The Choice Theory

“Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choice you make makes you. Choose wisely.”
― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

“I had no choice,”

I’ve heard this so often in my clinic, and of course clucked sympathetically.  These “I don’t knows and I have choice” fellows seem to increase by leaps and bounds.

But honestly if I was Ma PooriKurma giving this sermon under the coconut tree (all other kinds of foliage have been denuded by the Bharatmala project.)  the

Conversation would go very Sadguru-ish.

“Guru-ma, would tell me please, which way I ought to go from here.”

Like the Cat from Alice in wonderland, I would reply,”that depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” and sagely add, “my child.”

Unlike Alice who said, “I don’t care where,” my clients come up with three options,

1. I don’t know.
2. I’m confused – you tell me.
3. To achieve my life purpose. – but what my true purpose is I’m clueless. I want to help people in trouble.

After dealing with these challenges I humbly resort to the tranquil effect of a well brewed Robusta from the Araku valley. It is first cup that induces that sense of Zen, the second cup stirs ideas, and the third causes the revelation and I figure when people say there is “NO CHOICE” they mean they are conditioned not to make a choice. This comes from the primitive mind.

Somewhere in the deep recess of the subconscious mind lies the primitive mind the sole purpose of which is to keep alive it manifests as the “survivor instinct.” When we tread a known path, we know the end result, we know how to handle the end result so by default we choose that behaviour pattern. This default behaviour pattern comes through our understanding of our life experience. This understanding comes from how we see and judge others behaviour.

Sounds torturous doesn’t it… in simple words we all seek acceptance. We notice that a particular behaviour gives elicits a definite response, and that response is acceptable. So we choose to adopt that behaviour. The tendency to behave in a manner that begets approval so automatic that we do not realize that complex process of file retrieval, stimulus and response match that has happened.

When I’m full of Robusta beans I even have a theory about why we choose what we choose. Like I said the primary reason is acceptability. What makes a particular choice acceptable.

1. Our social set up.
2. Our educational background.
3. Our economic background.
4. Our religious upbringing.

Each of this shoots down the infinite possibility  to a choice of this or that.

Frankly if one can with all honesty say, “I am what I am today because of the choices I made yesterday”  the person cannot say, “I choose otherwise.” However he can choose to choose otherwise from this moment.

By the way, making people aware that they can choose their reality, and they have been doing so, is the precise nature of my work.

written for indispire #295 prompt by Tomichan Mathekal