Beliefs.
- clearstreamzendo
- Mar 2
- 2 min read
Beliefs are this week’s topic for reflection. A belief can be something subjective like I’m a good person or I’m a bad person. A belief can be subtle and unquestioned for example I have self consciousness. The one thing that is true for all beliefs is we hold onto them. Hopefully when we are presented with evidence a belief is not true we are able to let it go and not insist it is true anyway.
Some beliefs take time to let go of. For example when someone who we love dies there can be a part of us that can’t believe it’s true. It becomes an existential crisis where we no longer know who we are without them or if we can go on without them. Unwillingly this belief can be held tight, maybe until we die.
Expectations are a form of belief. It’s a belief that something will happen or not happen in the future. Remember when this has happened in your life, how it felt and how you reacted. Some people belief that having positive expectations leads to self confidence. What would be the difference between this outlook and if you were prepared to meet things however they show up? If you have expectations, how do you hold them?
Beliefs can create structure and definition. A belief could be so and so is an angry dangerous person and I don’t want anything to do with them. This could be true but if it is held tight there is no room for something else to also be true. And things and people change. Holding tight can be at odds with change. Being stubborn is not the same as perseverance.
There are obvious and conscious beliefs we are aware of and able to articulate. There are also beliefs that are so subtle we may not even be aware of them. Beliefs limit us and limit the world we live in. I’m an advocate of noticing our beliefs and questioning them. They may or may not be worthy of holding onto.
Please join us for morning Zoom zazen from 7:00 to 7:30 Tuesday and Thursday, and Sunday morning Zoom zazen and discussion of the topic for reflection blog from 8:00 to 9:00 Pacific Time. Here’s the Zoom link:
Meeting ID: 811 6100 3357
Passcode: 278259
Gassho,
Futai
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