Statements
Here are some samples of recent inquiries into beliefs and underlying beliefs.
Questions:
1. Is it true?
2. Can you absolutely know it is true? (a) What is the worst case scenario if you drop attachment to the thought/belief? (a2) Examine that statement using the four questions + turnaround.
3. What happens when you believe it? (physical, emotional, mental, behavior, relationships)
4. Who/what would you be without attachment to the thought?
5. Turnarounds (is there a way that each is as true as the original statement?)
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Without attachment to content (thoughts/beliefs) it would be scary/boring.
1. No. 2. No
3. Fear, apprehension, confusion, lost, alone, isolated, frustration, contraction, wildness, restlessness, dispersed, wanting to be somewhere else.
4. Space, clarity, tranquility, resting here/now, fullness, richness, expansion.
5a. >>> Without attachment to content, it would not be scary/boring. (yes, would be fulfilling, rich, home).
5b. >> With attachment to content, it would be scary/boring. (yes, scary and boring is what it is - a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs, waiting for the next exiting experience).
5c. With attachment to content, it would not be scary/boring. (yes, fully engaged in the drama of life, fully engaged in the rollercoaster - anything but boring).
5d. >> With non-attachment to content, it would not be scary/boring. (yes, tranquility, space, home).
5e. With non-attachment to content, it would be scary/boring. (yes, that too - inclusive, everything reflected).
5f. Without non-attachment to content, it would not be scary/boring. (yes, completely wrapped up in the drama of life).
5g. Without non-attachment to content, it would be scary/boring. (yes, being caught up in thoughts brings fear and boredom - wrapped up in hope/fear of an imaginary future).
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He is disgusting (triggered by someone spitting in front of the library).
1. No. 2. No.
3. Repulsion, judgment, blame, frustration, self-righteous, separation, loss of connection.
3a. "I would be like him." i. No. ii. No. iii. Fear, apprehension, frustration, cornered. iv. Space, clarity, equanimity. v. "I wouldn't be like him" (yes, would be the same as now only more inclusive, more of a sense of connection).
4. Space, clarity, connection, intimacy, recognition, compassion, engagement, energy.
5a. >>> I am disgusting (yes, my thoughts are disgusting - have disgusting effects when I believe in them).
5b. He is not disgusting (yes, those are only my thoughts, not connected with reality).
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He shouldn't try to be something different than what he is.
1. No. 2. No.
3. Judgment, hardness, contraction, tension, flattening, confusion, apprehension, separation.
3a. "I would try to be something different than what I am are". i. No. ii. No. iii. Confusion, fear. iv. Space, clarity. v. "I would not try to be something different than what I am" (yes, would be in equanimity, comfortable with what is - whatever is).
4. Space, clarity, connection, intimacy, recognition, equanimity, ease, comfort with what is.
5a. I shouldn't try to be something different than what I am (yes, I am what I am - and can be comfortable with it as it is).
5b. I should try to be something different than what I am (yes, always room for growing into something else).
5c. >> I shouldn't try to be something different than what he is (yes, what I see in him is also in me - there is no separation).
5d. I should try to be something different than what he is (yes, we all have unique flavors, unique expressions).
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People should understand me.
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Something terrible is going to happen
(a persistent feeling/subconscious belief since childhood).
1. No (depends on definition). 2. No.
3. Panic, can't sleep (wake up early in the morning), restlessness, butterflies in stomach, want to be somewhere else, discomfort, isolation, separation, terror.
3a. "If I drop the thought, I won't protect myself". i. No. ii. No. iii. Fear, terror, panic, restlessness, tension, unfocused, victim. iv. Clarity, no separation, comfort. v. "If I don't drop the thought, I won't protect myself" (yes, will be caught up in and blinded by terror and fear, less able to respond appropriately to situations). "If I drop the thought, I will protect myself" (yes, will rest in spacious awareness, more able to respond appropriately to situations).
4. Clarity, space, joy, engaged, juiciness, vibrancy, fullness, fluidity, responsiveness.
5a. Something terrible is not going to happen. (yes, when stay in spacious clear awareness, everything just is - as it is - beyond terrible and wonderful. Can meet it with clear spaciousness, respond to it appropriately. Be with it.)
5b. Something good is going to happen. (yes, everything is in flux - good/bad situations as judged by the small self come and go. And letting go of the thought allows me to stay in awareness, with its inherent bliss and clarity - isn't that pretty good?)
5c. Something good is not going to happen. (yes, when I stay in awareness it operates beyond dualities, beyond good/bad. Something good does not happen, nor something bad. Everything just is - beyond dualities).
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I need to develop all my potentials to the fullest in this life.
(May 2, w. Robin)
1. No. 2. No.
3. Constriction in stomach and panic. Sense of enormous burden, which makes it almost impossible to make a choice. And when I choose, there is apprehension that is not right. I look for anything that does not seem right, which in turn triggers panic (if 99% seem "right", the last one percent that seems "off" triggers panic and confusion). The genuine passion gets mixed up with all the consequences of believing this thought, such as fear, panic, paralyzation, apprehension - and this in turn leads to confusion.
4. Relaxed, able to follow the voice of passion, whether it is strong or not. Allow myself to stay with what is, even if it does not seem 100% "right" at the moment - can see it as part of a larger/longer process. Process focus (rather than endpoint focus). Enjoyment, joy, passion. Confidence. Trust in existence and how this life unfolds, in the big picture and the everyday situations.
5a. I do not need to develop all my potentials to the fullest in this life. (Yes, what is is. Can allow myself to follow and trust the process rather than trying to achieve an "end point".)
5b. >> I need to develop all my potentials in all lives. (Yes, I can allow others to do pieces of it, to manifest it and bring it into the world. This takes some of the pressure from me and gives a sense of relief, because I know that someone else is already bringing it into the world. It is not all about me anymore.)