One of the functions of practice is to allow beliefs to surface.

The practice asks something of me, it may clash with certain beliefs I have, and that triggers these beliefs so I can more easily notice them and take them to inquiry.

For instance, I pray for the well-being of specific individuals, groups and all beings. Some of those may be people my personality don’t particularly like. If I recognize that it is just a preference of this personality and a product of its history, it is fine. It doesn’t influence the heartfelt and sincere well-wishing for those people. But if there is a stronger belief there, it will get triggered by the practice, I get to see it, and I can take that belief to inquiry to find what is more true for me.

I engage in a practice to allow attention to stabilize, for instance on the breath. But attention keeps getting absorbed into certain thoughts. I realize it is because I believe those thoughts, so they are irresistibly fascinating to attention, it can’t help but going there. I can then recognize those stories as beliefs and take them to inquiry, either right now or later.

I do “just sitting” but attention gets involved in thoughts, as above, and I can again find the belief and inquire into it.

I have a precept practice, but find I keep breaking one or more of the precepts in a particular way and in particular situations. Is there a belief that compels me to act that way? What is that belief? What do I find when I investigate it?

Or I may not even get to the practice. I have the best intention to practice, but notice that I don’t – or don’t get to it as much as I wish. Is there a belief behind the pattern? What part of me do not want to practice and for what reason? What does it have to tell me? What is the grain of truth in it? And also, does it seem to act on certain beliefs? What do I find when I investigate those beliefs?

Update: I forgot some of the most obvious beliefs triggered by practice. Beliefs around what the practice means and what it will get me, aka expectations. Practice will lead to a better life. Practice will get me enlightened. I won’t get enlightened. Others are further along than I am. I get it, they don’t. It used to go so well, and now it doesn’t. There is a me here to get enlightened. And so on. Lots of juiciness here.

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outline…

• practices bringing beliefs to surface
  • practices
    • prayer for well-being of specific individuals + all beings (including those our personality don’t particularly like)
    • rejoycing in the happiness of others
    • stable attention (distracted into thoughts taken as true, fascinating because taken as true)
    • just sitting, not just sitting for same reason as above
    • precepts, not being able to follow in all situations
    • etc.
  • all help bring beliefs to surface, notice, explore
    • bring them to the surface, trigger, helps us notice (do something that goes against certain beliefs, or – certain voices when they are hurt, wounded)
    • an important function of practices, although same happens in daily life – daily life is enough to bring beliefs to surface so they are noticed and can inquire into

A few related posts

• Keep noticing within any state
• Desire
• Noticing is not dependent on a state
• 100% selfish
• Allowing that which is most difficult to allow