On day 24 I wrote about the question how I see and define myself in this world. When I review my self-committment statements they sound pretty vague and unspecific. This does not seem to be very helpful, even to me, as even after two days I cannot always remember what I meant by them. Therefore, I want to pick up those statements, one each day, and make them more specific.
“I commit myself to stop accepting other peoples ideas as my own simply because they sound true and advanced, or because they fit my model of the universe.”
I made this statement because I realized that the truth of other people, other peoples ideas, their convictions, their beliefs, their knoweledge, etc. are not at all any more important than my own. How, just how, can they really KNOW more than I? They may think and believe they know more than I do, particualr in a certain area of study, as they might have studied it more extensively than I. But what they did is only sutdying even other poeples idea about the subject at hand. That is not knowledge as I see it. It simply a belief in certain facts.
So then the question arises how I see those things? What do I KNOW, out of my own being, on a certain subject even without having studied it (thus accepting other people view on it)? I am not saying that some models of how the world works (for example gravity or electricity or chemistry) are not worthwhile. All I am saying is that somebody, or many over the centuries, propagated and reinforced some idea about those subjects that we all now tend to believe because they make sense from the established point of view. But my question is: is it true? Have we perhaps missed something? Why should I accept these established views?
Well, I am accepting these views, gravity for example, as long as they serve a purpose. As long as I know gravity works the way it works, I will not jump off a high building. But on the other hand, as long as we collectively believe in gravity, how can we ever challenge its effect on us and overcome it? I must think of Neo in the movie series “The Matrix” who questioned his belief in gravity (and many other things) and thus was indeed able to overcome them. My point here is that if we do not challenge our well established ideas about anything and everything, things will not change. And if we do, they might.
The character Neo is a prime example of what might happen when we start disbelieving established views and think for ourselves and try for ourselves. This is why I commit myself to stop accepting other peoples ideas as my own simply because they sound true and advanced, or because they fit my model of the universe. I challenge all ideas. I do not believe anything.
And yet, to this date this is mere wishful thinking as I cannot stop believing anything at all. I certainly do have my beliefs and it is very difficult to stop them. Most of them are so ingrained in my being and so deeply rooted in my mind that it is almost impossible to even identify, not to say change them.
It is my wish to challenge all my beliefs and adapt those that serve me and everyone else in the best possible way. And at this point I am not particularyl interested in challeing my view on gravity to overcome it like Neo in the movie. But I am concerned about my views on the need to make a living and to enslave me in order to do so. I am not willing to accept the belief that I have to work for survival. It is certainly my interest to steal or depend on social security benefits. I believe there must be another way of surviving in this world without becoming a slave to money or an employer. And I commit myself to finding such a way, first for me and then perhaps as an example for others who wish to do (and believe) the same.
- I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to follow societal norms for the majority of my life.
- I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to believe that money is required for survival and that I have to make money to survive in this world.
- I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to feel insecure when I dont have enough money in my bank account, become anxious about it, and then tend to throw over board all my ideas about a society in which making money is not required, and instead focus on making money again, in which ever way possible, so I can feel more secure.
- I commit myself to never ever again take on a job just in order to make money for survival.
- I commit myself to consider very deeply the ways in which I accept and work for money, as I see working for and receiving money as an energetic exchange that affects me and those involved in such an exchange in many ways.
- I commit myself to examine my relation to money and establish a mutually beneficial realtionship with money in my life.