Seeing Beyond Our Own Beliefs

 Breaking Free from Confirmation Bias: Seeing Beyond Our Own Beliefs

We all like to believe we see the world clearly. That our opinions are well-informed, our judgments are rational, and our beliefs are based on truth. But the reality is, our minds don’t work that way. More often than not, we aren’t searching for truth, we’re searching for validation. This is the nature of confirmation bias, the tendency to seek out, interpret, and remember information in a way that reinforces what we already believe while filtering out anything that challenges it.

It’s a sneaky thing, confirmation bias. It disguises itself as certainty, convincing us that we are right and others are simply misinformed. It shows up in politics, religion, health, and even personal relationships. We follow news sources that align with our views, surround ourselves with people who think like us, and filter out inconvenient truths that might force us to rethink our stance. Instead of expanding our perspective, we unconsciously build an echo chamber, where the same ideas bounce back at us, strengthening our beliefs while making us more resistant to change.

But the real danger of confirmation bias is not just that it makes us stubborn, it limits our growth. Growth requires discomfort. It requires us to question, to listen, to be open to the idea that we might be wrong. In Vedic philosophy, the mind (manas) is often described as both a tool for liberation and a trap that can keep us bound in illusion (maya). The more we cling to our version of reality, the more rigid we become, and the harder it is to see the world as it truly is.

So how do we break free? First, we have to recognize when it’s happening. When we feel immediate resistance to an idea, instead of reacting with a hard no, we can soften and say, oh. Oh, that’s interesting. Oh, I hadn’t thought of it that way. Oh, why does this challenge me? What am I afraid of seeing? That small shift, from shutting down to staying open, creates space for curiosity. Next, we can make a conscious effort to expose ourselves to different perspectives. Read books by people you disagree with. Engage in conversations with an open heart, not to debate, but to understand. In yoga, we practice Svadhyaya, self-inquiry and study, to refine our awareness. We can apply this same principle to our beliefs, constantly questioning, refining, and expanding.

At its core, breaking free from confirmation bias is about cultivating Viveka, or discernment. It’s about being more committed to truth than to being right. The goal is not to abandon our beliefs, but to hold them with humility, to make space for change, for nuance, for the possibility that there is always more to learn. Because the moment we think we have all the answers, we stop growing. And growth, after all, is the whole point of this journey.

We all like to think we see the world clearly. That our opinions are well thought out, our beliefs are based on truth, and that if people just had the right information, they’d agree with us. But let’s be honest, we aren’t always searching for truth. More often, we’re searching for validation.

That’s confirmation bias in action. We naturally seek out information that reinforces what we already believe and filter out anything that challenges it. We follow news sources that align with our views, surround ourselves with people who think like us, and scroll past opinions that don’t fit our narrative. It’s not intentional, it’s just how our brains work. But over time, this creates an echo chamber, where the same ideas bounce back at us, making us feel more certain while making us less open to other perspectives.

Think about the last time someone challenged one of your beliefs. Maybe it was about politics, health, spirituality, or even something small, like the “right” way to make chai. Did you pause to consider their point, or did you immediately think, No, that’s wrong? That knee-jerk reaction is confirmation bias. We shut down before we even allow ourselves to be curious. But what if, instead of saying no, we said oh? Oh, that’s interesting. Oh, I hadn’t thought about it that way. Oh, tell me more. That tiny shift, from rejection to curiosity, creates space for growth.

This doesn’t mean we have to accept everything we hear. It just means we stop dismissing things so quickly. Instead of arguing or tuning out, we can pause and ask: Why does this challenge me? What am I afraid of seeing? In yoga, we practice Svadhyaya, self-inquiry. It’s not about being right; it’s about refining our awareness, stretching our minds the way we stretch our bodies. The more we practice this off the mat, the easier it becomes to engage with different perspectives without feeling defensive.

Breaking free from confirmation bias isn’t about abandoning our beliefs, it’s about holding them with humility. It’s about being more committed to truth than to being right. Because the moment we think we have all the answers, we stop growing. And growth, after all, is what we’re here for. So the next time you feel yourself shutting down, try saying oh instead of no. You never know what you might discover.

~Shanti Freedom Das