I’ve lived in Hawaii all my life, but I feel more Chinese than Hawaiian. As you see, the answer to where you come from is not just geographical.
The Natural Success principle of “Truth” speaks directly to the issue of where you come from. If you ask someone about the Truth about life, the average local might say, “Eh, brah, you nuts, or what?” A more conscious individual more easily examines his approach to life.
Who or what is it that you rely on to formulate our views about life? Is it science? Is it the church? Is it a book? Is it someone who touched you or whom you idolize? What experiences in your life formed your beliefs? Values just don’t develop out of anywhere.
People who believe in science come from a more logical framework. Their conclusions are based on reason and are tested by controlled studies. Academics are their specialty and intellectual debate is their forte. A deeper examination reveals that science is not perfect in its conclusions and that application of scientific method can reach the level of an art.
Those of us who place more faith in religious beliefs leap beyond logic. They are acutely aware of the limitations of science and have drawn conclusions to satisfy a deep inner question. Perhaps they think it better to have a way of life that aims at good than no clear direction that makes aimless strides. A pitfall develops when a religion starts to stifle rather than engender aliveness and the individual forgets a religion is his choice rather than his destiny.
When someone says they don’t have any belief about God or a higher power, they have no confidence in knowing how the world is put together. They live by some code because we all have some kind of code, but they are unaware of it. It is operating in their lives, but is not a formal concept in their minds. It takes time to become aware of something if you are not aware. Being able to tell someone what you believe, to write it down, or to express it artistically can clarify better where you come from.
Some of us are influenced by people more than any particular doctrine. When I studied meditation as a teenager for a number of years, I became disenchanted because there was no one I knew who practiced it. I remember what relief I felt when I met Pattie; it was as if a prayer had been answered.
What you have studied in school or read out of school can have a lasting impact on you. Go to your library now and see what books still now are current in your way of thinking. Could it be that the adventures of Dr. Doolittle made it easy for me to talk to my cat? Alan Watts is a treasure from my past who opened my eyes to vast new lands. Other fields of art, music, or film may have impacted greatly on your being.
Whenever a film or TV celebrity sponsors a cause, I wonder what life experience led them to choose that particular cause. For example, Mary Tyler Moore champions aid for diabetes because she herself has suffered through that disease. What you value then appears to be a reflection of your life experiences.
Careful scrutiny of our beliefs highlights their limitations. When we look at where we come from, we put our life views in proper perspective. We see that we are more than our life views. We become more humble about our beliefs and are more active in creating who we are.