Are You Trapped by a Belief System?
Examine your possible motives for wanting to suffer. Do you deny that there’s anything wrong? Do you think it makes you a better person not to show others that you hurt? Do you enjoy the attention you get when you are sick or in distress? Do you feel safe being alone and not having to make tough choices? Belief systems are complex—they hold together the self we want to present to the world.
It is much simpler not to have beliefs, which means being open to life as it comes your way, going with your own inner intelligence instead of with stored judgments.
If you find yourself blocked by your suffering, returning to the same old thoughts again and again, a belief system has trapped you.
–Adapted from The Book of Secrets, by Deepak Chopra(Three Rivers Press, 2004).
Are You Trapped by Advertising?
The harm of many synthetic chemicals on health and the Earth is backed up by science. Yet, a few years ago I read in Scientific American the article “Doubt is Their Product,” about a 3-decade-long disinformation campaign by industry groups to cast doubt and vilify scientific studies when they implicate their products as being harmful to humans, pets, and the environment. What do you believe about the topic? Can you be open to change about your opinion? The process that transforms your home to a sanctuary of health and well-being can begin at any age. The rewards of having a home with clean air are bountiful beyond words.
Adapted from Home Enlightenment, by Annie Bond (Rodale, 2007.