Conscious choice involves taking an extra moment to ask yourself, If I chose to take this action, how would it affect me as the recipient? If I were on the receiving end of this action, how would I feel? Stand in the light of your own mirror. Is the chosen action in alignment with your peaceful intentions? Can you refine your choice to truly reflect the peace within your soul to others?

When you return to the awareness of light within your being, you allow your spiritual nature to become a compass of truth in your life. Within each human lies a spectrum of light—from the brightest light of truth to the deepest darkness of illusion. Each of us chooses the level of light we operate under during our daily interactions with others. As you move closer to the light and truth of God, you are able to hold up your actions to the light, examine your intentions and take personal responsibility for any incongruency between the outcome and your initial intention.

We all hold good intentions, but sometimes our actions and intentions are not in alignment and we can create painful situations for ourselves and others. You may hold the good intention of helping a friend by secretly throwing out his old, ratty t-shirt and buying him a new one as a surprise gift. But your friend may become angry because that shirt held great sentimental value, and he may accuse you of being insensitive and controlling. You may desire to help someone but your choice of helping actions may not be appropriate. The responses of others act like a mirror, showing you how your intentions, actions and behavior affect others.

Conscious Choice

Peace and compassion are always present within, but you have to choose to let them be the dominant force guiding your choices and actions. When your intention to be a compassionate person is not in alignment with your actions or behavior, you feel disconnected from your spiritual power. Your spiritual practice helps you to maintain faith in the power of love in even the darkest of moments. I will guide you to your inner peace in A Prayer for Blessed Peace.

Our intentions and choices affect others on a personal as well as a global level. World wars are just exaggerations of our daily personal wars. When you fight with your family, exchanging hurtful words or escalating to physical violence, you receive many mirrors reflecting back to you the incongruency of your intentions and actions. You may hold good intentions about your family, but your actions hurt all involved. Can you look into this mirror of truth and see how you came from loving your family to attacking them?

Peace is always present within. You already hold this element of love within because you were created by the loving energy of God. If you hold peace within your soul right now, how can you let it guide your actions? Along the spectrum of light to darkness, your experience of peace is determined by the level of light and truth you operate under. If you choose to become conscious of your intentions and actions, you can consciously choose to base all of your choices on peace and truth. 

Jesus was a powerful teacher on consciously choosing to reflect outwardly his inner compassion, love and peace. When he asked his disciples to wash someone’s feet, he was asking them to hold another person’s life in the highest esteem. The soles cannot hide the burdens of daily life, and the feet represent the path we walk everyday. Take a closer look at another person’s burdens and you will know how to walk the path of peace.

A story from The Jesus Path: 7 Steps to a Cosmic Awakening demonstrates how to walk in peace.

While traveling upon an empty stretch of road through the hot desert, Jesus sought out the shade of a large rock outcropping to rest his feet. As he walked around the rock to the shady side, he came face to face with a Roman spear, held by a young man.

Putting his hands up, Jesus said, “I come in peace, my friend. I am only seeking refuge from the sun.”

“This refuge is taken,” the Roman soldier said, jabbing at Jesus’ chest.

Looking behind the soldier, Jesus noticed a young woman of Israeli heritage. She pulled her scarves closer around her face.

Enraged, the soldier yelled, “You must die for your impudence.”

The soldier raised his spear to strike, but Jesus calmly held up his hand. The man took pause, momentarily dumbfounded by the peace emanating from Jesus.

“My time is near, dear friend, but I will not die by your tool,” he said with a small smile.

The solider lowered his weapon and said, “I cannot let you leave here alive knowing what you have seen.”

“What have I seen but love itself?” Jesus asked, as he lay down in the shade by the man. “I will rest for awhile and then be on my way.”

Like Jesus, we have the opportunity to let our peace touch hearts in every experience, no matter how big or small the encounter can seem.

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