One Point Mind
  • Home
  • Meditation & Mindfulness
    • Meditation & Mindfulness >
      • Meditation Postures
      • Settling into Practice
      • Beginning Meditation
      • Practicing Patience
      • STOP Technique
      • Breath Meditation
      • Support Group Resources >
        • Body Scan
  • Contemplative Creativity
    • Contemplative Creativity >
      • Zen Art
      • Contemplative Cross-Stitch >
        • Brief History of Cross-Stitch
        • Gridding
      • Contemplative Coloring
      • Contemplative Creating Journal
      • Contemplative Crochet
    • "Nature Doesn't Hurry" 2021 Cross-Stitch-A-Long
    • "B-utiful" 2022 Mystery Cross Stitch-A-Long >
      • "B-utiful" 2022 Mystery SAL >
        • Part 1
        • Part 2
        • Part 3
        • Part 4
        • Part 5
        • Part 6
        • Part 7
        • Part 8
        • Part 9
        • Part 10
        • Part 11
        • Part 12
    • 2023 "Over The Moon" Mystery Cross Stitch-A-Long
  • At The Point Studio
    • handcraft & artwork
  • OPM Virtual
    • About OPM Virtual >
      • Guided Meditations
      • Meditation Teachings
      • Meditation Print Outs
    • Free Teachings & Guided Meditations
  • Personal Mentoring
  • Zen Instruction
  • Blog
  • About Antony
  • Contact

Examining Our Beliefs

10/9/2017

0 Comments

 
We all hold a multitude of beliefs, ideas and opinions about our own lives, other people, ourselves, how the world works, responsibilities, the past, present and future, and so on.

A belief is a statement or doctrine that we have accepted or chosen to uphold as true. However, beliefs are not objective absolutes. They are often a result of choices made from a variety of possibilities. Some beliefs have been in our minds for so long that we don't even question them or even realize they are there in the first place. These beliefs have been places there by our parents, teachers, our culture, communities, religious leaders, the media, the government, scientific institutions, etc. These long held, deeply rooted beliefs are often unconscious and they inform how we perceive reality without our awareness.

Through meditation and mindfulness we can develop and deepen our awareness of who we are and how we feel by uncovering or exploring our unconscious beliefs. When we identify an unconscious belief we can then choose to keep it or replace that belief with one that better fits our experience of reality.

It is important that when exploring our beliefs, to pay attention to how we feel in the process. Sometimes it can be very uncomfortable or even feel threatening to challenge a deeply held belief. There is no need to power through or harshly rid oneself of a belief. Recognize the feeling of fear, anger, defensiveness and worry that arises. Acknowledge those feelings and allow yourself to question if there might be something to be learned at that moment. Enter this process with a sense of wonder and curiosity. Pause and start again when it feels necessary to do so. Keep in mind that we always have a choice to move forward, go back, or stop for a while. 
 ​
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    One realm we have never conquered--the pure present. One great mystery of time is terra incognita to us--the instant. The most superb mystery we have hardly recognized--the immediate, instant self.
    ~ D.H.Lawrence

    Author

    I am Myohye Do'an, a bhikṣu (fully ordained Chán Buddhist monk) and Chán Master. Here I share my thoughts and observations about living a life of compassion, attention and gratitude.

    Archives

    August 2021
    January 2021
    May 2020
    September 2019
    May 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    March 2017
    November 2016

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed


Telephone

315-886-4312

Email

myohyedoan@gmail.com
  • Home
  • Meditation & Mindfulness
    • Meditation & Mindfulness >
      • Meditation Postures
      • Settling into Practice
      • Beginning Meditation
      • Practicing Patience
      • STOP Technique
      • Breath Meditation
      • Support Group Resources >
        • Body Scan
  • Contemplative Creativity
    • Contemplative Creativity >
      • Zen Art
      • Contemplative Cross-Stitch >
        • Brief History of Cross-Stitch
        • Gridding
      • Contemplative Coloring
      • Contemplative Creating Journal
      • Contemplative Crochet
    • "Nature Doesn't Hurry" 2021 Cross-Stitch-A-Long
    • "B-utiful" 2022 Mystery Cross Stitch-A-Long >
      • "B-utiful" 2022 Mystery SAL >
        • Part 1
        • Part 2
        • Part 3
        • Part 4
        • Part 5
        • Part 6
        • Part 7
        • Part 8
        • Part 9
        • Part 10
        • Part 11
        • Part 12
    • 2023 "Over The Moon" Mystery Cross Stitch-A-Long
  • At The Point Studio
    • handcraft & artwork
  • OPM Virtual
    • About OPM Virtual >
      • Guided Meditations
      • Meditation Teachings
      • Meditation Print Outs
    • Free Teachings & Guided Meditations
  • Personal Mentoring
  • Zen Instruction
  • Blog
  • About Antony
  • Contact