Limiting beliefs

From our e-book “We are Here to Celebrate”

orange leaf on chainlink fence

Johnny has been raised as a Buddhist and the teachings have brought him inner-peace. There are some topics which he could not really understand but he believes that he will eventually find the right Buddhist book that will clarify his confusions. He loves to discuss the subject with fellow Buddhist. However, he finds it difficult to discuss about religion with friends from other religions. He will often compare their beliefs to his and quote from Buddhist literature to support his arguments.

One day, a Buddhist friend, Dave, saw that Johnny was clinging on to the vast knowledge that he has accumulated on Buddhism but this very knowledge is limiting his spiritual evolution. Dave asked, “Johnny, we both appreciate that Buddhism is the best religion for us but sometimes we must also learn from other religions. Otherwise, we may think that we understand a particular Buddhist teaching but actually, we have not understood it correctly. When we read a book from any wise person, irrespective of his religion, we must read it with an open mind. We cannot just accept it because it corresponds with our current beliefs and reject them if they do not. No, we should read it and consider if our current beliefs are correct or are they just limiting us. This is the only way for us to grow”.

“We all have beliefs and we often cling to them like our greatest treasure because they have formed part of our identities. Beliefs are merely beliefs. They are not facts. That is why different people have different beliefs. We can truly grow spiritually only when we have an open mind and the willingness to let go of our beliefs. If we are wearing  sunglasses with yellow shades, everything will look yellowish. To see their true colors, we need to remove those sunglasses. Only then will we stop filtering everything through those glasses. Similarly, to stop filtering knowledge with our self-limiting beliefs, we need to remove them. There is no other way”.

“When we are with wise ones, truly listen. It would be of no benefit to us to try to show off our knowledge of spiritual matters. We talk only if we want to clarify our understanding or seek their views about our current beliefs. If they say something that shakes our existing beliefs, take note of it. They have done us a very big favor indeed. Use it as a topic for contemplation at a later time. Sometimes, the letting go of long held limiting beliefs comes easily but sometimes, we have to work at it”.

“Sometimes, we may cling on to certain beliefs and when we read, we feel delighted when those beliefs are confirmed and reject the teachings when they are inconsistent with our beliefs. By reading the spiritual books in this manner, we are allowing are past conditioning to filter away wisdom. We must be open and allow our beliefs to be challenged. Only then, can those beliefs that bind us to this world of duality be peeled away”.


How do we truly benefit from spiritual teachings? First and foremost, we must not confuse knowledge with wisdom. Knowledge is of the mind and will die with it. Wisdom arises from Reality, such as, contentment. Contentment does not arise from thought but is more of the absence of the thoughts that creates craving. When we read spiritual books, we are after wisdom not knowledge. Therefore, we read with the intention of understanding ourselves and applying them in our daily lives. The book becomes a mirror to reflect who we are. Sometimes, we have certain bad habits which we are not aware of until somebody tells us about it. So, when we read spiritual books, we must always ask ourselves how the teaching applies to us. Keeping a spiritual diary helps us to do this. I hope that you will start to keep one if you have not
already done so.

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