Belief can be a very frustrating experience. Most of the time we try and back up our belief with objective experiences that would tend to verify them, but sometimes they are simply blind faith, and in the absence of anything better, we hold onto them. We know we can't always rely on our senses, and especially with the view of the universe we have gained in recent decades from quantum physics.We know now that seeing is no longer necessarily believing. So what do we believe in, and how valid are our belief? Can we really go through life in such a state of doubt? How can we set any kind of meaningful course in life in the face of a reality that seems to change so often?
Before empiricism, or proof, there is 'feeling', and feeling is what we need to rely on before we have empirical proof. From all the information we accumulate, we need to select that which feels right for us until such time as it can be empirically resolved. What is important is that we keep an open mind. It isn't always a question of believing or disbelieving. Often it should simply be a matter of being open-minded on any subject, even those whose truth has seemingly been demonstrated.
Science has come a long way in demonstrating esoteric principles in the same experimental and measurable fashion as was once used only for material research. Empiricism is as valued in esoteric study nowadays as it is in scientific study. Mystic Order approach to esoteric study is in fact demonstration and experimentation.What cannot be demonstrated empirically must remain in the realm of speculation and theory, in other words belief. It does not have to be discarded any more than a scientist would discard a theory simply because it cannot be demonstrated yet. String theory cannot be proven yet,but the theory behind it is so elegant, beautiful and logical that the mere fact that it has not be proven does not mean it has to be discarded. Allowance must always be made by challenged one day by new evidence and new discoveries, and we must be open-minded in this regard always.
Examine again some of the things you believe in simply on the basis of sheer faith. If their truth has not actually been demonstrated in your own experience, you are obligated to your own search for truth, and to reserve judgement on the faiths of others. Meanwhile, it is not good to live a constant state of disbelief, either. As there is do much we cannot know for certain at any given time, we get on with life through a system of belief derived from our feelings and from the best information available to us. T o believe is something is generally better than to believe in nothing, as long as psychologically we are always in a state of preparation for change.
Before empiricism, or proof, there is 'feeling', and feeling is what we need to rely on before we have empirical proof. From all the information we accumulate, we need to select that which feels right for us until such time as it can be empirically resolved. What is important is that we keep an open mind. It isn't always a question of believing or disbelieving. Often it should simply be a matter of being open-minded on any subject, even those whose truth has seemingly been demonstrated.
Science has come a long way in demonstrating esoteric principles in the same experimental and measurable fashion as was once used only for material research. Empiricism is as valued in esoteric study nowadays as it is in scientific study. Mystic Order approach to esoteric study is in fact demonstration and experimentation.What cannot be demonstrated empirically must remain in the realm of speculation and theory, in other words belief. It does not have to be discarded any more than a scientist would discard a theory simply because it cannot be demonstrated yet. String theory cannot be proven yet,but the theory behind it is so elegant, beautiful and logical that the mere fact that it has not be proven does not mean it has to be discarded. Allowance must always be made by challenged one day by new evidence and new discoveries, and we must be open-minded in this regard always.
Examine again some of the things you believe in simply on the basis of sheer faith. If their truth has not actually been demonstrated in your own experience, you are obligated to your own search for truth, and to reserve judgement on the faiths of others. Meanwhile, it is not good to live a constant state of disbelief, either. As there is do much we cannot know for certain at any given time, we get on with life through a system of belief derived from our feelings and from the best information available to us. T o believe is something is generally better than to believe in nothing, as long as psychologically we are always in a state of preparation for change.
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