Most of the problems humans face today stem directly from the rigidity of their beliefs. This is just my humble opinion; however, this working theory has worked for me. Ever since I started playing with the flexibility of my own beliefs and interpretations of my 'circumstances', I had mostly positive results. I have also developed a method of consciously interjecting thoughts/interpretations before my habitual response kicks in.
Basically, I am learning to slip in a ‘modifier filter’ before I let my programmed mind-body system react to a given situation. I'm not saying I've mastered this, as it's very tricky to accomplish within certain 'negative' scenarios. Most people simply accept their negative programmed responses to negative stimuli as 'natural', therefore they spend time looking for perceived 'positive' circumstances to allow them to have instant positive responses.
This all stems from the belief that our circumstances determine how we feel. In my opinion, this is one of the most harmful, rigid beliefs that are commonly accepted. I’m leaning towards the theory that it is the other way around: Our habitual feelings (thoughts, energy vibrations, overall state of being) are what determine what circumstances we manifest, at least to an extent; there will always be an element of randomness, which keeps us on our toes and stops life from getting stale.
Yeah, I know... The Secret.... Law of Attraction... blah blah blah...
However, the principles are quite sound (spiritually, not from a limited 'human' mainstream 'science' perspective... I get that) and have helped me personally. I believe the way they are presented to the public is oversimplified and has other inherent problems (e.g. infractions on Free Will), which I’ll get into in another post. I tried them on a whim, and got some results, which were enough for me to investigate further...
I do have to point out though, that getting exactly what you want is a little more complicated than just 'visualizing it'... However, I accept that it might only be more complicated for me, because my paradigm commands a certain amount of physical effort must be exerted to 'achieve' or 'receive' something worthwhile.
Keep in mind that beliefs aren’t just your behavior or your conscious thoughts; they are ingrained in your subconscious/nervous system. However with the right tools and methods, it’s possible to change them... more on those in future posts.
Can a firm belief be useful?
Some beliefs you may want to hold on to, as they are almost always useful.
You must know some people that have beliefs that state that ‘life is going to be a piece of cake’ for them... and magickally, it seems to be that way...
Conversely, there are people that always seem to struggle... and coincidentally always complain about how much they have to struggle... this stems from the firm belief ‘Life is Hard’.
Like most beings having a ‘human’ experience, I'm somewhere in the middle, and furthermore am quite specific about which areas require what effort.
For example, for several years now, I've developed a psychic relationship with computers. I can't get the cash machines to dispense free money (yet), but most broken computers just seem to magickally fix themselves around me. Unfortunately, when they're unhappy, they will also randomly crash around me... their way of getting my attention I guess...(Yes I’m open to the hundreds of examples I’ve experienced with computers all being simple coincidence, I’m not religious about it)
Also firmly believing something like ‘It will be alright in the end, if it’s not alright, then it’s not the end’ seems to work for me.
Why So serious?
Too many people are just too damn serious about their beliefs. I think that this whole seriousness and rigidity stems directly from FEAR (Fuck Everything And Run!), fear of the unknown and unusual. I also feel that the core fears themselves may be too overwhelming for most people to tackle; that is why dealing with one layer above the core fear may be a good starting point.
If one defeats (or develops a healthy equilibrium with) one's need to take Life and themselves seriously, some of the core fear will dissipate naturally. Allow more light-heartedness into your life and you will see a plethora of choices appear out of the aether to allow you to view the same old situations with completely new eyes.
Humour, especially dark humour is a manifestation of being able to transmute darkness into light. Try laughing at your most difficult ‘problems’ and see if it helps. Obviously you’ll get some nasty looks when you try this at a funeral.
I haven’t yet encountered a situation in this lifetime that didn’t benefit from some humour.
A time to bend, a time to stand firm...
Just like tall structures, we must learn to be dynamic and flexible, lest the ever-changing winds of life snap us in half. To be rigid (in one's beliefs) is to be brittle. Now, that is not to say you should be a push-over and just instantly change your whole belief system every time you encounter a difficulty or conflict.
There will be situations which will test your resolve and your dedication to your beliefs; and as with everything it will be solely your choice which beliefs to discard, which to slightly adjust, and which to defend to the death. Life will often test you, to allow you to 'try out' your new outlook. If you praise yourself at your new interpretations of old circumstances, then you will cement this new reaction into your nervous system.
Be honest with yourself... Don't desperately hold onto a belief, just because you were 'born and raised' into it, if it clearly isn't serving you in a useful way.
In closing...
• Be flexible with your beliefs...
• Laugh more... especially at the dark things
• Don't take your perceived conditions, your stories, your ego, your reality, your existence, other people, or your God (or religion) too seriously........
• Chill out... it's all imagined anyways....
I’d Love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
