Practicing the Preaching — Everyday Decisions …
It is one thing to comprehend these characteristics, and another thing to apply them into your everyday life. Thus, the following recommendations have been provided to make it easier for you to do so …
Example A: Everyday Decisions … The nine characteristics of Right Action can be utilized during our everyday decision-making. To do so, simply chart any choice’s alternatives on a piece of paper in any two (or more) ways . My two most effective methods of doing so are demonstrated as follows:
Example A – Chart 1: “Counting Crosses” … Analyze each alternative comparatively with regards to each individual characteristic; giving the alternative that most purely embodies the particular characteristic a “cross” (in this case representing the pure selflessness of God’s perfect Love). When analyzing 5 or more alternatives, you may give your second-most power-full alternative a “cross” as well (but only if it purely embodies that particular characteristic). Do this for all nine characteristics and then add up each alternative’s “crosses.” The option with the most “crosses” is then your most Power-full choice; the course of action most likely to bring you Peace, enlighten your True Path, and give others the Love that could emPower them to make similarly courageous decisions – in other words: the choice most in harmony with the Will of God.
Below is a sample chart with five alternatives that were options from a time in my “previous life.” As we can see, while it may easier for someone to stay late at the office, go to the gym or write in a diary, the easier courses of action in life are often the least Power-full — thus bringing lesser amounts of Joy and Peace into the lives of others; and thus bringing less Peace & Joy ultimately into our own lives as well. Investing in others’ well-being, on the other hand, always require more effort — and therefore always brings more results …
Example A – Chart 2: “Cumulative Rating” … The “cumulative rating” method also charts alternatives in relation to the 9 individual characteristics of God’s Will in relation to each particular option. This method is a bit different, however, in that it assigns each alternative a numerical value per characteristic – a “1” for the alternative that most purely embodies that characteristic of God’s Will, a “2” for the “next-best” alternative, and so on. After all nine characteristics have been so evaluated, the nine -scores for each alternative are added together, with the lowest score being the choice most in alignment with God’s Will …
*NOTE to the Reader: Use these charts only when in doubt as to your Right course of action. The scores in these examples do not indicate that you should abandon all activities that are self-oriented (e.g. in this case the gym, the diary, or the job). The chart-method does not identify “wrong” choices; merely those that are more (or less) Power-full in relation to manifesting God’s Will in any particular moment of your life … Thus, the previous results indicate that playing with my child was my most Power-full option at that particular time on that particular day; the alternative most in harmony with God’s Will. Therefore, whenever in doubt as to what “to do”, I should engage this choice over other, more self-centered ones. It can also be Right Action to care for your body, examine your Self in a diary and work hard for your company. It is not Right, however, to do so at the expense of radically Loving others in your life.
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