Learning to See My Own Conditioned Beliefs

 Many years ago, I was working with a spiritual teacher who challenged pretty much everything I said.  All the beliefs I grew up with and my biases were fair game. This deconstruction didn't happen in a violent or abusive way; in fact, there was a gentleness in how it was carried out that I appreciate to this day.

This morning's inspiring conversation brought that situation to mind again. Our psychological conditioning is a powerful psychological mechanism that insures our survival, but there also seems to be an evolutionary imperative to grow beyond the life we were conditioned to have.

While the conversation this morning was primarily centered on deconstructing prejudice and biases, my reflections afterward threw many more sacred cows under the bus.  Beliefs about who I am and how life is, and how the world is supposed to work all can be called into question and brought to greater scrutiny in the light of awareness. 

For me, the value of coaching has been a safe place in which to examine these qualities of mine without added shame and judgement and just honestly acknowledge that I see them. I remember asking my teacher what I could do about them once they were seen. He suggested that trying to change beliefs or exchange them was just more conditioning. His advice? Being aware of them is enough to change them.

More insights and questions to be found in the episode.

#psychology #conditioning #biases