Crossroads

We have been at a crossroads. We face decisions such as choosing between houses in different locations, deciding whether to accept a new job offer or stay in our current position, making strategic business decisions, determining if our partner is the one we want to spend the rest of our life with, or how to best nurture our children. We wrestle with tough choices, such as whether to forego medical care for a loved one due to financial constraints, whether to discontinue resuscitation efforts, or whether to save someone from harm at the expense of our own safety. 

A crossroads in our mundane comprehension represents a pivotal moment in life where a significant decision or choice must be made. The choices we make at this juncture can lead to different paths and outcomes, shaping one’s future. Being at a crossroads evokes a sense of uncertainty and the gravity of potential outcomes. Just as a traveler at a physical crossroads may feel unsure which road will lead to the best destination, individuals facing crossroads often experience anxiety or doubt about which choice will yield the most favorable result. Common emotions during this process, such as anxiety, hope, confusion, fear, excitement, regret, and relief, can fluctuate, each contributing to the complex and multifaceted experience of navigating a crossroads.

Is it truly the choices we make at pivotal moments that define our lives and others, or is it the way these moments are perceived that shape our destiny? The former, a more common view, focuses on navigating success and failure, right and wrong, good and bad, while the other emphasizes understanding of nature.  Often, what we perceive as a crossroads—those critical moments filled with immense uncertainty and pressure—may not be as significant or as daunting as they seem to be. While these moments feel like life-altering junctures, they may ultimately be less about the specific choices and their outcomes, and more about how we perceive them. The weight of a turning point reflects our internal fears and expectations, rooted in our views rather than the actual significance of the choices themselves.

Our perception of a crossroads can be heavily influenced by underlying patterns, values, and goals, each amplifying the weight and uncertainty of the decision-making process. The combination of fear, stress, and societal expectations can distort our view of a crossroads, making it feel like a more significant turning point than it may objectively be. Often, the emotional weight attached to these moments is driven by internal and external pressures rather than the choices themselves. By recognizing how these influences shape our perception, we gain insight into the nature of reality. Understanding how the mind operates reveals that what appears to be a pivotal crossroads is often less about the significance of the decisions and more about the belief (due to attachment) that a choice exists and must be made.

The notion of choosing between success and failure, and right and wrong is ultimately illusory. However, within the framework of the world, it seems to be the only choice available to us. As long as we believe we can choose one or the other, both options take on a sense of reality. When we face what we perceive as a choice and struggle over it, even subtly, the moment we are struggling (or comparing) over it, no matter what we choose, will be wrong. This is because we have fallen into the trap of believing that by choosing one, we are giving up the other, thereby making both options equally real. When we are right-minded, we make the only meaningful choice there is, which is to stay right-minded. Then, we naturally do A or B, and it does not make any difference (this is only true with right mind).

Here’s a workplace example in which the understanding is universally applicable to any situation: I was involved in a project and faced a choice between two options. Although I recognized each had its own pros and cons, I was unsure which would be more advantageous given the numerous factors to consider. I struggled to determine how each option would affect the overall outcome—it might benefit the Malaysia business unit but potentially be less favorable from the perspective of the entire Group. I did not have sufficient data to make a recommendation. As I paused to observe the rhythm of the mind, a growing sense of confidence and a conviction that there must be a different way to view the situation arose. There was an understanding that if this were the only view, I would not be facing a dilemma. This understanding led to another understanding that the concept of choice itself is illusory, and the need to choose is equally illusory and limited. At that moment, there was a clear understanding that nature was taking its course and was truly perfect.  To clarify, nature or true perfection does not reside in the choices (object) themselves, but in the understanding that choices are made up and take on a reality. Recognizing that I was choosing between two illusions, I realized the world offers none (nothing truly to choose from). The understanding represents the Middle Path, which is not governed by the two extremes (or views). When there is nothing to choose from, there are no comparisons, no fear, no concerns, no doubt, no guilt, no “what ifs”, or “shoulds”. Ultimately, it is never about the specific choice made, but about what is present in the moment – right mind or wrong mind. Therefore, in this context, the actual choice made is of no real relevance, as either A or B is of no difference to the right mind. The right mind remains as the right mind regardless of A or B. However, as long as we perceive choices as real, we learn about the causes and effects of these choices, guiding ourselves to cultivate what is wholesome and avoid what is unwholesome.

This Path has repeatedly highlighted the distinction between doing something right and perceiving it rightly. One is driven by righteousness, comparison, expectations, and limitation, while the latter is liberating, upright, unrestricted, and rooted in love. As practitioners, our task is to consistently learn and recognize these distinctions—between wisdom and perception—which embody the essence of the Right Practice. The following paragraph is another example that illustrates this distinction—clearly showing that the world we see is an outward picture of an inward condition. The world we see is what we gave it, nothing more than that. Thus, as the Wise One says, seek not to change the world, but choose to change our mind about the world. Everything looked upon with the right mind, is healed.

The example: A good friend of mine often says, “God loves me,” whenever something good happens to her. Recently, she completed an exam and felt despair, convinced she had failed. When she shared this with me, I was certain that she had passed, despite her own calculations of her potential scores. True enough, a week later, she confirmed that she had indeed passed and reiterated her belief that God loves her. Previously, when she made such remarks, I would naturally think that she had been mistaken—there was no such thing as a personal God, let alone one that loves another being, and I would question whether I should offer her some Right Information such as not to deny God but use it to lead to the right mind, which I often did. However, this time, I simply smiled and silently acknowledged that, yes, she was right, God loves her. I paused to examine the difference between the two scenarios. She said exactly the same thing but yet they are different. The difference between the two situations lies in how her remark was perceived. Earlier perception saw her comment as disconnected from the Truth (I was standing at the effect), prompting me to feel compelled to correct her. In contrast, my recent perception recognized that whatever is being said or not said is truly an expression of God, Love, or Nature (I was standing at the cause) and I saw that nothing needed to be corrected. I just needed to stay right-minded. So, indeed, God loves her.

In summary, when we are in the right mind, there is no crossroads and no real choice to be made, as the notion of choice is merely made up. However, as long as we perceive ourselves as separate individuals, we face choices constantly, each varying in intensity. Therefore, let each choice serve as a classroom, reminding us that the ONLY ultimate true choice is between the right mind and wrong mind or Love and Fear.

With grace,
Lee Hung Leng
10 September 2024