter world, on this earth sphere; in the subject just under discussion, as well as in many others.

To love God means naturally, among many other things, to abide by these various laws – and not only to abide by them, but also to accept them willingly. So one of these laws is that the disadvantageous side of each alternative or decision has to be faced and accepted. To make a mature decision means therefore to deliberate each alternative thoroughly; to face not only the advantageous sides of all alternatives in making your choice, but also the disadvantageous equally. When you have done that, knowing that whatever you chose, there is a price to be paid, you can ask yourself which price do you prefer to pay? You can think it over if perhaps you do not prefer to risk a higher price on one side because the possible advantage does not seem worthwhile in comparison with the price. You will then have accepted another one of this earth life’s rule: the uncertainty that also has to be accepted. This includes the risk, the lackings of life, and that which offers you no risk-proof plan. This too is an emotional health my friends. In that way you act as a mature being and your soul must benefit from it.

No-one who makes a decision in this way will ever come to grief because of it! Nor will he ever have conflicts resulting from the lack of making decision in that way. The conflicts are not created because of the possible wrong decision or the less advantageous one, but they are created because you go into it blindly, not weighing and not being ready to shoulder the price. This my friends, happens with each one of you, here and elsewhere. Some people have learned to some degree, at least in the more superficial realms of life, to decide properly. However, I don’t see anyone who has made and is making his emotional decisions this way. Again, here I am giving you strong material with which to work on your path. Think again about all your conflicts and problems. Wherever they exist, in one way or another, you have not made your decisions properly. Do not remain on the surface level; you will have to dig deeper into your emotions in order to find the answer.

Within your emotions sooner or later you must find – provided you search honestly – that you have somehow not made a whole decision; you had somehow hoped to gain the advantage without paying the disadvantage. And often you even hope – again without thinking it out in clear-cut words – to gain the advantage of each alternative and to be spared the disadvantage of each side! This amounts to a cheating of life and the result must inevitably be that life will teach you a lesson and you will reap the disadvantages, standing on both or all sides you wished to avoid. If you test this emotional and for the most part unconscious current, what does this amount to? It amounts to greed.

On this sphere most people are greedy, not necessarily materially speaking, but emotionally. And when I say greedy, I mean you want to amass advantages without shouldering the responsibility of paying the price for them. That of course, needless to say, is a violation of one spiritual law. Think about these words I have spoken here, my friends. What I have said will add to the material you need for your progress, if you assimilate it properly, and if you work with it in a very personal way.