Overcoming the moment of Doubt ^^

wanderer

wanderer

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No matter how strong we are, there always comes a time when we doubt ourselves. Whether the beliefs we are following are true or are we just following like blind sheep going into the well, one after another? So what should one do to overcome the moment of such doubts. Lets share our thoughts and experiences....
 
I see doubt as a conflict within ourselves, so to resolve the doubt we must understand the conflict. I don't know if this is applicable in this situation.
 
"Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win." W. Shakespeare

On the other hand - Self doubt can be an ally. Overcoming self doubt requires us to ask pertinent questions in preparation of the ultimate goal -- success...
 
wil said:
We overcome doubt by gaining converts to our beliefs... safety in numbers.
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Well, if such is the case, won't such beliefs be just a lie, being told to us by ourselves.
 
Yes...in that case... I was being a little tongue in cheek..but it has truth to it...

But back to your topic... I believe time in the wilderness is well spent... it gets you to re-evaluate, re-consider, provides time to circumambulate your beliefs... you may walk away...or you may come back stronger (even if you do walk away).
 
For me, in moments of doubt, I .....
- breathe slowly and deeply to relax the body and mind (as doubt can cause tension)
- light a candle and burn some incense while reciting a greeting prayer
- play music that speaks to your soul. At the moment, I am hooked on Satkirin Kaur Khalsa:
http://www.spiritvoyage.com/yoga/Universal-Prayer/Satkirin-Kaur-Khalsa/CDS-001206.aspx
(Loreena Mckennitt is another favorite: http://loreenamckennitt.com/album/visit/)

This sets the stage to restore me - Scents, music, ambiance, all part of who I am.
 
wanderer said:
Well, if such is the case, won't such beliefs be just a lie, being told to us by ourselves.
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That's one of the litmus tests of a Tradition, it can preserve against delusion. That's one of the reasons 'tradition' is so unpopular, it doesn't let us get away with our self-opinions and self-delusions. Self reliance is, in that respect, the greatest illusion of grandeur of all.
 
Doubt can sometimes be a good thing. When I was a teenager, I doubted the validity of my childhood religion. This increased until I finally left that religion when I was a young adult. It was one of the best things I ever did. I am glad I listened to my doubts, because they were (in my opinion) ultimately all correct.
 
I think with "doubt" you have the opportunity to reaffirm (strengthen) your belief system or view it as a sign that change (adjustment) is required. The change (or adjustment) that is calling out for our attention will provide one with the opportunity to dive deeper in self identity with end result a stronger understanding of one self. Makes sense ?
 
Thomas said:
That's one of the litmus tests of a Tradition, it can preserve against delusion. That's one of the reasons 'tradition' is so unpopular, it doesn't let us get away with our self-opinions and self-delusions. Self reliance is, in that respect, the greatest illusion of grandeur of all.
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This is true. There is also the flip side though. The Dark Side of Tradition that preserves delusion. One must be cautious about such things. It can be difficult to tell the one from the other too many times. I'm not knocking tradition; far from it. I'm saying that tradition, like just about anything when it comes to humans, can be a double edged sword. Wisdom is knowing the one from the other.
 
There is one more factor. Many people have had, at one time or another, unexplainable feelings of anxiety. These feelings of anxiety can then be transformed into doubts about things that do not 'deserve' to be doubted. It is important to keep this third factor separate from the other two, and to know when doubt comes from this third factor.

Have you ever left the house in the morning, suddenly wonder (for no reason) if you left the heater on, turn back, check on the heater, find it was in fact off, then feel like a fool for doing all of this? This is what I am talking about
 
That happens to me all the time Nick. I'll leave the house and get the feeling I've forgotten something, but not know what. It's quite a distraction and sometimes delays my plans.

Now my mother used to say that the delay was the objective and that a divine force of some kind was trying to keep us out of harms way. I used to scoff at this, but on more than one occasion there had been an accident on the very road I was traveling that I may have been involved in had I left a moment sooner.
 
Namaste Jesus said:
That happens to me all the time Nick. I'll leave the house and get the feeling I've forgotten something, but not know what. It's quite a distraction and sometimes delays my plans.

Now my mother used to say that the delay was the objective and that a divine force of some kind was trying to keep us out of harms way. I used to scoff at this, but on more than one occasion there had been an accident on the very road I was traveling that I may have been involved in had I left a moment sooner.
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So it would seem that everything happens for a reason, and so we should take heed of the doubts which we face, but what if those doubts are against our religious beliefs??
 
Oh no. Not everything happens for 'a Reason'. Most of the time, the link between an event and an action are merely coincidence. NJ's example is common. He may have been involved in that accident if he had left sooner. Or not. Also humans have a tendency to see significance in much that is in reality coincidence. Taking NJ's example purely cause he just stated it (not picking on you, NJ!), we tend to notice when an event seems to have a relationship because we take notice when the connection seems to be there. But we do not notice the thousands of times more often when nothing happens.

Take the example of having a dream a loved one is in trouble and you find out the next day they were in a car accident. Precognition? Or coincidence. Fact is we have these sort of premonitions all the time, and most of the time it turns out nothing has happened. To get a more realistic idea of what is happening that comparison has to be made. How many times have you thought something and it turned out false as compared to how many times it has turned out true.

When such a comparison is made it almost always turns out that the times you were 'right' are outnumbered by you were wrong by a thousand times. In religious circles this concept is particularly abused. A plane crashes and everyone dies, but somehow a baby survived. It's a Miracle! Or is it. Compared to the number of times when planes have crashed and everyone aboard, including the babies have died, which is by far the more common circumstance. That is pure, random coincidence. No miracles need apply.
 
wanderer said:
So it would seem that everything happens for a reason
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Not at all. Just sometimes. I was taught by a Hindu Pandit that 3 things govern the universe. 'Fate', 'Free Will' and 'Stuff Just Happens' and that the important thing to remember is, any one of those can change the other two.

wanderer said:
but what if those doubts are against our religious beliefs??
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It than becomes a question of who or what is influencing us. Is it merely our own self doubt?... God?... Satan?... I don't really have an answer, but I do believe there are times when going against religious doctrine is the appropriate thing to do.

DA... point taken without offense. In your example though, of dreaming a loved one is in trouble. You're absolutely right. 99 times out of 100 it's going to turn out that they are fine. Perhaps though, them being in trouble was not the point of the dream. Could it be that the powers that be were merely trying to get you to appreciate that person more and show them how much you care? No way of knowing of course, but a point to ponder.
 
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NJ,

There is a difference between anxiety-caused delay and divine-intervention-caused delay. With practice you can learn to differentiate the two. I have gotten to the point where I am pretty good at differentiating the two.
 
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