Creating Choices
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Creating Choices
Sheila Bayle-Lissick and Elise Marquam Jahns' "Creating Choices" presents a rigorous framework for understanding personal causality, a welcome departure from the often vague pronouncements found in similar 1990s esoteric literature. The authors' insistence on methodical self-analysis and the practical application of intention-setting offers a robust toolkit for anyone feeling adrift. I found their detailed exploration of the interplay between conscious and unconscious directives particularly illuminating. However, the text occasionally leans towards a somewhat dry, academic tone, which might alienate readers seeking more immediately visceral spiritual experiences. The section on "energetic resonance" could benefit from more contemporary, relatable examples to bridge the gap between its abstract principles and everyday life. Despite this, "Creating Choices" remains a valuable manual for cultivating intentionality.
📝 Description
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"Creating Choices", published in 1990, examines how intention shapes personal reality.
This 1990 book, by Sheila Bayle-Lissick and Elise Marquam Jahns, details how individuals can actively construct their experiences. It offers a structured method for understanding personal agency and the creation of reality through focused intention. The authors move beyond passive observation to present practical frameworks for conscious decision-making. The aim is to help readers manifest desired outcomes by understanding the subtle energies influencing daily life. It is for those who have begun exploring metaphysical ideas and want a systematic way to apply them. Readers interested in psychology, consciousness studies, and self-development will find its analytical approach useful for transcending limitations and gaining more control over their circumstances.
Published in 1990, "Creating Choices" emerged during a growing interest in New Age thought and practical metaphysics. While some popular works approached these topics anecdotally, Bayle-Lissick and Jahns offered a more disciplined, psychological perspective. This book focused on structured choice-making and the underlying beliefs that shape reality, distinguishing itself from earlier New Thought or faith-based approaches to personal empowerment. It contributed to the spiritual development literature by emphasizing the mechanics of co-creation.
💡 Why Read This Book?
• Gain a systematic method for identifying and reframing limiting beliefs, drawing directly from the book's structured exercises on unconscious patterns, a technique not universally detailed in other texts. • Learn to consciously direct your energetic output, understanding the concept of "energetic resonance" as explained in the book, to attract desired outcomes rather than passively experiencing circumstances. • Develop a practical understanding of how your choices, both conscious and unconscious, actively shape your perceived reality, as elaborated through the book's 1990s psychological framework.
⭐ Reader Reviews
Honest opinions from readers who have explored this book.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of Sheila Bayle-Lissick and Elise Marquam Jahns' "Creating Choices"?
The book's primary focus is on empowering individuals to actively shape their reality through conscious intention and deliberate choice-making, exploring the interplay between conscious and unconscious thought patterns.
When was "Creating Choices" first published, and what was the intellectual climate like?
It was first published in 1990, during a period of significant interest in New Age and metaphysical thought, offering a structured approach amidst broader spiritual exploration.
Does the book offer practical exercises for self-improvement?
Yes, "Creating Choices" provides practical frameworks and exercises designed to help readers identify limiting beliefs and consciously direct their intentions.
Who are the credited authors of "Creating Choices"?
The credited authors are Sheila Bayle-Lissick, Elise Marquam Jahns, and Sheila Boyle-Lissick, with the original publication dating back to 1990.
How does "Creating Choices" differ from other self-help or esoteric books from the 1990s?
It distinguishes itself through a more disciplined, analytical approach to manifestation and personal agency, emphasizing psychological underpinnings rather than purely faith-based doctrines.
What is the concept of 'energetic resonance' as discussed in the book?
Energetic resonance, as presented in "Creating Choices," suggests that one's dominant thoughts and emotional states attract corresponding energies and experiences from the environment.
🔮 Key Themes & Symbolism
Intentionality and Choice
The book posits that reality is not merely experienced but actively constructed through a continuous series of choices, both conscious and unconscious. It emphasizes the power of focused intention as a primary tool for shaping one's circumstances. The authors detail how to clarify desires and direct mental energy towards specific outcomes, moving beyond passive acceptance of fate to a proactive engagement with the unfolding of events. This theme is central to the book's promise of empowering readers to become architects of their own lives.
Conscious vs. Unconscious Mind
A significant focus is placed on the dynamic interaction between the conscious and unconscious aspects of the mind. "Creating Choices" explores how deeply ingrained unconscious beliefs and patterns can either support or undermine conscious intentions. The work provides methods for bringing these unconscious influences to light, allowing them to be understood and potentially reprogrammed. This exploration aims to resolve internal conflicts that often prevent individuals from actualizing their desired realities.
Energetic Resonance
The principle of energetic resonance suggests that like attracts like; our prevailing thoughts, emotions, and beliefs emit a specific energetic frequency that draws corresponding experiences into our lives. The book explains how to cultivate a positive and aligned energetic state to attract beneficial circumstances and opportunities. This concept underpins the practical techniques offered for manifestation and personal transformation, framing them within a subtle energetic framework.
Reality Construction
Fundamentally, , "Creating Choices" presents a model of reality as a fluid construct, susceptible to influence by the individual's inner state. It moves beyond the idea of a fixed, external world by detailing how perception, belief systems, and focused attention contribute to the creation of one's experienced reality. This theme encourages readers to take responsibility for their role in co-creating their lives and to employ the book's principles to build a more fulfilling existence.
💬 Memorable Quotes
Direct passages from the work, attributed to the author.
“Our choices are the architects of our experience.”
— This statement expresses the book's central thesis: that personal agency and intentional decision-making are the primary forces shaping the reality we perceive and inhabit.
“The unconscious mind holds powerful blueprints for our lives.”
— This highlights the crucial role of subconscious programming, suggesting that deeply held, often unrecognized beliefs and patterns significantly influence our actions and outcomes.
“Energy flows where attention goes.”
— This aphorism points to the principle that directing one's focus and mental energy intentionally can mobilize resources and attract desired results.
“Limiting beliefs are not facts, but self-imposed constraints.”
— This interpretation emphasizes that negative or restrictive beliefs are psychological constructs that can be challenged and altered, rather than immutable truths.
“Alignment of inner state and outer desire is key to manifestation.”
— This concept suggests that for external goals to be realized, one's internal energetic and emotional landscape must be in harmony with the desired outcome.
🌙 Esoteric Significance
Tradition
While not strictly adhering to a single lineage, "Creating Choices" draws heavily from the psychological underpinnings of Western Esotericism, particularly concepts related to the power of the mind and will, echoing Hermetic principles of "As Above, So Below" in its focus on internal states affecting external reality. It also aligns with aspects of New Thought philosophy, emphasizing the role of belief and intention in manifestation. Its structured, almost quasi-scientific approach to these concepts sets it apart, offering a modern, pragmatic interpretation of age-old ideas about consciousness and creation.
Symbolism
The book frequently employs the symbol of the "blueprint" to represent the underlying patterns and intentions that guide our lives, often residing in the unconscious. Another key motif is "resonance," symbolizing the energetic correspondence between our inner state and the external circumstances we attract, akin to tuning forks vibrating at the same frequency. The "choice" itself acts as a potent symbol of agency, representing the key point where potentiality is directed into actuality.
Modern Relevance
Contemporary practices in manifestation coaching, positive psychology, and even certain branches of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) echo the core principles of "Creating Choices." Thinkers and practitioners who focus on the power of belief, the impact of subconscious programming, and the intentional creation of one's reality continue to explore these themes. The book's structured approach remains relevant for individuals seeking systematic methods to enhance their personal agency and consciously shape their life experiences in a world often perceived as chaotic.
👥 Who Should Read This Book
• Individuals seeking to move beyond passive observation of life events towards active co-creation, particularly those interested in the psychological mechanics of manifestation. • Students of consciousness studies and esoteric philosophy looking for a practical, choice-oriented framework that complements more theoretical or traditional texts. • Personal development practitioners and coaches who can integrate the book's structured approach to intention-setting and belief reframing into their client work.
📜 Historical Context
Published in 1990, "Creating Choices" emerged during a vibrant period for self-discovery and metaphysical exploration. The preceding decades had seen movements like the Human Potential Movement and the rise of New Age philosophy, making concepts of consciousness and personal transformation widely accessible. Authors like Marianne Williamson and Deepak Chopra were gaining prominence, though often with a more overtly spiritual or New Thought orientation. Bayle-Lissick and Jahns' work offered a distinct, more psychologically grounded approach, focusing on structured techniques for personal agency. This contrasted with the more mystical or faith-driven approaches prevalent at the time. The book's emphasis on the mechanics of choice and belief systems provided a practical, analytical counterpoint within the broader range of contemporary esoteric thought, positioning itself as a guide for those seeking actionable methods beyond philosophical contemplation.
📔 Journal Prompts
Analyze a recurring pattern in your life through the lens of "energetic resonance."
Identify a conscious choice you made that directly contradicted an unconscious belief.
Explore the "blueprints" of a desired future reality you wish to create.
Reflect on how your present intentions might be shaping your future "choices."
Consider a situation where you felt powerless and reframe it using the book's concept of "reality construction."
🗂️ Glossary
Conscious Mind
The part of the mind that is aware of thoughts, feelings, and surroundings; the seat of rational thought and deliberate decision-making.
Unconscious Mind
The part of the mind containing feelings, thoughts, urges, and memories outside of conscious awareness, often influencing behavior and beliefs significantly.
Energetic Resonance
The principle that one's internal state (thoughts, emotions, beliefs) emits an energy that attracts corresponding external circumstances and experiences.
Limiting Beliefs
Deep-seated assumptions or convictions that restrict one's potential or ability to achieve desired outcomes.
Intention Setting
The process of clearly defining and focusing mental energy on a specific desired outcome or goal.
Reality Construction
The concept that an individual's perceived reality is actively shaped by their beliefs, perceptions, choices, and focused attention.
Agency
The capacity of an individual to act independently and make their own free choices.
This book appears in 1 collection
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