Beliefs are a tricky matter. Do our beliefs create our experiences or do our experiences create our beliefs? Kind of the ol' "what came first, the chicken or the egg?" I never did get that question until recently and it was a result of a conversation about belief systems. So, what do you suppose the answer is?
Some beliefs are rooted so deeply in our subconscious that it's hard to know
what they are, let alone whether or not they're limiting us. And finding out is as tricky as the whole chicken/egg thing. So, since it keeps coming up in conversation lately, I thought I might attempt to address the issue for 2 reasons: one to help ME clarify (your comments would be greatly appreciated!) and the other to, perhaps, help YOU clarify. As they say, "in teaching we learn, in learning we teach". And so we shall see.
First, let's address the basic fundamentals of beliefs. Let's have a look at what we really DO believe and what we THINK we believe. Many of us have been told that to challenge a belief, particularly in terms of religious tenets, is to blaspheme. Never, ever question what "God" has said. Just take it all in and OBEY the Word. Period. Well, I have to tell you, having been reared in a Roman Catholic environment, I didn't buy it the first time I heard it (in the 1st grade is my earliest recollection) and I still don't buy it. The God that I was taught to "fear" had the manners of a spoiled child: vengeful and merciless in the face of non-believers. Now I ask you, what kind of Omnipotent entity would resort to such tactics? By the time I was 13 years old, I had pretty much made up my mind that this particular god was no friend of mine and I "quit".
I remember the conversation as clearly as if it'd happened yesterday. My mother, quite devout in her beliefs, was appalled when I got up right in the middle of mass and walked out of the church. When mass ended, she stomped out the door and furiously demanded to know "who do you think you are, walking out like that?" A long conversation ensued, at which point she had the insight to ask if I actually
believed in God. I told her that yes, I did. And then she asked, "if you were to talk to God, where would you go?" I told her to bring me to the beach and let me sit on the end of the jetty. "That's where my God lives." Amazingly, she agreed to my 'terms' and did just that. Each Sunday, we'd leave the house early so she could take me to the beach, and she'd come get me when her mass was finished. A nice arrangement that no one ever knew about (heaven forbid!) and we followed until I had my driver's license.
Now, the beautfiul thing about all this is that, even though my mother was from the "old school" and had her very strong beliefs about the way things were supposed to be (regarding God), she also had the sense not to push me on the subject. I think she knew, instinctively, that had she forced me to go all hell would break loose. (no pun intended!) The other very cool thing about this was that I had an hour every week to sit on that jetty and talk to God. And I'm quite certain that it was a 2-way conversation. In short, I got to "commune" and not be further damaged by the guilt and fear and other nasty little trips that were being laid on me at the time.
Before I go any further, please let me say this: I realize that there may be more than a few feathers ruffled here and that is NOT my intention. I really do BELIEVE that everyone is entitled to worship who and what and how they wish. The mere fact that I'm even broaching this subject is to give some background and, maybe, share a bit on why I'm even considering this subject of beliefs. So PLEASE don't take offense. These are intellectual meanderings intended to expand, not oppress!
But, back to the subject. So, I left the church at 13 and began a life-long search for answers. Why would this all-knowing, all-powerful god allow children to die and old people to be murdered? Why would people be left to starve or have to live in squalor? Why? Why? Why? To be sure, I had lots of questions and visited many, many different churches over the next 10+ years in search of answers. I studied Eastern philosophies, as well as variations on Western Christianity. I even recall buying L.Ron Hubbard's book back when Scientology was fairly unknown. In short, I kept looking but never got the answers to my questions....until about 10 years ago.
Then, without warning, all sorts of people and experiences and books started showing up. I remembered that expression, "when the student is ready, the teacher arrives" and I was living proof that this was true. All kinds of teachers showed up! So, I found my "path" and began to explore the various stepping stones to my "spiritual enlightenment". And you know what kept surfacing? "What DO you believe?"
Now, deep into this journey and wanting to grow ever 'lighter', I am faced AGAIN with the challenge of that query. So here's what I started with: first, I wrote down every single thing I 'think' I believe. From "the sky is blue" to "what goes around, comes around". From "the rich keep getting richer....blah,blah,blah" to "you can be, do, have ANYTHING you set your mind to". It took me about a week. I left that piece of paper on my kitchen table so I could jot down anything that came to mind. It was a very long list!
Next, I looked at each 'belief' on my list and identified whether or not it was mine or one that had been "given" to me by my parents, the church, teachers, etc. After I did this, I then went back over the list a third time and crossed out all the things that didn't apply to me any longer. I did this without guilt, fear or remorse. MY God is merciful, omnipotent and utterly thrilled with who I am, so there is no fear involved. HALLELUJAH!!! (I just LOVE that word!)
Once I'd crossed off all the things that were no longer working for me, then I got to the business of re-examining the rest. Were they a result of my experiences or vice versa? And NOW I'm putting it out there. Because the truth is, I don't have a clue. All I know is I'm ready to create my world. I'm ready to let go of limiting beliefs. And it's up to me to identify them so I can 'DIS-BELIEVE" and recreate. This, I'm sure, is how we get to the next phase of evolution.
I really think that it's up to each and every one of us to look at our lives, decide if they're what we want them to be and then how to make them more purposeful. How can we use our lives to help the rest of the planet? How do we get past war and hate and greed and get on with our evolution?
I "believe" we start with "beliefs". After we figure those out, the MOST important next step is to ALLOW EVERYONE ELSE to have theirs too. Live and let live; NOT live MY WAY or die! When we, as a race, get THAT part down, we will have successfully navigated our way to a much better, more loving world. Until then, perhaps the best place to begin is in our own back yard.
Blessings to All~
