EP 97 Is It True?

In this episode I share about a self enquiry process that can help spiritual seekers examine through the lens of critical faculty beliefs that they hold or that they are being served by religious or spiritual leaders.

But first, we should start with us. This episode is a follow up on how the mind works which I believe is an incredibly important episode for us spiritual seekers. The mind is both wonderful and dangerous and we need to know how to use it safely. Peace starts with us, as we explore in the interview with Barbara With and that starts with examining our own thoughts.

The process is called "The Work" and was created (or received) by Byron Katie at a time in her life where she wasn't functioning any more and she realised that a big part of her suffering came from her own thoughts. It is obviously nothing new to practices such a buddhism. However, what is unique and powerful about her process is that it is incredible simple. People confuse simplicity with lack of power. Nothing could be further from the truth. Simple things can sometimes be a lot harder than complex ones. And believe me, her process packs a punch.

It rests in four simple questions:

1. Is it true?
2. Are you sure?
3. How do you feel when you believe this thought?
4. Who would you be without it? Or how would you feel without it?

Then she asks you to turn your thought around and instead of pointing the finger at others (something that the ego looooooves to do - yes I know about this because I have an ego too), and take it back to you. It's also a lesson in acceptance which ties in with the F**k It Experiment in conducted in June.

In the episode I go through the process about a belief that has been making me angry of late, and that is that my knees are ruining my life. I had a knee injury last year and just as I am finally able to run again, my other knee has decided to pack up. Grrrr.

But we also need to use this process to go through the b**sh*t that we are constantly served by spiritual and religious leaders. And I used the example of the Virgin birth and how that ties into the "divine feminine" (to hear my thoughts on that concept, listen to episode 50 here) and Jesus' celibacy which makes us all feel ashamed about our basic emotional and sexual needs.

So take it into your spiritual journey to be more discerning about what and who you believe. It's a spiritual jungle out there, remember. Keep yourself safe.

If you would like to explore beliefs in a safe space with a professional (me), why not book a discovery call with this link. You can start working with me from as little as £111 a month.