I was having a conversation with someone recently. This person is very dear to me, but we don't often see eye to eye. I started to feel frustrated as her beliefs are the stark opposite of my own. I voiced my take on the subject, she voiced hers. We were at an impasse, both feeling flustered, and we finally agreed to each their own.
It can come up in any conversation, that difference in opinion. How I see things and how you see things that are at opposite ends of the spectrum. What’s true for me is not true for you and vice versa. So, who’s right? More importantly, does being right even matter in the grand scheme of things? We tend to, whether consciously or unconsciously, tie our identity to our beliefs which is a big part of why we’ll defend them tooth and nail. We are each allowed our own beliefs, so why do we sometimes feel the need to impose them onto others? Usually, it’s to reinforce our identity. “I’m right, you’re wrong.” What if, just what if, you’re not right, or maybe you’re only partly right? We’re usually caught up defending a few pixels when there’s a much bigger picture. It’s like we’re only seeing pieces of a puzzle and think we know what the full design is. We may even be absolutely convinced that we know what the design is. That is, until we come across a puzzle piece that doesn’t fit with our view. It is then that we start to consider that maybe we’re not so sure of the design or that there's something more to it. Just because something is not in our awareness, or in our life experience, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Just because something goes against our way of thinking, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s wrong. Our reality is created by what we’re focusing on and the meaning we give it. The meaning we give it is influenced by our beliefs. The kicker is, many of our beliefs aren't even our own. They are beliefs we took on from our family, friends, teachers, religious doctrines, and society in general. When someone challenges your beliefs, instead of automatically getting upset, or offended, question where your belief comes from. Is it yours? Do you actually believe it 100%? Could there be a few % of wiggle room that allows for further exploration? The Earth was known to be flat - until Aristotle and Eratosthenes contended that, from their observations, the Earth is a sphere. Galileo was charged with heresy by the Catholic Church for claiming that the Earth revolves around the sun. This countered the posture of the church which maintained that the sun and other planets revolve around the Earth. Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis, who discovered the importance of hand washing between patients and the cleaning of medical equipment, was ousted and ignored. Doctors and surgeons did not incorporate these practices until the late 1800’s. What was believed to be reality was changed by those who challenged it, by those who took us outside of the box. The egg — for years there have been arguments over whether it’s healthy or not, and whether it’s the white or the yolk that’s better for you. Then there’s pasteurized milk versus unpasteurized milk. Dare I mention the debate on vaccines? Whenever we read or refer to a scientific study, it’s important to consider if it’s looking at the bigger picture or is it just focusing on one aspect? Who paid for that study? Is it peer-reviewed? What are other similar studies saying? Even with the news, are they giving you the facts so that you can construct your own opinion, or are they pushing an agenda? Are they telling you what to believe? And then there's social media - from those who actually know what they're taking about based on their own experience to those who are there for the vanity clicks and are spouting whatever will draw people to their posts. It’s so incredibly important to question. It’s why we have critical thinking skills in the first place. For those who rely so heavily on science, it’s important to remember that science isn’t fixed. It’s always changing as there are new discoveries. Since I deal with the non-physical, I’m often countered with, “According to science, that can’t be true.” I simply say, “Science hasn’t caught up yet.” I’m not negating the importance of science by any means. Science requires curiosity and the willingness to challenge standing beliefs through new observations. Science definitely has its place, it’s just not the be-all end-all. We are all experiencing life in different ways. We see it through our predisposed lens of limited understanding. How I see things is different from how you do. How I have experienced the world is different from how you have. The cool thing is, we can always change the lens. It’s all about being curious, expanding, stretching beyond our comfort zone and outside of our box of knowledge. We aren’t aware of what we’re not aware of until we’re aware of it. Even with awareness, we get to decide what that means to us. The next time you’re in a disagreement over whatever the topic may be, hear them out. That doesn’t mean that you have to agree with them. It’s helpful to see things from another perspective. I know many of my beliefs have changed and evolved over time. That’s what we’re meant to do as a species, evolve. Heart Hugs, Adrienne :)
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I happened to see a clip the other day, from 1997, where Oprah defended her decision to interview with Ellen Degeneres. Ellen coming out as gay, on national television, was a pivotal and historical moment at that time. This clip caused me to really stop and pause and replay. The audience member couldn’t understand how Oprah could consider herself a Christian and yet support homosexuality. Oprah responded: “Well, I have a different view of Christian than you do, o.k. The God I serve doesn't care whether you're tall or short or whether you were born black, or Asian, or gay. So, that's just a difference of belief and I don't expect to change your belief today…” Oprah followed this by saying that she was late to the show because she’d been arguing with someone in the makeup room who proclaimed that all gays would go to Hell, and by her supporting them, she would too. This idea is one that completely confounds me - threatening others with damnation so that they fall into line with your belief system. I think people forget that the Bible was not written by Jesus himself and that it was heavily edited. Isn’t it interesting how the Gospel of Mary Magdalene is nowhere to be found in any of the official versions of the Bible? Yes, it has good teachings that can guide us and add value to our lives, but it’s also been used as a means to control and manipulate people. If your religion, whatever it may be, fills you with fear and hatred of others who are different from you, that is dogma, not spirituality. Jesus preached love, not judgment. Oprah continued to respond to the audience member: “I take full responsibility for my going to Hell or Heaven. I take full responsibility and I feel that everybody who's concerned about me now going to Hell because I'm doing the Ellen Degeneres show - I think that you all should take that energy and try to create a little Heaven here on Earth for everybody.” Well said, Oprah! Can you imagine how much better the world would be if we each tried to create some Heaven on Earth? If we each connected to our own heart, our own Soul, and brought out our true qualities and gifts to share with the world instead of pointing fingers, shaming, creating division, and even lashing out with hate and violence? The video ends with Oprah stating: “See, I believe God created Ellen. I believe God did that. Ellen says she's gay. I believe God created her gay. I believe God did that.” The audience member countered: “You can't stand up there on that show, and in front of this whole American society, and say that you support that.” Oprah’s response: “I support her right to be who she thinks she is.” And, mic drop. I was amazed at Oprah’s strength and how she maintained her stance. I found her very inspiring. I was also moved by the audience member who nearly cried as she challenged Oprah on her decision. I had empathy for her - not because she believed the Bible and the interpretation that all gays and people who support them will go to Hell, but because she was having one of her core beliefs questioned. Let me tell you, that’s shaky ground for the ego. As humans, we tend to take on our beliefs as our identity. The ego will defend its identity tooth and nail. But, you see, beliefs change. We’re meant to grow and expand and level up, so to speak. If you were to take away your identity of being Christian (or whatever belief system you hold), would you cease to exist? I'd like you to picture a bicycle wheel. Think of all of the different religions as spokes which connect to the wheel frame (Source). There is not one or two spokes, there are many. Most people believe that there is a Creator - we just label it by different names and honor it in different ways. Go back to that vision of the bicycle wheel and compare it with humankind. All races, genders, sexual preferences, religious preferences, and political preferences are all spokes of the wheel of humanity. Each spoke is of equal importance and value to the entirety of the wheel. Each spoke has its place in the wheel of life. Wouldn’t it be a more enjoyable ride if we’d stop trying to break off the spokes we don’t agree with? If you would like to watch the video clip mentioned above, you can find it here. Heart Hugs, Adrienne :)
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January 2025
AuthorHello! I'm Adrienne Almamour, an empathic intuitive conduit. I assist people by detecting and clearing their subconscious emotional energy blockages. This blog is a commentary and reflection of life from an intuitive standpoint which also incorporates ways that allow us to be from our heart. |