Can Core Belief Systems Be Changed Permanently?

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Can core belief systems be changed permanently?

Yes, they can be changed!

Let’s understand how, taking the most fundamental core belief of ‘who am I’ into consideration

The one who says ‘I am John (please insert your name here)’ believes that to be the case and this belief is in his action as well. This is the illusion that verily perpetuates a series of other core beliefs and they rule one’s worldly life. The projection of ‘I am John, this is my body, I am the doer, I am the sufferer’ gives rise to new life, life after life.

We are really a pure Soul. But one believes ‘I am John (please insert your name here)’. So, the Self (Aatma) and the non-Self (Anaatma) have become one. Really speaking, both these entities are separate – You are separate and John is separate. This implies our core belief system needs to be changed. So, Gnani Purush, the Enlightened One, separates them through Bhed Vignan (the science that separates the Self from the non-Self), and thus changes our core belief system of ‘who am I’ permanently.

An excerpt of a dialogue between a seeker and Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan illustrates how the questioner’s core belief of ‘who am I’ has got changed…

Dadashri: Have You ever really had the belief that ‘I am John’ [after attaining Gnan i.e. Self-Realization]?

Questioner: It has not happened after taking Gnan [Self-Realization].

Dadashri: So then, You are indeed the pure Soul. A person has only one belief. It means ‘I am pure Soul’ indeed remains for You constantly.

Questioner: But many a times in worldly interactions, the experiential awareness of the pure Soul does not remain.

Dadashri: Then does the internal state of ‘I am John’ remain? Suppose for three hours, the internal state of the pure Soul does not remain; and after three hours, You are asked, “Are You John or the pure Soul?”, then what would You say?

Questioner: The pure Soul.

Dadashri: This means that the internal state [of awareness as the Self] was certainly there. Suppose there is a businessman who is drunk; at that time, he loses his internal state [of awareness]. But what happens once the effect of the alcohol wears off?Questioner: He becomes aware once again.

Dadashri: Similarly, this is how the other external effects are. If I ask You, “Are You really John or are You the pure Soul?” Then You reply, “The pure Soul.” If I ask You the next day, “Who are You really?” Then You reply, “The pure Soul.”

This shows the core belief system got changed permanently!

Param Pujya Dadashri explains: “People in this world are not able to let go of the belief that ‘I am the body’ and they are not able to remain in their own real form as the Self (the Soul). The fact that You have remained in the Self means the egoism is gone (i.e. the core belief system of ‘I am John’ has been changed permanently).

‘I am John’ is considered dehadhyaas (the belief that I am the body), and from the point the established awareness of ‘I am pure Soul’ sets in, no adhyaas (the ingrained belief of ‘I am John’) remains whatsoever. None of that remains anymore!”

Nevertheless, this core belief system cannot be changed on our own, an expert is required for that

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Gnani Purush alone can put a stop to this core belief system. He dissolves the bhranti ras i.e. the sweet relish that perpetuates the illusion, and separates the pure Soul from John. He establishes a line of demarcation between the two. Thereafter, the two always remain separate.

How does this happen?

By wrong belief, we feel oneness with John, with the mind, the thoughts, intellect, speech and behaviour. Whenever John takes decision, we feel I am taking decision. Someone insults John, we feel I suffered the insult.

So, our belief is wrong. Due to that wrong belief, we are totally involved in John.

There are 4 types of wrong beliefs:

I am John.

This is my body. So with ‘my’, the possessiveness, we are attaching with John

I am the doer. I am making food, doing the job. So again we are joining with John.

I am the sufferer. Then also, we become one with John.

Step 1: First, our belief has to change.

Through Gnanvidhi, the Akram Gnani changes the wrong belief to right belief; the right belief of who am I, who is the doer, what is relative and what is real, what is scientific circumstantial evidence, how to keep separation?

After Gnanvidhi, our understanding is clear that “John is separate. I am pure Soul.”

By this right belief, we are separated from John. This is the beginning of the experience of the pure Soul – say 1 degree of experience; and we have to complete 100 degrees.

Step 2: Then, we keep awareness by practicing Gnani’s teachings. We keep separation by practicing the principles given by Gnani that ‘John is separate. I am pure Soul. Whatever thoughts, speech, actions, intellect, ego is all in John. Anger, hatred, wish, jealousy everything is in John. I am totally separate from John. I am pure Soul; I am only the knower and seer. I am the knower of what John is eating. John is eater; I am non-eater.’ We use this knowledge for keeping separation. That is called awareness!

In Gnanvidhi, our belief has changed. Now slowly, as we practice the principles taught by Gnani, we can have more and more separation with John. Whatever mistakes were done by us, while in wrong belief, we have to resolve those mistakes with the awareness of five principles given by Gnani that, ‘I am a pure Soul. I am the Knower and Seer only.’ This is something that requires constant practice throughout one’s life, like therapy.

Step 3: Then comes experience. As our awareness will go on increasing, we will get more and more experience of the pure Soul, which is our real Self. And that experience will continue. It won’t go at all!