Choices; It’s our choice how we live life

By Sister Chirya —

Life is all about choices. Every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It’s your choice how you live life. Nothing will make you happy until you choose to be happy. We have to choose to get to a point where our mood doesn’t shift based on situations and insignificant actions of someone else. Do not  allow others to control the direction of your life. Do not allow  your emotions to overpower your intelligence. Self control is strength. Calmness is  mastery.

Choosing outside ‘props’ gives temporary satisfaction as they have a limited shelf life! Spending time looking without increases our desires. We lose interest moving on to the next best thing and the next and on and on, and in this way we lose our self worth. Inner cheer is destroyed by a conscience which bites. Telling the self off is a terrible habit, it subtly shapes a nature of sorrow. Don’t be hard on yourself when making a mistake. It’s much more effective to be handled with love.

Unconditional love is always our choice. Love is our inherent nature, our natural state of being. It has nothing to do with others. When we remain in constant awareness and connection with our own energy of love, my feelings of love for people are not dependent on their behavior even when their words or behavior are not right. Love means accepting and respecting people as they are, caring for their well being, no matter how they behave with us.

Start loving and enjoying your own company by first returning to the center of yourself. It is the journey of one second, and is the regular destination of clever souls. Appreciate your inner beauty. Deep inside our consciousness is an oasis of peace and love. This molten core of the soul is not hot like the earth’s center, it is cool. It is a source of inner power to fuel our mind and intellect so we can create powerful thoughts, make accurate decisions, and learn to do everything in a worthwhile way. When we choose to go within to this center, we easily can connect with God’s power. Peace and love become our companions, positivity our partner, and we are able to chill out in one second, anywhere, anytime.

When I choose to spend the time looking within I get to know myself better. I maintain a continuity with my inner self and realize where I need to change. Wanting others to change is of no use; they are not in our control. Choose to have no expectations of others. The only person we can choose to change is ourselves.

(Yvonne Risely, of Owego, can be reached via email to bkchirya@gmail.com or chirya.risely@peacevillageretreat.org. Call [518] 589-5000 for details for this season’s ongoing classes and retreats at Peace Village, this year celebrating its 25th Anniversary of spiritual service.)