Anthony de Mello talks about watching yourself as if you are watching from a distance. Self-observation versus self-absorption. What does self-observation mean? It means to watch everything in and around yourself and to watch it as if it were happening to someone else. Don't personalize what's happening; as if you have no connection with the events whatsoever. See that everyone is operating through their lens, their conditioned mind, and whatever they say or do is a reflection of what is going on in "their world," and has nothing to do with you.

Mr. de Mello also challenges us to be open to others challenging your thoughts and ideas. The only way someone can help you is by challenging you. Maybe you have the wrong idea about some things and that is what is influencing your life. You're always listening from YOUR programming, just like others are listening from theirs. Listening. Really listening without judging or thinking of what you are going to say next or how wrong the other person is. It's the most difficult thing in the world to listen. It's hard to listen and look at what we are sensing, feeling, thinking, about what someone is saying. We don't want to look because if we do, we might lose control of the life that we are so precariously holding together.

What belief's are you holding onto?