Decision Making Meditation

I have a variety of techniques and tricks for making decisions. One of my favorites is simply to pick a path, at random if you must, and start moving decisively in that direction.

If it’s the right course to take, it will generally unfold fairly effortlessly; new opportunities and assistance quickly pop up out of nowhere and you glide on through.
If it’s the wrong course of action, the signs will similarly rise up to meet you — roadblocks, red flags, warnings, difficulty. No big deal; you can immediately course-correct and proceed toward the other option with greater confidence.

Sitting on the fence wondering, wringing your hands, evaluating won’t reveal anything — including all the resources the Universe has wrapped up and waiting for you.

Blind Spots
But, as with all intuitive information and potential actions, there are blind spots. Blind spots are likely attached to karma and the very lessons you came here to learn. These greater, recurring challenges not only come up over and over again until you get the lesson and move on, they like to also return in graduated, escalated, elevated form.

Even when you get it, and think you’ve successfully completed the lesson, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll never encounter the issue again — quite the contrary. The same lesson returns in a new format, a new package — sometimes disguised or costumed in some way that makes it harder to recognize. Your lessons and the decisions that accompany them can come back bigger, faster, slightly more challenging than the time before, like flipping the board in a video game and finding yourself on a new screen where the monsters move faster, in a choreography that you can no longer predict.

For these types of recurring challenges, the idea of succeeding comes down to a matter of how quickly you can recognize them for what they are and apply what you’ve learned in the past. In many cases, the new test may require that you zap the monsters in a completely new way.

There are a few decisions that my spirit guides are probably sick of listening to — I keep presenting them with the same choice, the same set of options regarding the same decision, over and over again.

I consciously, intellectually realize that the question keeps coming back, seasonally, yearly… I’ve found myself at this crossroads over and over again for a few years now. I’ve been here before, asking the same question.

Should I keep this or should I release this?

Every time I come to this fork in the road, I keep choosing to take the way to the left, and I always end up right back at this same point. Obviously, this path is a circle.

Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

I sure do love this definition of insanity; but I do not enjoy feeling crazy. Instead of pausing to chuckle over it with philosophical detachment, I could actually listen to the wisdom of it and apply it, for God’s sake.

How many times do I really need to run this loop? The most basic logical, practical function of my Thinking Mind can handle this one without intuition, without the input of my spirit guides…

Actually, if I followed my heart and my intuition, I might only have needed to go round a few times before realizing how comic-bordering-on-mad my actions have become.

Intuition as Common Sense
Intuition is not a means of by-passing common sense; it often is the common sense that’s buried right in front of you under a pile of the intellectual scraps — maybes, what ifs, buts…

Intuitive impulses are also instantaneous, like catching a fast ball. The ball hits your mitt, and instead of winding up for a pitch, releasing it, returning the volley, your mind says let’s hold on to it for minute. Let’s think about this. You start dribbling the ball, absentmindedly juggling back and forth, looking for options, considering possibilities, predicting trajectories, potential targets, and projected outcomes.

Wind up long enough, and you become paralyzed.

I want off this loop; I need a new approach.

Inner Peace Audio
I’m the first one to admit that, left to my own methods, I am not likely to be found chanting mantras and trying to empty my mind. Clarity as a result of experiencing no-thought or even concentrating on observing my thoughts in the present with detachment… not happening for me so much.

Now, give me a guided audio meditation, lead me into an attunement, walk me through a creative visualization and I am all over it. With a strong sense of direction and a specific mission, my spirit’s astral wings go warp drive in a few breaths or heartbeats.

You know how you can read about abstract scientific or mathematical concepts and your eyes start to cross; you look at a spread sheet or lists of data and the impact doesn’t necessarily jump out at you… But watch a visualization, a computer animation, or just glance at a graphic representation and you immediately get it.

So, I decided to apply the Decision Making Meditation from Adam Kayce’s Inner Peace Audio to give me that different perspective. The results were amazing — there was the data, the common sense of what I already knew intellectually, but now it came to life in a clairvoyant experience that drove home the emotion and the energy of this choice I can’t seem to get beyond.

I was able to see what the energy of the choice I kept making looked like — in my left hand, it became a heavy slug, or like a dying fish. When the energy of the right hand choice came in, I watched its behavior… My higher self’s mouth dropped. The different path I knew I wanted to try moved like a dolphin — it dipped briefly toward the slug and then spiraled up like a rocket.

Seeing this depicted in such dramatic, graphic terms was the perspective I was missing. It gave me a renewed sense of confidence and urgency — and courage — to proceed on that new path.

One of my clients, Susan has totally one-upped me on her practice with these meditations — she wrote me that on the weekends, she hikes to a favorite spot on top of a mountain and listens to the MP3s. Dramatic. Powerful. I wouldn’t doubt she’s up there right now in a lotus position with a dreamy look on her face.

I plan to do something similar this afternoon… if I don’t make it to a matinee of Prince Caspian.

What are some of your favorite tips, tricks, or techniques for decision making? Have you listened to Adam’s collection or have a similar recommendation you’d like to share?

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May 25, 2008 | by Slade Roberson | Filed Under Healing, Intuition, Manifesting, Meditation

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Comments

17 Responses to “Decision Making Meditation”

Nathan on May 25th, 2008 5:57 pm

Hello.

In your Decision Making Meditation writing, you mentioned Inner Peace Audio. I’m curious if this is similar to Brain Sync or Hemi Sync, which use different sounds in each ear to create a “third image” in the mind’s eye?

Nathan
Slade | Shift Your Spirits on May 25th, 2008 6:15 pm

Nathan,

No, the Inner Peace Audio collection is a set of guided — or narrated — meditations and visualizations; they do not use the Brain Sync or Hemi Sync that you mention… (The linked page has a full description).

But, wow, that concept — the technology? — sounds fascinating. Thanks for the suggestion; I’ll have to look those up.

Have you used Brain Sync or Hemi Sync with good results? If you have any links, please feel free to share them.
Nathan on May 25th, 2008 6:26 pm

Hello Slade,

I have used Brain Sync (guided meditation and awakening kundalini) cd’s. Both have given me results, though due to my introductory status in this material, I can’t assuredly state that I’ve had major successes. However, I have entered into what I think is theta mind states and this technology has definitely spurred me into trying more of their CD’s and other meditation techniques while conducting further research on consciousness and it’s potential for bringing about the Homo Luminous form.

I highly recommend it simply because it provides simple instructions on how to meditate for certain desired results (depending on the cd one is listening to).

Nathan
Cletus on May 25th, 2008 7:27 pm

Great post, on allowing the feedback you get from the universe to determine the correctness or otherwise of a decision you have taken. works for me most times. I also like what Anthony Robbins has to say on ‘the emotional power of decisions’ to propel you toward your passion and goals. Listen to the clip (second audio clip toward the bottom of the right hand column of the page) this link points to.
http://www.tonyrobbins.com/Content/OurPhilosophy.aspx
I am not otherwise a great fan of the Tony robbins but interestingly i came away from this page just moments before picking up your post on decisions
Emily on May 26th, 2008 4:34 am

This is definitely a timely post for me. I just found out today that I’ve been (mostly) laid off, so I have a lot of decisions in front of me. The only decision I’ve made so far is that I will NOT start running around like a chicken with its head cut off. That’s the only decision I can make today.

Slade, I like the idea of comparing the “vibes” of two different choices, but what about when you’re facing a nearly infinite array of choices? That’s when I fall into analysis paralysis.
Andrea Hess | Empowered Soul on May 26th, 2008 3:31 pm

Great post, Slade! It made me think about my own decision-making processes. It’s funny, I rarely find myself in a choice between two paths. I set intentions, definitely. And then I see what shows up, and move where I’m drawn. Sometimes it looks really, really random. I intend to be inspired with the next move in my business, and I’m led to buy new plants for our yard. But somehow, out of these seemingly unrelated things, my next business move unfolds with incredible clarity. It’s almost as if the only decisions I’m really making is in the setting of intentions. The “how” just unfolds … sometimes gracefully, and sometimes I need to get knocked upside the head a bit.

Emily - How wonderful to experience the infinite abundance of everything being available! And overwhelming, too! Set your intentions - the kind of life you really want to create. Then, just take the most immediate next step that sounds fulfilling and fun, and is most available to you. No need to figure out the “big picture” - once you take one step, the next becomes apparent. It’s impossible to “figure it all out” at the mental level, which is why we become paralyzed.

Blessings,
Andrea
Julie on May 26th, 2008 9:10 pm

Just wanted to mention that the “Brain Sync” or “Hemi Sync” or “Biurnal Beats” (sp?) stuff works great in conjunction with a guided meditation. At least for me. I’m with you, Slade, having a track with someone leading me through a meditation or visualization reduces the risk of my brain running outside to play without me while I try to work on myself.

Thanks for the tip on the audio program. I’m going to go check it out now…

Love & Light,
Jewels
Slade | Shift Your Spirits on May 27th, 2008 4:29 pm

Nathan,

Thanks again for those recommendations. Meditations with detailed guided steps or instructions for specific goals or results are going to be attractive and useful to a lot of people.

I’m also digging the new vocabulary homo luminous form…

Cletus,

Thanks for recognizing a pattern in the pages you were encountering and connecting the dots. I will have to check out this concept of “emotional power of decisions.” Although I haven’t listened to it yet, I’m responding to a recent decision or big leap I took — I was very aware of the emotional energy and momentum that comes from making the decision and taking the action period. For me, there is often a rush or an adrenalin-like body response that accompanies creating decisive moves forward.

Emily,

First off, let me say Congratulations! on your new freedom. Whenever someone tells me they’ve quit a job or even lost a job, I know on many levels there are enormous positive forces at work.

Obviously, this job no longer serves you. Even if someone else forces your hand, it’s always a blessing because who optimally desires to be somewhere she is no longer needed or wanted?

Definitely approach this as a blessing. You know this was only temporary, you’ve desired the change and known that you would eventually seek a new path. The Universe is responding to your intentions, Creation is helping you out, albeit with its sometimes heavy hand… Left to our own devices, there is really never a “best time” to make a change.

When all your options are wide open, when you have all the potential choices and decisions in the world, you’re playing at the other end of the spectrum from the tight This or That, A or B, decision making I referred to in the post.

If you’ll give me a couple of days, I’ll actually write a new article describing exactly how I proceed in circumstances like yours.

For now, you’ve already made the first best choice in attitude that you could possibly start with. The second thing I want you to know is that you don’t have to decide everything today or even tomorrow.

Take a moment to think about a few of your greatest intentions — by great, I actually mean General. I’ll come back with an organizational process or game I like to play, that takes into account also the choices you may make in the interim.

Andrea,

Thanks for your great advice to Emily and for also sharing how you operate in more of a flow state. Again, chaos surfing, my favorite practice — it takes a foundation of courage, but it’s exhilarating, more fun, and actually easier than lists, mind maps, and trying to cram everything into rules…

I must confess, systems like Getting Things Done (no offense to anyone that has great success with productivity systems) are the exact opposite of what works for me. More of those You Should Be.. concepts that I totally rebel against — I find intellectual techniques to be too brittle, inflexible, un-dynamic — like the difference between a machine playing scales and a jazz musician jamming…

Jewels,

Thanks for that tip about using Brain Sync in conjunction with other meditations. That’s good to know — it makes it even more attractive to me.
Emily on May 27th, 2008 7:18 pm

Andrea, thanks for the advice! I think you’re totally right about the danger of trying to figure out the big picture all at once, which is my knee jerk reaction to things like this.

Slade, thanks for the congrats. Yeah, I knew this was temporary and in a way it does feel quite freeing. Thankfully, the universe cushioned the blow by giving me a few days off work last week and with my family out of town I was able to spend a lot of time journaling and thinking things over, so the news couldn’t have come at a better time in terms of my emotional state of mind.

BTW, I’m getting a definite “WAIT” message from the universe, so don’t worry about rushing out that next article.
Louise Pool on May 27th, 2008 7:33 pm

I tend to like chaos surfing as well. When I need to make a decision or two (they never seem to come one at a time…) I consult the runes, I consult the tarot, I consult insightful friends; I’ve even been known to make lists. Finally, I quit trying to figure things out and let go. That’s when things start to flow.

In the last few years, I’ve noticed that matters always resolve themselves (or get going) at the last minute. I have been nearly without a roof over my head three times and only found new accommodation within two days of having to move. (Btw, I have to move again in two months and I’m betting the scenario repeats itself.) I have been so broke that I’ve wondered how we were going to eat the next day and money (or food) shows up. Even moving countries, which I’ve done a few times, I’ve had to make the decision and act on it within a week, each time letting go of all possessions.

So, honestly, I don’t feel so much that I’m actually making the decisions here More sort of having to learn to trust that the Universe guides and provides. I don’t even feel that my intentions are mine; when things are flowing it’s more a “I will to will Thy Will”. The decision is to flow into alignment and the difficulty for me is the letting go and trusting. I guess that’s why I keep getting the same last minute reprieve each time …

And yes, Slade, show me a “Should” or anything that has to be said emphasizing Capital Letters and I run a mile.
Slade | Shift Your Spirits on May 27th, 2008 8:22 pm

Louise,

Lady, we are kindred souls, aren’t we?

I too have been on the edge of homelessness in my time — and I mean far enough out into the middle of that fear and empty space that I was leaping with no view of the other side whatsoever…

I have turned the car mats and cushions inside out to find that one dime that I might have missed the day before…

I’ve survived as a web designer with no office, no home base, no internet connection… sniffing out unprotected wi-fi and working from the front seat of my car…

I’ve been “given months to live” …

And I’ve been forced to see just how much I can leave behind, go without, and still be OKAY.

The one lesson that ties all those experiences together was learning how to trust and have faith and not freeze up in total panic. I believe in miracles, and I have allowed them into my life, time and time again.

I am happy to say, that the present condition of my life today is a complete 180 — but I know I would not have come out on this side without those trials. I might never have learned my faith any other way.

When you run out of stepping stones and the river is rising… FLY.

I feel most at peace knowing I am becoming someone who is spiritually OKAY, in spite of the details.

Thanks for listening to some darker moments of my history and for sharing yours — I feel your honesty deserves a mirror and a high five!
Barbara on May 27th, 2008 8:54 pm

Louise and Slade,

I was recently lamenting my inability to find inspiration in others situations/example.

Today that suddenly, miraculously changed.
Louise Pool on May 28th, 2008 11:21 am

We are indeed, Slade :-). And a high five right back to you. Thanks!

It’s reassuring to know that it does change at some point. How many dark nights of the soul does one have to go through …

“When you run out of stepping stones and the river is rising… FLY.” Right after reading this, I watched one of those Chinese flying movies and imagined myself flying. Slade speaks and the Universe reiterates ;-).
Irene | Light Beckons on May 29th, 2008 1:09 am

Wow Slade, Louise, Emily! While the post was great food for tbought — reading the comments in this post totally charged me up! Isn’t it great how the Universe works its little miracles on us? Sometimes it feels as if they’re delayed or late, but in retrospect we’ll realize they’re always on time!
Slade | Shift Your Spirits on May 29th, 2008 4:52 pm

Irene,

Thanks on behalf of the commentators here. I am personally very proud of the conversations generated in comments around here — and the credit certainly does not go just to me or my writing.

I am truly blessed by fantastic participation and consider you all my co-authors and collaborators.
The Work - Page 2 on June 13th, 2008 5:36 am

[...] Originally Posted by Playlife *And maybe instead of speculating, I should commit myself to a path and see where it leads. One of my favorite articles about this is from Slade Roberson. One of the coolest things he says: Quote: [...]
Bruce Achterberg on April 27th, 2009 2:32 pm

Hi Slade,

You mentioned earlier in the comments that you were interested in Brain Sync and Hemi Sync.

I don’t know much about those, but I do know of the “Paraliminal” audio programs offered by Learning Strategies. They contain Holosync Technology and Binaural Beats. I quote:

—————-
Every Paraliminal includes Centerpointe Research Institute’s trademark Holosync technology. Centerpointe is known for its enormously popular meditation CDs, and Holosync is the reason. Holosync employs a technique called binaural beats, which were first discovered in 1839 by Heinrich Wilhelm Dove. [An interesting, detailed explanation of how it works follows.]

– Source: http://www.stevepavlina.com/paraliminals/
—————-

Learning Strategies are currently offering part of one of their Paraliminals as a free download (curtesy of something Steve Pavlina arranged for his visitors):

http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2009/04/free-paraliminal-download/

(Download it soon if you want it; the offer won’t last forever. And I say that not because I get commission or anything, just because I know it will expire at some point soon.)

I’ve actually got a Paraliminal, but it’s one of the old ones that doesn’t include the holosynch technology (all the new ones do to my knowledge).

I used to listen to it quite a lot, and while I thought it did nothing at first, in retrospect, I genuinely believe it did what it said it would–helped me to improve my memory (by teaching me how to use my memory recall more efficiently, which seemed to happen automatically over time, probably as a result of the suggestion included in the audio program. I didn’t have to consciously do any exercises, although whenever I tried to remember something, I did remember the method suggested in the audio. Eventually, without my realising it, that became my default way to recall ideas from memory).

– Bruce