The Use of Beliefs in Enlightenment Work

[Joseph Maynor]

I’ve realized beliefs are a double-edged sword in this work.  They are useful to get a person to doubt their beliefs, but then that person simply exchanges one set of beliefs for the Enlightenment beliefs.  Do not pass Go, do not collect $200.  That’s a trap.  How about suspending belief?  Can you do that?  The less strongly you cling to belief, the less judgments you will make.  Now, don’t try to control anything, that’s not what I’m asking you to do.  Just watch the thoughts, don’t get so caught up in their insides. It’s a change in perspective, but in a non-theoretical sense of perspective.  Thoughts are just sensations.  You don’t need to cling to the stories at all.  It’s almost like asking someone who is so used to a horizontal perspective to learn to use a vertical one.  It’s like huh!  Yeah, that’s what you gotta do.  Enlightenment is friggin’ counterintuitive to the Mind.  You gotta change what you’re looking for and change what you’re looking at. 

Edited January 14, 2018 by Joseph Maynor

[AleksM]

@Joseph Maynor

I see what you mean there but from my perspective that's not as effective in the long term as it is in the short term.

Beliefs are interconnected in a web of beliefs. Beliefs have a frequency of vibration and attract  beliefs and thoughts that are similar in vibration.

 If you strenghten a thought that is RELATED to the original thought of a belief; that you tried to look at as an emerging thought, then you strenghten the original belief. So, the whole process of changing beliefs requires identifying all of the related beliefs and then changing them step-by-step.

 

Also, read this post to find out which beliefs are good to hold on to, and which beliefs you better let go as fast as possible.

 

[SOUL]

Quote

be·lief

bəˈlēf/

noun

1.

an acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists.

something one accepts as true or real; a firmly held opinion or conviction.

2.

trust, faith, or confidence in someone or something.

This is the literal  definition of belief.....

If enlightenment is just being present and accepting what is as it is it appears that they are complementary not contradictory.

Edited January 14, 2018 by SOUL

[Nahm]

@Joseph Maynor What are “enlightenment beliefs”? 

[SOUL]

On 1/14/2018 at 6:34 PM, Source_Mystic said:

Belief is a bane and handicap to enlightenment work. You should be eradicating them. 

Belief is not a tool of enlightenment work. 

These are your beliefs about belief.

[Guest thesmileyone]

Beliefs just get in the way of progress.

[cetus]

Q: How is a belief like a quart of milk?

A: Both have an expiration date.

[Monkey-man]

Actually, you already believe in enlightenment, you wouldn't pursue it if you didn't. Thats how it is useful. If you don't believe in truth then you don't self-inquire but do what other 99% of world population are doing.

Edited January 17, 2018 by Monkey-man

[cetus]

1 hour ago, Mighty Mouse said:

No wonder everyone smells like sour clumps

Cheese heads. But seriously, none of us would be here if it wasn't for some level of belief.

[Guest Annetta]

The search for enlightenment is fueled by belief and will.

But I find that it is other's attempts to stear my beliefs about spirituality around to be the most damaging, more so than my own beliefs.

[SOUL]

4 hours ago, Annetta said:

The search for enlightenment is fueled by belief and will.

Faith is the force in willful intention, belief is really just how in ideas and concepts we apply that force. The ideas and concepts we use change as we evolve over time but the force of faith is like love, how and who we love may change but love is a force that drives our will just as faith does.

When we align love and faith together in our intention it strengthens our will to such a degree it can transform our experience in unimaginable ways.

This is why other's 'beliefs' are impotent ideas and concepts to us that often are empty of results because they rarely have the force of faith within our will empowering them.

[Guest thesmileyone]

You are already enlightened.

 

Everyone is.

 

But people have layer upon layer of what I call contraction. This gets in the way of first self realization and then enlightenment. Look how children interact with the world in their early years, before they go to school and start becoming contracted through conditioning.

There is no search for something, you are that something once you incarnate until your body dies, whether you realize it or not, all along.

A good metaphor to picture it is that everyone is a light. But this light that eminates from you is covered, not by clothing, but by contractions, by ego, by beliefs. The only way to shed these coverings is to drop the beliefs and surrender to who you really are. When the coverings come off the light can shine

Enlightenment.

[Guest Annetta]

@SOUL That makes a lot of sense.

Faith seems to be what I meant with the word belief.

The path is such an individual process, I'm quickly learning that giving my thoughts on anything about it to anyone is destructive.

A person would have to have a very excellent theory of mind to guide other people.

What are your thoughts?

[SOUL]

@Annetta Anything can be constructive, destructive or have no effect at all.... or any mix of them.

I have found the more complex it gets the less likely the teaching is relevant to a wide range of perspectives. Which is why 'teachers' often say alot of stuff in hopes just one little bit hits the spot.

The issue becomes that someone may believe all or much of what those teachers say based on just one piece of it resonating with them so the clarity of that one grain of guidance often gets covered in a mountain of distraction.

Edited January 18, 2018 by SOUL