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According to metaphysics, our lives are the outward manifestation of our inner beliefs. In other words, what we believe, we will experience. We can't run away from our beliefs. They go where we go. They follow us from job to job, marriage to marriage, state to state, creating the same situations over and over again — with various twists, perhaps, but always with similar results. If we believe we can't hold a job, we won't, no matter how great the new opportunity. If we believe we're not good enough to be loved, a relationship won't endure, no matter how deeply we care for the other person. We can organize our lives, make the best decisions for the circumstances, and move with caution when appropriate, but the basic underlying pattern won't change. Some of us choose to break the cycle, to seek the happiness that is our birthright. If that's your decision, you must fully understand beliefs and their impact on your everyday life. So, the first thing you need to do is determine how to identify your beliefs — and it turns out not to be that difficult. Beliefs are always apparent in the conscious mind, if you know where to look, but sometimes they're hard to spot simply because you don't believe they're a belief. "It's just the way it is," you tell yourself. "It's the way of life, the way of people. It's his character and her luck. It's my hard work and my mom's forgetfulness. He failed because he didn't prepare; she succeeded because her folks have money. It's nothing, really, just normal, everyday life." What you must realize is that any "truth" you see is but a belief. Asking the right questions helps push your beliefs to the forefront of your mind. Here's a good place to start: Throughout your day, continually ask yourself the question, "Why would I (or others) _________ that?" Such as, "Why would I act like that?" Or, "Why would I think like that?" "Why would they own that?" "Why would I say that?" "Why would they live like that?" "Why would I want that?" Analyze. Hash over. Why would people request an unlisted phone number? Because they believe that it protects them from obscene calls? They believe that it gives them privacy? They believe that it's a status symbol? They believe that they're vulnerable to attack by the unknown? Or, why might people go on a diet? Because they believe that they're overweight? They believe that they must diet to lose weight? They believe in the power of the calorie? They believe that they must mold themselves to society's standards? The reasons may be more complex, but you get the idea. When you peek into your own belief system, you'll be peeling back layer upon layer of interesting thoughts, attitudes, and emotions around your subject of choice, very different indeed from this simple probing. Try some more. Why would people say, "I am a survivor"? What might it tell you about their feelings of vulnerability, and the events they create to prove that the feelings are justified? What would they believe, or not believe, about a safe universe? About a God that supports and protects them? About their strength under adversity? About their underlying views of life? "I am a good parent." Sounds great, but what beliefs might lurk behind the statement? One possibility is, "I'm a good parent because I'm always there for my kids, even if it means giving up my aspirations for theirs." Or, "I am a good parent because I worry about my kids all the time." All statements should be questioned for the interior reality behind the exterior reality. Now, quickly — without thinking your answers through logically — answer "true" or "false" to these statements: It's a dog-eat-dog world. No one wants me. There is much evil out there. I am powerless to change my life. There is no purpose to life other than to survive. My boss hates me. Illness is inescapable. People are so stupid. It wouldn't work for me. I'll always be broke. Now, having done this little exercise, what if I told you that no matter how you respond to any of these questions, your response is only a belief ? A belief is what you see as fact, and its effect on your life is positive or otherwise. Do these statements ring true to you? If not, why not? Life is a joy. There is no such thing as evil. I can create conscious change. I am important to the world. I love and accept myself. I am a decision maker. I am competent and qualified, ready for advancement. My body heals rapidly. I can become exactly what I choose. Get used to asking yourself questions. See the curtain rise and the play begin, your beliefs acting their parts so convincingly that they deceive you with their illusion of truth. With your new focus on uncovering beliefs, eavesdrop on conversations, read newspapers and magazines, listen to television and radio shows, all the while listening for the beliefs underlying the words. And remember to let go of logic as much as possible when reviewing an event. Don't say, "The cop stopped me because I was late for work and speeding." That's not the reason you were slapped with a ticket. A more accurate assessment might be found in the answer to the question, "Why did I put myself in the position of being chastised?" How did you feel when the officer stopped you? How did you feel afterward? What thoughts ran through your head? Were you angry at an authority that has the right to control you? Had the whole world been dumping on you lately? Did the ticket strap you financially? Had you been feeling boxed in, held back, afraid? Explore; probe; be a pioneer. Figure out just what the heck is going on. With practice, over time, you'll have a much deeper understanding of what you really believe about certain areas of your life. I suspect that you'll be floored by some of the beliefs you uncover. After all, you really do believe that you deserve lots of money, don't you? You're sure you're easy to love, right? You always knew you could be successful, didn't you? Remember, if you’re not there today, you don’t believe it enough. A former manager with Apple Computer and vice president in the computer industry, Lynda Dahl lectures extensively on consciousness and conscious creation, and has appeared on countless radio and television programs. Her fourth book, The Book of Fallacies: A Little Primer of New Thought, was published this spring by Moment Point Press. Lynda lives in Eugene, Oregon. Contact: <http://Momentpoint.com/>; <Dahl@momentpoint.com>. |
Thank
goodness for metaphysics. Without it, I might still be a vice
president in the computer industry. Not a bad place to be, granted,
but a better place is where I am now: doing whatever I want to
do, when I want to do it. Without metaphysics I wouldn’t
have created the financial wherewithal — for starters, a
million bucks — to live such a life. But my new existence
didn’t come from surface knowledge; it came from study and
application. It came from understanding how the mind creates
reality, and the role beliefs play in that creation process.