Belief: The Foundation of Spirituality

Beliefs are important to everyone.

There is a tendency to separate religion from spirituality but should we? Religion is a part of spirituality.  Spirituality by a broad definition, refers to that which we cannot see with our physical eye. Spirituality comprises thoughts, belief systems, emotions, soul, mind and spirit. These ideas are of interest to the religious as well as the cosmic spiritual individual.

We encourage all our clients to take an interest in spirituality because this is where your beliefs lie. And your beliefs determine your health and wellness. They also determine how successful you will be in life. Can you govern your mind and soul? How do you create functional beliefs? What is a belief system? What is the authentic self?  Answering these questions are crucial to wellbeing as well as your ability to achieve.

In this lesson your attention is brought to focus on beliefs and belief systems.

The body comprises many systems (for example, the circulatory system). The circulatory system creates a framework that guarantees consistency and efficiency of supply of nutrients to all body parts and the removal of waste and toxins. If  the circulatory system dysfunctions, the whole body suffers from lack of nutrients and a build up of toxins and other waste.

Your mind and spirit have a system of operation that guarantees their wellbeing as well. This system of operation is called a belief system. A belief system, like any other system, is a collection of interconnected components that work together to achieve a purpose. In the case of belief systems, the purpose is to assist the individual in an understanding of who they are, making sense of the world and enhancing relationships.

Beliefs emanate from many sources, for e.g., environment, events, information, past experiences, and visualization. But the emanation takes place from a focal point. There are four focal points identified – spiritual, experiential, cultural and cupidity. Within each of these focal points are fundamental thoughts which governs
1. Existence (Who am I?).
2. Life (What is life and its value?).
3. Purpose (Why am I here?).
4. Relationship (What is my relationship to other entities within the cosmos?) and,
5. Law (Why do we need order and organization?).
 

The knowledge we derive from information as well as our experiences are determined by whether we perceive ourselves as  spiritual, experiential, cultural, or cupidity. This, along with our state of consciousness and awareness, give rise to differences in beliefs.

Here is an example of how Life may be perceived using the four points of reference.

Spiritual Belief: Life is movement. I value my ability to move and to rest – to create and to destroy. Life is all about learning. The power lies within me for inner change/transformation.

Experiential Belief: I am not responsible for what I have become. I am the product of what life presents to me.

Cultural Belief: From my cultural perspective life is…. I have never given the word ‘life ‘ much thought. I know  life is hard because everyone around me is finds it challenging.  I fear the afterlife.

Cupidity Belief: In the absence of achievement life is as good as dead. Life is meaningful when I am achieving something material as proof of my upward mobility.

 

Self Reflection

WEEKLY QUOTE

Memorize the following quote

Tell me how I can become what I have learnt without practice. Tell me how to change my world without changing my thoughts. Tell me how to live that life I know nothing of. Tell me how to reach my highest height without having to extend myself an inch. Tell me how to embrace what is new without anxiety and discomfort. Tell me how to reach for that which is truly me without knowing who I truly am. (Victoria Elizabethaan – Pauline Bell)

  • What a belief system?
  • Try and identify one belief or thought that has evolved over time for you. How was this evolutionary experience effectuated?
  • Looking back what were the aids to this evolutionary experience?
  • What does having dominion over oneself means to you?
  • Is it possible for an individual to evolve without an expansion of his/her thought process (i.e. without acquiring more knowledge)?
  • According to this lesson in a critical analysis of your belief system what are you looking for?
  • Would you say that  ‘the thought process of an individual is an identity mark of the state of the consciousness’? Explain.
  • Surface six (6) answers that address what you have learnt from the above lesson. Start each sentence with ‘What  I learn from this lesson is ….’
  • ACTION PLAN: This lesson has caused me to decide to take the following action……

Prepared by Think Wellness.

 

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