Eliminating Beliefs Exercise

"We delude ourselves that we want to instill honesty in our children: what we really want is to imbue them with our particular kind of dishonesty, with our culture's dishonesty." – Sidney Harris

A belief is something we consider to be true, but it is merely a concept, not the truth itself. Our beliefs shape how we perceive the world, influence our reactions, drive our pursuits, and guide our decisions.

In The Book of Not Knowing by Peter Ralston, beliefs are categorized into three types:

- Consciously Adopted Beliefs: Beliefs we choose to embrace consciously.

- Programming: Subconscious beliefs instilled during childhood and shaped by culture.

- Assumptions: Unrecognized beliefs that exist in the mind as simple facts.

We all develop a set of beliefs as part of our self-preservation within society. There’s nothing inherently wrong with these beliefs, but the problem arises when we accept them as absolute truths. When life challenges these beliefs, we often experience suffering.

In The Book of Not Knowing, there's an exercise designed to eliminate beliefs. If you’re interested, here’s how to participate:

1. List all your beliefs (what you consider to be true) across the three categories mentioned above.

2. Sort them into the following baskets:

Hearsay:
- The earth is round
- The government should take care of its people
- Climate change is real
- Everyone’s opinion should be respected
- All cults are bad
- Supplements are good for me
- Sugar is bad
- We can all become who we want to be if we have the desire, a plan, and persistence
- Sleeping early and waking up early is good for me

Personally Experienced:
- Mindless activities make my mind lazy
- Learning to code makes me thrilled

To Be Considered Later:
- Reading provides knowledge        

This is not an exhaustive list; you can add to it whenever you identify something you believe to be true. The purpose of this exercise is to recognize that some of the "truths" we've held are actually beliefs, and once identified as such, we can choose to let them go.

For me, each time I recognize and eliminate a belief, a new experience emerges. I feel a sense of freedom and openness. The key to this exercise is honesty and curiosity, and the reward is liberation.

By challenging and letting go of these beliefs, I’m continually discovering new perspectives and possibilities. This exercise isn’t about rejecting everything you’ve ever believed, but about gaining clarity and freedom from the assumptions that no longer serve you. I invite you to try this exercise and see what unfolds for you. The journey towards self-discovery and truth is one of the most rewarding paths we can take.

Feel free to share your experiences or any insights you gain along the way. Let’s embark on this journey of freeing our minds together.