One of our major and constant activities is making decisions. Some decisions we make are of our own choosing, but many others are forced upon us. The most important aspect of making decisions is that as often as possible they should be right decisions. Right decisions usually conclude an issue, but wrong decisions call for more and more decisions in order to rectify the mistake of the initial decision. Some decisions are irrevocable and once they are made they cannot be retracted. So, it is very important in these cases that the decisions are well thought out and not hastily made. In our case where we are developing intuition through our practice of Transcendental Meditation the decisions are still there to be made, but so are the right answers.

Good and bad decisions sometimes shape our future for lifetimes to come. A wrong decision in early life can ruin the whole life from that point on. Likewise, there are decisions made in early life that lead to a life of happiness and fulfillment. In making decisions one might wonder how much is based on karma, how much on destiny and circumstances, how much on attitude and free will, how much is well thought out and how much is off the top of the head and how much of our emotions cloud our reason.

Since we must make many decisions it is a good idea for us to be equipped to make the decisions both for ourselves and also where others are affected. This is why at an early age we should be taught to develop a sense of responsibility and take seriously what is serious in life, especially where it calls for a dramatic change in life. Karma has much to do with the decisions we make for ourselves even though we do not realize it at the time. According to our karma and dharma we are meant to go a certain direction in life, work out certain karmic patterns and fulfill certain dharma. Most of this is unknown to us at the time.

Our karma places us in a situation that is conducive to making certain decisions. However, at the time we make a decision the reason is obscure to us. Nevertheless, there is a given subconscious projection on the screen of the conscious mind urging us in a given direction and this is our dharma working for us. In certain decisions we make we feel right about making them, while other decisions leave us with feelings of misgiving and doubts. Usually when there is doubt, such decisions do not turn out right. In most cases if one would listen, one's conscience would guide them correctly.

Decisions are a part of the responsibilities of life. We must face them the same as any other responsibilities, because decisions that are right relieve us of many responsibilities and problems in life and wrong decisions only compound our problems. We can not go through life trying to limit the amount of decisions we make. What is necessary is that as a problem or situation presents itself to us we must or should at that point make the best decision possible. Sometimes it may be a split second decision and often that correct decision saves our life. Sometimes we may have a long time to make a decision. However, in long term decisions the issue often becomes clouded and we lose the impact and the importance of making the decision in the first place.

Life, however, has a strange way of putting us in a position where we are forced ultimately to make a decision one way or the other. If we get a clear insight into what we want to do in life and where we wish to go then decisions come easier than when we have no idea of what we wish to do or where we wish to go. Everyone has an aptitude for something and doing that something gives them pleasure and a feeling of accomplishment. Some find pleasure in doing hard manual labor, while others only find pleasure in doing creative mental labor. Some find pleasure and fulfillment in doing some of both. A combination of the two makes for a more balanced life than one extreme or the other.

Many decisions we make are mental conclusions based on knowledge and experience as well as the nature of our character. Some decisions are forced on us and we must rely on our knowledge and experience for a correct decision. If we have no knowledge or experience we should seek out someone who has and get expert advice from them. However, this presents a serious defect in some people. They must, for their ego's sake, feel that they are all-knowing and incapable of making a bad decision; hence you have a fool in action. Down through history many costly mistakes and blunders have been made by such individuals. The Charge of the Light Brigade is an example. Jonestown is another more recent example. What is even worse is to make a bad decision and in the face of good corrective advice ride it out to a disaster. The Titanic is a classic example of this and there are thousands of such cases.

The higher we climb on the ladder of life the more critical our decisions become, because most often they affect the lives of countless people, and even so of a nation or the world. Our decisions at this point become very critical and carry an enormous overwhelming responsibility.

When a nation or the world comes to a crisis, often a man of destiny appears and he has been endowed with the ability to make right decisions and most of all to stand behind his decisions when many others declare them to be wrong. One important thing is that when we make decisions that involve others they should not be selfish decisions. The feelings of others should be considered and that makes for a happier life for all concerned. We should also live a planned existence and not a life of fright and surprise. We should have certain goals in mind and work toward them and not allow ourselves to just drift. The one thing we should always know is that the means do not always justify the ends. Also, we should make decisions where we do not create situations we cannot control and which wind up controlling us and we find that our freedom of choice has been eroded.

Some people continually make bad decisions and most often this is due to their habit pattern; they are in the habit of making poor decisions and one bad decision leads to another. Obviously they should set about to correct or alter their habit pattern and stop following the deep ruts made during previous trips here on earth. The best way to break a habit pattern is to first recognize that there is a particular pattern we have and then earnestly desire to change it.

Transcendental Meditation is the best way to change all of our bad habits because the infusion of the Being gives us insight, and insight is the main thing we need to change anything. Physically to try to wrench ourselves out of our ruts is nearly impossible. We need divine guidance and divine strength which we only acquire through an established contact with the divine. When this is done our decisions become effective because we have clear insight not obscured by surface emotion and lack of inner strength. The best decision we have made in this or any life is when we decided to step onto the spiritual path and stop functioning from the surface level of life and living on the rim of the wheel. By stepping onto the spiritual path we begin to develop our real strength and wisdom which is our true inner nature.

In the final analysis, we are mind and the mind requires stimulation, and decisions keep the mind alert and active. Often mental agility and fast decisions keep us alive, such as in driving a car or flying an airplane. Many decisions we make are automatic based on training and experience. Some decisions tax our mind to full capacity and call for all of the knowledge, experience and depth of mind that we can muster. Decisions are with us from the cradle to the grave. So, let us be equipped as best we are able. Let us continue to connect our mind by our daily practice of Transcendental Meditation to a higher mind and receive divine assistance in life's problem-prone and decision-ridden lesson world. All decisions are based on one end conclusion and that is to find happiness in life.