How much does belief shape life experience?

[guthrio]

Originally Posted by Tanemon

Yeah, I agree with this. Though it seems that in the realm of intuition and some kinds of spiritual/energetic accomplishment, things often proceed on the basis of gaining "a feel" for actualities or ways of working, rather than apprehending concepts (or maybe principles ).


I can agree. You know, maybe it will be helpful to explain why I started this thread. Somebody, on another thread, wrote the following to me:

What you see in your reality is intrinsically dependent on your beliefs and definitions about it. We often have many things backwards on this planet, like for example saying "seeing is believing", when it is actually "believing is seeing".

I know for myself, there have been things I've experienced that do not fit with standard or 'current scientific' beliefs. They have not even seemed fit with what I, personally, believed at the time I experienced them.

On the other hand, I have no doubt that my experience and capabilities may be limited by certain conscious or unconscious beliefs that I currently have.

Tanemon,

Glad you agree.

....and how does one deal with Doubt ?

The way I deal with doubt is to recognize it for what it is......just another belief....on the road to discovery of Truth.

Again, can there be any truer indictment of the history of mankind’s exploration and discovery of both scientific and religious Truth than to acknowledge that it is replete with examples of this or that doubt-ridden scientist or religious prelate lamenting or pontificating that this or that phenomena is impossible ???

For me, the really cool thing about doubt is that it's perfectly OK to do so.

Doubt ALL you want.....until you discover the Truth you seek for yourself.....that's just been WAITING for you !

Then you will no longer need to substitute the Truth you've found with the doubt (false perception) you temporarily put in its place.

Because the Truth we seek cannot change or BE changed....even while we're looking for it, or after we've found it....

As Life-shaping experiences go, that's a win-win under any scenario !!....

[Tanemon]

Originally Posted by guthrio

For me, the really cool thing about doubt is that it's perfectly OK to do so.

Doubt ALL you want.....until you discover the Truth you seek for yourself.....that's just been WAITING for you !

Then you will no longer need to substitute the Truth you've found with the doubt (false perception) you temporarily put in its place.

Because the Truth we seek cannot change or BE changed....even while we're looking for it, or after we've found it....!!....

This sounds good, but assumes that the Truth a person finds is "the final Truth". But... possibly the person has found out something with greater accuracy or truth than what he or she knew before, yet there may still be a deeper, "truer" truth still waiting to be discovered. A higher level, if you will.

This happens in science (such as physics), and I'd think it may also happen in our spiritual lives.

Orca had something interesting to say, in post #14 in this thread:

Originally Posted by Orca

I do tend to feel that experiences come first, and then there is a choice in terms of what to believe or conclude as a result of those experiences. The mind tries to make sense of something that happened, and comes up with a belief to explain it.

A lot of things simply cannot be understood until they are personally experienced (ie, what it's like to have a serious illness, or be a multi billionare, etc). The knowing of having had that experience occurs. Then the belief of what and how and why it happened sets in after that, to make sense of it all.

She talks of belief or conclusion being the result of new and interesting experiences. The rational mind attempting to make sens of deeper experience.

[guthrio]

Originally Posted by Tanemon

This sounds good, but assumes that the Truth a person finds is "the final Truth". But... possibly the person has found out something with greater accuracy or truth than what he or she knew before, yet there may still be a deeper, "truer" truth still waiting to be discovered. A higher level, if you will.

This happens in science (such as physics), and I'd think it may also happen in our spiritual lives.

Orca had something interesting to say, in post #14 in this thread:

She talks of belief or conclusion being the result of new and interesting experiences. The rational mind attempting to make sens of deeper experience.

Tanemon,

Truth is immutable.

Choice is what allows us to experience IT painfully or gainfully....

There was a scene in the movie "Electra" where Jennifer Garner's teacher says the following to her after she was unable to muster the will to complete her assignment to assassinate a man and his son,....

"There are some lessons in life that must be lived in order to be understood. I always knew your heart was pure. Now you do...."

Life is a continuous opportunity to choose to listen to or ignore....the immutable Truth of Reality...as it is, not as we wish it to be or as we believe it to be.

But whether experienced as new, interesting, exhilarating, or painful...Truth, or rather Reality as it is, yet awaits our experience of it, from which we then form rational, or irrational beliefs that may or may not help us continue to perceive advantageously.

The snake is not always a rope coiled in the grass.

A coiled rope in the grass is not always a snake.

Belief informs us what it may be.

But Truth informs us what it is...whether we believe it or not