“Assumptions” refer to deeply ingrained beliefs and perceptions that shape our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
These assumptions often act as barriers to true understanding, leading to suffering and a sense of being trapped.
The Diamond Approach emphasizes that many assumptions are based on false perceptions and misunderstandings. For example, we may assume that we are separate individuals, bound by time and space, and destined to be born, change, and die. These assumptions are seen as mere appearances, not reflective of true reality. The work in this approach aims to help individuals see beyond these assumptions to a deeper, more fundamental reality that cannot be conceptualized or imagined.
Assumptions also play a role in shaping our expectations and ideals about life. An imbalance in consciousness can lead to assumptions about what our lives should be like, often resulting in disappointment when reality does not meet these expectations. This can manifest in various ways, such as idealizing success, fame, or romantic relationships.
Furthermore, assumptions form the foundation of our self-identity. Ideas and experiences from our past, including how others perceive us, become the building blocks of our self-concept. These assumptions can become rigid and limiting, preventing growth and authentic self-expression.
The Diamond Approach also teaches that assumptions can be confronted and understood, leading to a release and expansion of consciousness. By recognizing and letting go of false beliefs and resistance, individuals can experience greater abundance and freedom. This process involves a deep and fundamental realization that the world around us is a mystery and that our assumptions merely reflect our minds.
Lastly, the Diamond Approach points out that assumptions are not necessarily negative or to be eradicated. Rather, individuals can cultivate compassion and love by scrutinizing and understanding them. Recognizing the suffering caused by these beliefs can lead to a profound sense of empathy and connection with others. The approach emphasizes that individuality, shaped by assumptions, is not inherently bad but is often misguided, creating its own prison without realizing how to escape.
Since one naturally conceptualizes new modes of experience within one’s assumptions, it will not occur to most people to see certain levels of experience as presence. For example, a person in a spiritual practice might experience a boundless, vast state of awareness; she might even experience her identity as that awareness. But it is likely that even with repeated experiences of boundless dimensions, she will believe that “I am a person, an embodied entity, who is having these experiences.” When she has seen through her identity with the body, however, the dominant element in experience is not the living body, but essential presence, which is much more vivid. – The Point of Existence: Transformations of Narcissism in Self-Realization, Ch. 6