Which comes first? Experience or belief?

Everyone has a belief. Here is a teaching question: "Which comes first? Experience or belief? (If you are not sure, ask yourself which one you believe comes first.)" What is your belief? You may think you know, but that may not be accurate. Your belief opens you or closes you to yourself, others, and the world. It is a presumption about the Universe, and that presumption shapes your experience. Saying, "I believe in Christ, Buddha, Krishna, science, or not anything" does not describe your belief. It labels it. Beliefs run deep. They are based in love or fear. If there is any element of fear in your belief, fear will shape some of your perceptions and understanding. Fear includes many experiences, such as judgments, superiority, inferiority, jealousy, and obsessions, compulsions, and addictions, as well as fright. If your belief is based in love, fear will be absent entirely from your experience. You will feel equal to all forms of Life - not more precious and not less precious. You will see and greet everyone with appreciation and gratitude no matter what they believe or how they experience you. Be honest with yourself.   Look deeply into your belief that underlies the label you have given it.  Most beliefs contain elements of fear.

Oprah has created a seven-part series called "Belief."   Linda and I saw a preview of the first two parts, and they are wonderful. They are stories, personal, life-changing,and relevant - Oprah's signature presence on everything she creates for the screen. Each episode is about an hour. The first episode premieres this October 18 on the OWN network, and the remaining six will air over the next six nights - one per night. This heart-opening series has the ability to change "tolerance" of different beliefs into "appreciation" of different beliefs. Actually, you have this ability, and you don't need to see Oprah's beautiful creation to use it now.

Love, 

Gary Zukav