What do you Believe?

A simple enough question. An answer may range from the deeply religious or political, or to the mundane, every day beliefs that we hold about ourselves and our place in the world.

Yet how often do we question these beliefs that we subscribe to. Do we question where they come from? Are our beliefs based on faith? On science? On experience? But why do we hold certain beliefs above other beliefs.

Why are we so sure of our beliefs, are they truly better than the beliefs of others?

Fundamentally it depends upon where you were born, when you were born, into what social environment you were born. What were you parents beliefs? Did you inherit their beliefs? And what about society, did you adopt the beliefs of your society, certainly society would have continually reinforced those commonly accepted beliefs as being ‘real’.

Surely a belief is a product of conditioning. Your parents pass on their fundamental beliefs to you and reinforce them every day of the time you spend with them. You leave home, still holding onto those beliefs. Those beliefs will have a very basic effect on the rest of your life.

Many thoughts, words or actions will be based on some fundamental beliefs about who you are and how you fit into the world around you. Depending upon the strength of your commitment to various beliefs you will find yourself in situations that either support your beliefs or challenge them.

The many different cultural belief create the diversity of the world which is an amazing thing. Problems arise when some cultures try to impost their values on another culture, believing (that word again!) that their way is the better way, the right way, the only way.

What makes anyone belief pattern better than any other? Is it faith? Or is it simply a numbers game? The more people you have believing the same way that you do, giving you a sense of righteousness?

An obvious example is religion, The Crusades! Where one religion with a very large following conflicted with another religion, also with a very large following. Both believing they were right! Countless people have died fighting for their belief. Yet all these years later conflict still continues.

A more recent example, politics. The left and the right (?) Where one group are convinced their way is a better way. This will always lead to conflict. The more polarised a society is the more they will experience conflict. And conflict doesn’t start out fighting against others with a fundamentally different belief than you. It starts within an individual.

When we hold strongly polarised points of view our focus on this beliefs create, via neurology a particular chemical which is released into the body which in its turn generates a change in physiology, which we interpret as a feeling, or an emotion. The more we identify with that ‘chemically induced emotion’ the more we seem to become that which we give energy to.

It doesn’t take long before we are convinced that the ‘feeling’ is ours. Convinced that we are that feeling we tend to defend it at all costs, so immediately we are in opposition to those who have identified with different feelings. Obviously tolerance of other beliefs plays a part in our relationships, but that tolerance only goes so far. When the ‘other’ appears to impose upon our ‘boundaries’ the safe zone in which we live and operate is challenge and we need to ‘do’ something to correct or modify that uncomfortable feeling that arises when we are pushed out of our comfort zone.

The more we push, the more resistance we meet. This ends up creating in both parties a greater amount of the chemical associated with the feeling, which intensifies the feeling. If the feeling brings either of the parties involved discomfort we will do whatever it takes to escape from the feeling. Violence may be a last resort but it is always possible. Not necessarily physical violence. Violence can be verbal, emotional or psychological. This adds to any animosity between the two parties, sometimes this feeling is carried over and charge builds within each of the persons involved. This charge basically introduces what may be considered ‘negative’ or ‘toxic’ chemicals into the body leading to all sorts of issues.

Sometimes physical but often emotional, as the pressure builds in the system the functions of the body start to break down. The bodies nervous system can only take so much stress before symptoms become obvious. Pretty soon the body is in a fight or flight condition, this is not a healing place for the body. To even begin healing itself the body must be in a safe and relaxed place. Fight or flight is most definitely not that place.

When any system, mechanical, electrical of human is put under undue stress, more than the system was designed for problems arise and parts of the system, too weak to hold the stress, collapse. Our body is the same. When confronted by too much stress we look for release. When our focus is directed against an enemy, real or imagined, then we unload onto that enemy, in the belief that it will make us feel safe once again.

It will not. Because the fundamental issue, the association with a particular belief pattern, is still running the show, albeit from the shadow (Jung’s subconscious).

Conflict continues because the party that you believed to be the enemy will retaliate.

And so it goes.

And all because of a belief that you were indoctrinated into as a young child. A belief that you had no influence of control over. A ‘hand-me-down’ belief.

Is this the best use of your time on this wonderful planet?