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Beliefs serve as the core foundation of our expressions and actions. Our beliefs, whether we are conscious or unconscious of them, shape our behaviour and give meaning to our lives. Without beliefs, we cannot express anything. Our actions reflect what we believe.

If you believe all human beings are stupid, you will have an arrogant disposition toward people, lacking empathy. But if you believe humans could be flawed and all men need help, you will be less judgemental, understanding and accommodating without being arrogant.

Understanding “Be-ing” and “Lieve”

The word “believe” can be broken down into “be” and “lieve” (or live). “Be” signifies being continuously present, while “lieve” means to express. Together, these words convey the idea of a continuous present expression. We are continuously present somewhere, and our actions reveal that.

Our actions indicate the location of our presence or “be-ing”. It is important to note that “be-ing” is within our control; however, “lieve” is automatic, drawing strength and inspiration from our state of “be-ing”. It’s comparable to a reed diffuser, where the reeds have no power over the fragrance they emit. The fragrance choice lies with the owner. Similarly, we own our actions and can choose the actions we wish to express. Our actions are not solely dependent on external factors but on our state of “be-ing”.

In the earlier analogy of the person with the arrogant disposition, his state of be-ing is “Humans are stupid” – and all his actions are expressed from that standpoint. Similarly, the person whose state of be-ing is “Humans are flawed and need help” will be more understanding and ready to help.

If we are dissatisfied with our continuous expression (“lieve”), we should change our state of “be-ing” (“be”). One of the primary causes of stress is when we dislike our continuous expressions but are unwilling or unable to change our state of “be-ing”. In such cases, we tend to blame external factors for our continuous expressions, rather than taking responsibility for them.

Discovering and Changing Our State of “Be-ing”:

Discovering our state of “be-ing” is a challenge because many of us are unaware of its existence. We live each day attributing our actions to fate, emotions or factors beyond our control. We fail to recognize that our actions are fueled by our “be-ing”.

Another way to understand our state of “be-ing” is to consider it the reference point of our consciousness. How do we know if we are drawing from the right “be-ing”? We can view “be-ing” as a well from which we draw water (the essence of life). If the water is poisoned, we will also reflect the same. Once we begin to examine our state of “be-ing”, we have embarked on a journey of awakening and introspection. Introspection means thoughtfully analyzing our beliefs leading to expressions. We define through introspection what we hold true.

Throughout history, the eternal battle between good and evil has been emphasized. The concept of Yin & Yang, two sides of a coin, black and white, and countless other examples demonstrate this duality. Our state of “be-ing” depends on what we focus on. We ultimately express what we pay attention to. If we focus on darkness and gloom, our state of “be-ing” will be influenced by that darkness, leading us to express it in various ways. The expression of darkness is limitless and powerful, with the ability to hold our lives captive until we shift focus. The same is true if we focus on love and all things beautiful.

I believe that both good and evil are powerful forces seeking expression through us, and the choice of which force we express depends solely on us. Just as you cannot squeeze an orange and get apple juice because it is not part of its nature, we cannot attribute our actions solely to external factors. Whatever we express is already within us. While extreme situations may temporarily sway us, we should not use our flawed humanity as a constant excuse for consistently flawed expressions.

Mindfulness and Change

To change our state of be-ing, we should be mindful of our associations, the books we read and the things we surround ourselves with. They have more influence over us than we realize. There is nothing wrong with us; we were created good by our maker to express His image by ”be-ing” in Him.

Focusing on our maker, God, we daily absorb His essence. By directing our attention towards positive virtues, we will gradually express them in our lives. The good news is that there is nothing fundamentally wrong with us as individuals; we may be focused on the wrong thing or influenced by corrupt sources. Regardless of how negative or miserable you might feel, stop self-blame and shift focus towards what you desire. With time and persistence, desires will manifest.

Changing our “be-ing” is not easy because we have built a reputation around the “be-ing” we wish to change – people have associated us with a particular pattern. Changing our “be-ing” means changing several things like friends and patterns and letting go of certain pleasures. We most likely will face a backlash and jeers, but I believe it is worth the pain to gain peace, discover and live your authentic self.

Personally, I desire peace, and as a result, I focus on the principles of peace.