(Abbreviated excerpt from Spiritual Geography: The Country of Choice)

Now the real fun begins. In Surrender, you divested yourself of all you no longer need. Beautifully empty, you are now ready to slowly, carefully, consciously build the life you want, the life you are here to live. You get to choose: choose what you believe, define who you want to be, decide how you want to live, select the people and things you want around you.

It seems a lot of responsibility, but fear not, for you are co-creating your world with the guidance and assistance of the ultimate interior designer. Welcome, Pilgrim, to the Country of Choice. After traveling through five tough countries of spiritual healing, you are ready—finally ready—to build your authentic life.

Physical Terrain: The country of Choice offers every desirable terrain nature can provide. Everything you need is provided. You have only to choose to take it. Most roads merge into one another except for a few dead ends representing poor choices. There is a large graveyard for burying your dead ideas, dead beliefs, dead fears. In the middle of Choice you’ll find Abundance Tree, an ancient tree where everything you need awaits your request. Nearby is the most sacred spot in Spiritual Geography: Covenant Cove. Here, in an ancient, sacred spot you will declare your covenant with Spirit and begin a life-long commitment to live the life you are here to live.

Weather: Although you may not find Choice an easy country because creating a new life is work, still, it is positive work, sometimes quite pleasant, and the weather confirms that. In Choice you will typically experience bright sunny skies that illumine the air and help you see your choices with clarity.

Emotional Landscape: Initially, you will experience strange sensations connected with trying new ideas, new language, new people, new actions, and new experiences. Although you’ll be excited about your newfound power to co-create a whole and holy life, feelings of frustration and confusion will crop up and bewilder you. You’ll begin to understand and accept the ramifications of each choice. Eventually you’ll realize that you do have dominion over your life, but this life may not—no, cannot—look like its predecessor. Choice is change and change is Choice. Toward the end of your journey through Choice, you’ll experience a sensation you haven’t felt in months, perhaps years: pride, pride in the self you are becoming and the life you are creating.

Does all this sound like too much work? Wish you could just move into a new house, date a new friend, get a new job, and—voila!—there’s your new life! Sorry, Pilgrim, but you know the truth by now: the only way out is through. If you want an abundant joyful life, you have to build it, thought by thought, word by word, choice by choice.

Landmarks: In Choice, you’ll find numerous diverse opportunities to make new choices and test the results. Clues, guidance, and feedback to help you make those choices and evaluate their consequences will come in multiple guises. You may not always recognize or understand your “teachers” but they will always be there. But, Pilgrim, be careful what you ask for. If you declare you want to build a life of courage, expect the universe to provide you with plenty of opportunities to demonstrate your new courage. If you ask God to co-create a life of peace, look for opportunities to prove you walk in peace. Ask for a life of trust? Watch for tests in the fine art of letting go. Want partnership? People will come, but it’ll be up to you to evaluate if their values are in sync with your definition of partnership. The landmarks in Choice are limited only by the quantity and quality of the choices you make.

Road Signs: You have so many choices to make: from the sublime: What is my covenant with Spirit? to the ordinary but still important: What color dishes shall I get? To help you hone in on what matters and stay focused on the important task at hand, there are many large signs posting the critical questions that must be answered:

Prayer Ticket: The essence of the spiritual work in Choice is to realize that every thought, word, and action builds our life—whether we realize it or not—and begin to use that power consciously and carefully. When it seems you can’t—just can’t—do this by yourself, remember you’re not doing it alone; you are co-creating your world with the assistance of All That Is. To ease the rough spots, say this prayer daily during your journey through Choice. It will help you remember that you can, and will, and are, co-creating a whole and holy life, a life that will bring blessings to your family and your world. The earth will be a better place for your journey.

Passport Entry Stamp: The visa entry stamp for Choice is a building block representing the spiritual task of consciously building a full, rich life. Step by step, word by word, choice by choice, you will build a foundation out of your beliefs, values, and honor code. Standing on this firm base you will carefully and slowly build the walls, rooms, and roof of your new life. Every time you say “I am______” and fill in the blank with a declaration that supports your true self, the walls go up a little higher. Welcome, Pilgrim, to the creative phase of your pilgrimage.

Exit: You’ll know you are ready to leave when your life-defining choices have been studied, declared, tested, and confirmed. You’ll find yourself standing at the exit looking at the gap between Choice and Peace, when you feel confident that you can face challenges and make decisions congruent with your well-developed life view. You’ll know you are ready to fill that gap and step into Peace when you realize—at long last—that you are happy with the life you have, and ready to forgive the life you had, totally and completely.