Buddha’s distinction

“In the sky there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and believe them to be true” – Buddha

To build on the words of Buddha, our minds and our lives are like the sky. They exist as they exist without labels – until we start to project meanings and distinctions onto them.

This helps us understand the complexities of our lives, but also sets up limitations.  When we create distinctions and ‘fix’ beliefs to them, it means that we often screen out other potential meanings, other possible distinctions, and remain fixed around what we think that we believe.

How do you know that what you believe is true?  How do you judge?

This may seem like a very philosophical post, but it has practical implications.  onsider:

• The client who distinguishes themselves as ‘anxious’ or ‘depressed’
• The parent who judges their child as ‘completely out of control’
• The person who believes “I’m sick and cannot get better”

How has this view of their ‘sky’ now changed by their very act of creating distinctions, and fixing beliefs around them.

One of the really powerful aspects of using clinical hypnotherapy is inviting clients to ‘see the sky’ again.  To provide a space with hypnosis and strategic therapy to move them beyond their distinctions, to show them new distinctions, to provide a broader scope of choices.

As you think about your life, what are the distinctions that you create and believe?

What is the true nature of your ‘sky’?

What lies beyond your sky, and what possibilities does that suggest?

I would love to know you reflections.

Live Well,

Phil.