I have written about this before, which is not unusual for me since I tend to revisit themes.
When I do The Work, I don’t have to only stick to my own beliefs.
I can also imagine what belief someone else has, and inquiry into that one as if it was my own.
This helps me understand the views and reactions of the other person a little better.
It helps me explore stories I otherwise wouldn’t.
And most importantly, when I imagine a belief in someone else, it is because it is right here too – I recognize it from myself.
The Work is very simple, and this is really just a complication. But one that I at times find quite helpful.
It seems especially helpful when I do inquiry on someone repeatedly and there is still something left.
Some while back, I did a series of inquiries on my uncle who has a quite emotional response to wolves and want them all killed. His views got me hot under the collar as well, and although the usual inquiries worked and gave me some clarity, something remained. When I did a few inquiries from his perspective, it resolved more fully for me. I found a greater appreciation for his view. I saw that he came from heart as well, just filtered in different ways. I still support a healthy wolf population, as much as ever, but it comes from a slightly different place now. I see our similarities more than differences.
Note:
When I imagine a belief in someone else, and say I recognize it from myself, that is true in several different ways.
I wouldn’t recognize – or imagine – it in someone else if I didn’t first know it from myself.
At the very least, I know the story, and I know what it feels like to make a story into a belief, so I can imagine how it is to make that story into a belief.
Also, it is all happening within my own world of images. It happens within my own images and interpretations of the world. His beliefs are here in my own images.
And if my attention is drawn to someone else’s beliefs, it is most likely because those beliefs mirror my own. The content is not exactly the same, but as I investigate them, I may find clear parallels to similar – often opposite – beliefs of my own.
…………………
- inquiring into the beliefs of others
- inquire into beliefs i imagine others have, take them on as my own
- many benefits
- helps me understand the views of others better
- helps me explore stories i otherwise wouldn’t
- helps me find more richness in my stories about a certain topic
- and mostly, when i imagine a belief in someone else, it is because it is right here too – i recognize it from myself