About this episode
Diederik was born in 1942 in a tiny village south of what now is known as Jakarta, Indonesia. The first three and a half years of his life were spent in Japanese POW camps and it was here that he formed most of his core beliefs, beliefs which he thought were his actual ‘character’. After some fifty years of self-loathing, alcohol, and drug abuse he decided there had to be a better way, it was time to ‘change his mind’ at the deepest levels. Through a Course in Miracles and Attitudinal Healing, he developed a radical forgiveness process that allows him to transform the self he hated into a Self whose only function is to extend love. Choose Again, his charitable society, operates a healing center in Costa Rica and he gives talks and teaches workshops in many places around the world. Website: choose-again.com Book: Choose Again: Six Steps to Freedom Book Diederik mentioned: What They Don’t Teach in Prenatal Class: The Key to Raising Trouble-Free Kids & Teens Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group. Summary and Transcript of this interview. Interview recorded June 12, 2021 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction and Background of Diederik Wolsak 00:05:15 - Core Beliefs and Self-Blame 00:10:17 - The Formation of Core Beliefs 00:14:26 - The Unbearable Existence 00:19:04 - The Point of Change 00:23:45 - Childhood in Indonesia and Self-Hatred 00:28:03 - A Blindness to One's Own Behavior 00:32:34 - The Meaning Behind Lesson 135 in A Course in Miracles 00:36:43 - Deep Transformation through the Process 00:41:16 - The Masks We Wear 00:45:42 - The Root of Beliefs 00:49:52 - The Process of Transformation 00:54:24 - The Power to Interpret Your Experience 00:58:59 - The Unexpected Reaction 01:02:35 - The Self's Influence on Experience 01:06:58 - Healing Through Awareness of Beliefs 01:10:59 - The Guilt of Separation 01:15:24 - The Journey to Oneness 01:19:15 - The Importance of Commitment 01:23:15 - Reflecting Core Beliefs and Healing the Self 01:27:36 - The State of Consciousness and Beliefs 01:31:49 - Finding Purpose in Office Jobs 01:36:12 - Step Two: Recognizing the Author of Our Dreams 01:40:26 - Tracing the Root Feeling 01:44:38 - The Guilt Behind Punishment 01:48:30 - Reforming the Criminal Justice System 01:52:53 - Healing Together in Relationships 01:57:14 - Finding Support Online 02:01:48 - The Completion Process 02:06:24 - The Purpose of Discomfort and Correction 02:10:39 - Gratitude and Farewell