LTBH: COGNITIVE DISTORTIONS

02: Understanding Cognitive Dissonance

LTBH: COGNITIVE DISTORTIONS Understanding Cognitive Dissonance Healing is about realising wholeness, unity and integrity. True happiness, and lasting contentment depend

12: The Illusion of Ownership

LTBH: COGNITIVE DISTORTIONS Labelling: the Illusion of Ownership Ownership is a concept, and possession, is a relationship.  When I think,

13: The Illusion of Relationship

LTBH: COGNITIVE DISTORTIONS Labelling: the Illusion of Relationship I started the lesson by saying “ownership is a concept, and possession,

14: How We Filter Information

LTBH: COGNITIVE DISTORTIONS Understanding Cognitive Bias Do you think our anecdotal recollections of an experience are accurate?  Why do people

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LTBH: THE FOUNDATIONS My Account [pmpro_levels] Relection: What Am I Attached To? Get out your notepad. Name several things you

More Commitments of the Spiritual Scientist

This lesson reviews the tasks and commitments you’ve been asked to make as a Spiritual Scientist. Read them over carefully. It’s a lot to remember and keep in mind. 

There’s no need to feel overwhelmed. Just do your best right now to focus on the things which are most striking to you. You can always come back to review these commitments at another time.

Make a habit of relating to your possessions as something independent of yourself, that you are merely borrowing. 

This attitude will foster more appreciation, more gratitude, more generosity, and minimise the feelings of worry or loss that come from taking pride in, or depending on material things to make us happy.

Secondly, notice when the sense of ownership and entitlement arises within you, and practice letting go of that possessiveness by bringing attention to your body. Consciously slow down, and consciously relax. Practice letting things, be things.

Remind yourself: nothing’s happening to me, I am not my possessions.

Remember people aren’t their roles. They don’t owe you anything. Try relating to the people in your life as if they were merely guests. Try not to have expectations. Try relating to them, as if they had no responsibility for your feelings. Think of them completely free to think, feel, say and do whatever they want.

Don’t assume a persons thoughts, feelings, fears or desires, are a reflection of you, and your worth. 

Remember that what each person thinks and feels, says more about them than it does about us. Try to let them be themselves. Don’t make it about you.

It’s all too easy to be biased. Our thoughts, emotions, and biology are somewhat geared toward taking extra notice of, thing which appear to confirm our beliefs.

As a Spiritual Scientist, you must value the truth!

Make a commitment to questioning what you know and how you know it. Do your best to see every topic and situation from different perspectives by making use of the following questions:

  • Am I certain?
  • What don’t I know about this?
  • Am I emotionally invested in this conclusion?
  • What am I not seeing?
  • Is there another way to look at this?
  • What evidence is there against my point of view?
  • What would this look like from so and so’s perspective?

Cultivate your willingness to see things from another perspective. Don’t seek certainty but truth. That means you must be willing to evaluate and re-evaluate your perspective again and again. 

As a Spiritual Scientist, you want to be aware of how different things affect you, whether that is books, music, TV, movies, activities or other people.

It’s important to make a commitment of minimising your exposure to negative influences and maximising your exposure to positive influences.

Here are some suggestions for you:

  • Seek the company of people who are patient, kind and loving.
  • Spend more time with people who are open minded and willing to question your opinions.
  • Spend less time with people whose thoughts, feelings, words and actions encourage your unwanted habits.
  • Spend less time with people who rely on drugs to have a good time, or who complain a lot.
  • Unfollow groups and people on social media that share emotionally charged, polarising statements. You can hide all posts from people without unfriending them.
  • Follow groups and people that share positive quotes and inspiring stories. Your social media applications also have a way of making these appear at the top of your feed so that they’re the first thing you see.
  • Replace watching TV shows and movies that feature violence and relationship drama with shows that teach life skills and help you to appreciate nature and human life.
  • Join the Learning To Be Happy Facebook group where I only ever share positive inspiration.

Earlier in the course, I talked about distinguishing what is real, from what is imagined. 

We’ve also talked a lot about valuing the truth, and cultivating a sincere interest in seeing the way things are – which is what’s observed when we have no beliefs. 

At the same time, when it comes to thoughts, stories, explanations and meaning, there often is no concrete truth, and there tends to be a level of uncertainty to it all. With such things it’s more important to ask whether it is useful or not.

Your task, as a spiritual scientist, is to keep an open mind about everyone’s beliefs and experiences. To remember the power of imagination. To explore how different concepts effect you, and to use your imagination in a purposeful way to generate the feelings you want to feel.

If you’re familiar with spirits, energy work, and other esoteric or mystical things, I’m asking you to loosen your grip on the language you use. Let go of the idea they are firm realities, existing in exactly the way that you conceive. Be more open and more flexible in your interpretation of how these things exist. Look for commonalities, not differences, when trying to relate to other people. Honour the feelings more than the stories.

If you’re not familiar with spirits, energy work and other esoteric or mystical things, I’m asking you to let go of any beliefs you may have about them. If you believe that they’re not real, practice letting go of that. What do you know? Not very much. if you believe it’s bad, or delusional to believe in or practice these things, practice letting go of that. There is something useful there, which you’re missing out on. Remember, imagined experiences are real experiences. To make proper use of your imagination, you must be willing to explore new things.