What is a belief?
Here are some ways to answer that question:
A belief is taking a thought (word, image) as real, true, solid. Or, if we think we are more sophisticated, referencing something real, true, solid.
It’s identification with a thought. Seeing the world from its perspective. Experiencing and perceiving from its perspective, as if it’s true. It’s taking on and, in a sense, becoming that perspective.
It’s sensations apparently “stuck” on words and images, lending them a sense of solidity, reality, truth, charge, and more.
It’s innocence. It’s doing what others do. It’s learning to do what others do.
It’s an attempt to protect the (imagined) me. It’s from deep caring. It’s from love. It’s love.
It’s Lila. It’s the play of life. It’s the play of the Universe. It’s the play of Existence. It’s Existence expressing, exploring and experiencing itself in always new ways.
It’s what creates suffering. We identify with a certain perspective and hold it as true, while reality is different. Reality is that many other views are equally or more true. Reality is that any number of views on the same topic have validity. Reality is that none of them are really or absolutely true. Reality is that none of them is the final truth. This discrepancy is painful, and can be experienced as suffering.
And can I find a belief? Identification? A word? An image? Velcro? Protection? Caring? Love? Lila? Life? Existence? The Universe? Can I find any of these when I look? Can I find them outside of words, images, sensations?
………..
………..
………..
– taking a thought (word, image) as real
– identification with a thought, seeing the world from its perspective, experiencing/perceiving from its perspective, as if it’s true, becoming that perspective
– sensations “stuck” on words/images, lending them a sense of solidity, reality, truth, charge, etc.
– what is a thought?
— word or image
— image of word + sound