(^108) SECRETS OF SHAMANISM
Appropriate Destruction: Beliefs
Now that you have divested yourself of burdensome un-
wanted possessions, you have paved the way toward elimi-
nating outdated and worn-out beliefs that once served you
but no longer do. This includes old limiting beliefs and ideas
about what you can and can't do. As with possessions, beliefs
are imbued with your life spirit and require a constant supply
of it to keep them in your current memory bank (mental
closet). When your mind is filled with a mishmash of com-
peting and sometimes opposing beliefs, you tend to become
paralyzed and unable to make decisions or initiate action.
It is easy for us to identify so closely with our beliefs that
we get mixed up and think that our beliefs are actually parts
of ourselves. Unfortunately, this is the stuff of wars and
feuds. How many battles have been fought over the belief
that one side has dishonored the other simply because they
had a different set of beliefs? How many religious and ideo-
logical wars have been fought over nothing more than con-
flicting belief systems?
Here is an opportunity for you to go through your beliefs
systematically and discover how closely identified with them
you are. Remember that it takes some courage to disidentify
from some of your cherished beliefs and stand apart from
them.
You can probably recall a belief that you once firmly held
that you no longer hold. Perhaps it was a childhood belief in
Santa Claus or a conviction that you would be struck by
lightning if you told a lie. Although these beliefs were once
"held" by you they were not "you." You went on to change
your belief, and you continue to change your mind about
things without losing your overall integrity as a person. Keep
this in mind as you do the following exercise.
Exercise #3: Appropriate Destruction: Beliefs
Sit down and make a list of beliefs and ideas that you hold
about different categories of experience. For example, make
a list of everything you believe to be true about "men" or
"women" or "money" or "work" or "who you are" and so
on. Particularly list those beliefs that you wish you did not
have, but have to admit are there. You will find this exercise,
like the possessions exercise, to be both relieving and some-
what anxiety provoking. Stick with it. It's worth knowing
what you've been dragging around.
Now go back and next to each belief, write out the exact
opposite belief. You may find yourself feeling uncomfortable