How Do Your Beliefs Help You In Healing?

[Hashi]

This isn't about doubts, struggles or negative experiences with religion or belief - please don't post about those.

I wondered if other people would be willing to share how their beliefs help them. Not necessarily religious beliefs, although it might be, but any kind of belief in a higher power or something bigger than us.

I think about this often but especially this week because I had a big therapy session on trauma, then started a new job after almost a year unable to work. Both things were scary, in different ways. The new job is still very scary! What has been helping me is that I believe the universe brought me together with those people, that company and that job. While I've been sitting wondering, "What was I thinking??? I can't do this." I've also been telling myself "The universe knows what it's doing, even if I don't. The universe is on my side. I'm meant to be here." That helps me calm down and approach things more logically and rationally.

I don't know how I could keep going if I couldn't trust that the universe wants me to heal, and is helping me. I have support from people, and I appreciate that very much. But in the end, inside myself, it's just me - making decisions about my life, trying to work through issues, trying to take care of myself practically and emotionally. I'm reassured to think that actually it isn't just me, that even inside myself I'm always supported and guided. And I can always ask for help.

I'm wondering whether to post this now. I'll feel a bit :oops: if no-one replies! Oh well... But it would be nice to hear from anyone else who feels helped by their own beliefs.

 

[Meadowsweet]

I don't believe in any particular religions 'god'. But I've talked to that universal god since childhood. I tell it the bad feelings, as well as what I'm grateful for, and I find that guidance comes from those conversations - it's not a voice in my ear, it's an inner voice. I don't always listen to it, but I usually end up wishing I had. And there are times when I've been in such an emotional state, that I've felt a loving force hug me. It's nice to feel that way.

If I was on a spiritual type of forum, I'd just go with the flow. But as I'm on a mental health forum, I will say, that even to me, my relationship with god looks very much like a substitute parent :whistling: so whether I'm crazy or spiritual is debatable - but it works for me, so I try not to over-think it.

But I use other spiritual/new age ideas to help me psychologically. That's too complicated to explain though.

 

[franciemarnie]

I believe the universe will do everything it can to help us to accomplish what we are in this lifetime to accomplish even if we are kicking and screaming the whole way. But if we don't want to follow that path or our hearts, we don't have to.

I also think there are extenuating circumstances too that make it difficult sometimes and maybe what could be called negative energies we need to be aware of.

It's a great big mystery in the end, but I do think our path is there and we get help and can find our way if we don't ever give up and don't muddy out souls with recreational drugs and alcohol.

Not that it's all that easy sometimes!

 

[Hope4future]

I don't believe in a religious kind of higher power, but I do choose to believe that the universe is by it's nature compassionate and life-affirming, despite all the horror that exists. I believe that we are never given more than we can handle which helps me when I feel like I'm going to shatter into a million pieces. If I stop, take a deep breath and remember that in that moment all I have to do is exist, then the moment passes and when I can I do my best to move toward healing. Remembering that I can handle whatever comes my way, even when it feels like it will crush me, has helped me make it through tidal waves of chaos. I hope this helps.

 

[DMerish]

Interesting topic ~

I used to hear "everything has a purpose" often followed by "someday you/they'll understand", and things like "Well, it's God's purpose . . . sometimes it's not for us to know what His purpose is." Although I grew up in a somewhat religious/spiritual household, I didn't really "get" these types of statements. I tried to "get it" but I don't know, maybe just too big for my little brain to comprehend. So I came to believe that either those statements were just a bunch of bunk or I simply didn't need to know "the purpose" or "understand" - And that a lot more peace came from just accepting what was/is.

I believe that life is rich with all kinds of people, places, things, doings, thoughts, feelings, sights, sounds and experiences - and that one's particular circumstances/experiences are exactly the right set of circumstances/experiences for inviting that person to develop more love and understanding for themselves and the world around them. I believe I deserve love and compassion, and when my little world isn't providing it that it's my responsibility to find it in myself and to go out and give a bit of the love and compassion I do have to other beings.

Now . . . if I could just remember 24/7 that this is what I believe, ah, my little world would be just about perfect :rolleyes:

 

[Hashi]

Thanks for your replies, it's nice to know there are other people with the same sort of experiences. We seem to have some quite similar beliefs.

Meadowsweet, I talk to my "higher power" for want of a better word, in the way you said - talking about my stresses and struggles, saying what I'm grateful for, and getting guidance. I find it difficult when I keep making the same mistakes over and over every day - when I was drinking for example. I get to a point where I think I can't "show my face" having messed up yet again, but I have to tell myself it doesn't work like that.

DM, I've also found it necesary to accept and let go of wanting to know why things happen. I was actually taught that it was a mystery, but after my experiences of trauma that wasn't good enough for me and I wanted reasons and answers. I was stuck on that for a long time. Letting go of it was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but also probably one of the most important.

hope4future, I try to remember something similar. I was helped by hearing someone say, "Heaven has not misplaced you". I spent a long time thinking the universe had made a mistake thinking I could deal with what I'd been given, before I could come round to believing that I'd be given enough help, in various ways.

franciemarnie, I agree about the negative energies although I know not everyone sees it that way. As for muddyng things with alcohol etc... um... well, yes.

My beliefs came at the same time as recovering memories and getting PTSD, so they're almost completely centred around healing. I find it hard to expand the idea to anything else, and still can't conceptualise things like love, but for me there's a healing energy, help and guidance and things I'm meant to learn.