| Today I would like to pose a question for discussion. | | | | group of people. |
| Can we as individuals ever be free of all of our past | | | | His cultural beliefs, social conditioning, nationality, and |
| social conditioning? By social conditioning I mean to | | | | religion had taught him that no one likes him or his |
| include all of our past experiences, our cultural beliefs, | | | | kind. Note that many religious groups and nationalities |
| nationality, political orientation and religious | | | | have been persecuted over the millennium. As a |
| backgrounds. It seems to me that this can be an | | | | matter of fact, cultural beliefs, religion, politics, and |
| extremely difficult undertaking. Can we be free of all | | | | nationality are the root cause for most wars and |
| of our past conditioning and observe life without any | | | | human suffering in the world. Every religious or |
| prejudice, comparison, conformity, imitation, or | | | | political group and nationality has felt persecution at |
| division and conflict? This is the question I would like | | | | one time or another. But I regress. |
| to open for discussion today. | | | | The main point I want to make is that an individual's |
| Why should we bother to take on such a difficult | | | | cultural beliefs, social conditioning, nationality, and |
| undertaking? What is the purpose? We all find so | | | | religious background can cause them to take on an |
| much comfort in conforming to a group of | | | | extremely negative view of the world. We have |
| like-minded individuals. There's comfort in numbers. | | | | been taught from childhood, by our parents, relatives, |
| Right. Why bother changing? | | | | teachers, etc., that certain groups of "people" are |
| The problem then, as I see it, is that when we are | | | | always subject to persecution. This knowledge is |
| conditioned by the past, we tend to perceive both | | | | then passed on to our children, and their children, etc. |
| ourselves and our surroundings in an unclear way. We | | | | We become insecure and non-trusting, to the point |
| begin to conform and imitate those that we believe | | | | of isolationism. In other words we can only trust our |
| to have greater knowledge and authority over us. | | | | own kind, and we have been raised to believe that |
| This in turn leads to great inner conflict, pain and | | | | we can not trust others. |
| suffering. Our very conformity creates isolation and | | | | I wonder if you can see all of this? If you can see |
| separates us from others that don't belong to our | | | | this, really understand it down to your core, because |
| group. | | | | then and only then will it ever be possible to become |
| We begin to question both those in authority and | | | | free of it all. |
| ourselves in an attempt to get at the truth. Or even | | | | Do you agree that this social conditioning, these |
| worse some of us blindly follow those in charge, | | | | beliefs of culture, religion, nationality, politics, etc. |
| never questioning their authority or values. | | | | create some heavy baggage for us to carry? Do you |
| What gives others the right to have authority over | | | | see how this conditioning can isolate us from |
| us? Why should we assume that they are correct in | | | | everyone else that doesn't share our particular |
| their assumptions or that they can perceive things | | | | beliefs? This separation and isolation leads to conflict, |
| and make decisions based on those perceptions any | | | | pain and suffering. |
| better than we can? For all we know they - those in | | | | In effect these beliefs create a self-fulfilling prophecy. |
| authority, our political and spiritual leaders, even our | | | | I don't like anyone else that doesn't share my beliefs, |
| parents - may be living in a delusional state. | | | | so I don't like you and in turn you don't like me either. |
| I hope you understand the gravity of this question. | | | | I won't let you like me. I am insecure. I have been |
| Because this is life. These decisions that our authority | | | | taught that others will cause me pain. This insecurity |
| figures make shape the very foundation of our lives. | | | | causes me to withdraw, and pull away from others. |
| Their decisions cause wars, poverty, pestilence, and | | | | This insecurity causes me to believe that I am better |
| turmoil in the world. Their decisions cause pain and | | | | than everyone else. I must prop myself up to feel |
| suffering for all of us. This is the stuff we deal with | | | | more secure and confident. I must constantly |
| every single day of our lives. These questions need | | | | compare myself to others: I am better, I am worse, |
| answering if we every hope to understand why | | | | you have more money than me, you are smarter |
| people, including ourselves, behave and act the way | | | | than me, etc. etc. etc. I am in effect living in a |
| that they do. | | | | self-created delusion that leads to further conflict, |
| Through Meditation and Yoga we hope to explore | | | | and even more pain and suffering. |
| the most fundamental constructs of our lives and | | | | Beliefs, in the form of nationalism, religious teachings, |
| learn why we act in certain ways, and why others | | | | and political preferences, cause us to see things in an |
| act the way that they do. This questioning and | | | | unclear way. These beliefs are of the past; they |
| exploration for answers leads to intelligence and | | | | represent actions from the past, but yet we allow |
| wisdom. Through Meditation and Yoga we attempt | | | | these beliefs to alter our present. We live our lives |
| to quiet our minds and become free of the constant | | | | through a shroud of memories that we have |
| thoughts and chatter that our minds create. | | | | accumulated from our parents, teachers, religious and |
| Meditation and Yoga can give us the freedom we | | | | political leaders. And we accept these teachings as |
| need to understand ourselves and our surroundings in | | | | truth, often without question. |
| a clear and focused way. | | | | We are programmed from birth by others. Without |
| I overheard a conversation the other day. Without | | | | question we accept their beliefs as truths, and then |
| discussing the specifics, it was a father, daughter and | | | | we allow their beliefs to affect and alter our |
| the daughter's friend. They were discussing the | | | | reality...to alter our perception, causing us to see the |
| daughter's chances of being accepted to a particular | | | | world and ourselves in an unclear way. We live in |
| prestigious college. The daughter seemed very | | | | isolation, separate from others, insecure and believing |
| excited about her prospects. | | | | that others will cause us pain. When in actuality it is |
| Then the father said something very interesting and | | | | these very beliefs that are the true cause of all of |
| at the same time quite disturbing. He said, "She | | | | our pain and suffering. |
| probably won't get accepted though, because they | | | | Through meditation and yoga we can shed ourselves |
| never accept our kind". Both the daughter and friend | | | | of these harmful thoughts and cultural beliefs. |
| looked at each other, and were quite surprised by | | | | Through the practice of meditation and yoga we can |
| this statement. I believe the friend said something | | | | quiet our minds and learn to live life in the moment |
| like, "What do you mean?" The father replied,"They | | | | without the harmful thoughts and cultural beliefs that |
| just don't like our kind. Everyone knows it. We | | | | cause us so much pain and suffering. We can |
| always get passed over." The friend replied, "I didn't | | | | become observant and understand when these |
| know that. Why is that?" The father replied, "They | | | | thoughts and beliefs of the past are affecting our |
| just don't like us. Maybe we have too much money | | | | judgment. From this we can attain a fresh |
| or something, I'm not really sure why, but it's true." | | | | perspective and increased power and clarity of mind. |
| The father was referring to people that share his | | | | I will explore this notion further the next time we |
| particular cultural beliefs and religious background. | | | | meet. |
| Note that the daughter's friend has a different set of | | | | There are so many secrets that Yoga and Meditation |
| cultural beliefs and religious background than the | | | | will reveal to you. There are so many ways that |
| father. And interestingly, the friend really didn't know | | | | Yoga and Meditation can make your life easier and |
| what the father was talking about. But yet the | | | | more fulfilling. Come and explore these secrets with |
| father's perspective was that everyone had negative | | | | me now by going to: |
| feelings towards his particular cultural beliefs and | | | | To a Stress Free and Abundant Life! |