You have two eyes with a field of view of about 200 degrees. Even with those two eyes, you know how much each eyes perception varies. Close your right eye and you lose some perception, your depth perception changes, your ability to process and respond becomes impaired.
What would happen if we had four eyes? Or a hundred?
The lens through which we see the world is shaped by our sensory faculties. Would we react differently if we had a 360 degree view? If we could see up and down, right and left?
We see the world through our own eyes, but what if we could start to see the world from others perspective? Would we be more compassionate and understanding if we could appreciate others point of view? If our perception wasn't so limited, would we be more responsive and available to others?
Breaking down barriers and obscurations to our view is an important step in developing wisdom. No matter how much we meditate, if we always see the world the same then nothing will change. We need to change our view, shift our perspective.
Clarify your practice. Let your practice clarify you.
Showing posts with label lens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lens. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Monday, August 17, 2015
Confusion.
འཁྲུལ་པ་
Tibetan: trulpa
English: confusion, deception, misperception, distortion
Confusion is a false way of seeing the world. It is misapprehending a situation, deceiving ourselves about what is really happening. Confusion creates a lot of problems for us because it affects our actions and what we stand for. If our view is distorted, our actions are likewise misaligned and we experience more anger, more frustration and more fear. Confusion polarizes us and our world.
Confusion is really difficult to deal with because the confused person thinks they have knowledge. A distorted view of reality makes no difference if it is the reality you experience and all the stories you tell yourself confirm that reality.
Confusion has its own logic, its own arguments and its own justification.
So how do we uproot it?
The first step is to understand that we all have a lens through which we see the world. I have my own lens, you have yours. When we realize that there is some shared basis between those two worlds that we can talk about and discuss, then there is some possibility that I can undermine my own confusion.
Knowing the relativity of our own lens opens us up to the truth. It opens us up to empathy and genuine understanding. With empathy and genuine understanding we can reduce the distortion of our own lens and see the world more clearly.
We cannot change the minds of others. We can only show them another lens and start to ask questions.
Tibetan: trulpa
English: confusion, deception, misperception, distortion
Confusion is a false way of seeing the world. It is misapprehending a situation, deceiving ourselves about what is really happening. Confusion creates a lot of problems for us because it affects our actions and what we stand for. If our view is distorted, our actions are likewise misaligned and we experience more anger, more frustration and more fear. Confusion polarizes us and our world.
Confusion is really difficult to deal with because the confused person thinks they have knowledge. A distorted view of reality makes no difference if it is the reality you experience and all the stories you tell yourself confirm that reality.
Confusion has its own logic, its own arguments and its own justification.
So how do we uproot it?
The first step is to understand that we all have a lens through which we see the world. I have my own lens, you have yours. When we realize that there is some shared basis between those two worlds that we can talk about and discuss, then there is some possibility that I can undermine my own confusion.
Knowing the relativity of our own lens opens us up to the truth. It opens us up to empathy and genuine understanding. With empathy and genuine understanding we can reduce the distortion of our own lens and see the world more clearly.
We cannot change the minds of others. We can only show them another lens and start to ask questions.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
The Lens.
We all see the world through a lens.
It becomes distorted by negative emotions, bias, ignorance and fear. It is clarified by knowledge, insight and wisdom.
Our thoughts can feed our perception (or misperception), furthering the distortion into something unrecognizable or they can be used skillfully with logic and reason to create clarity and true seeing. Our perceptions give rise to our thoughts and intentions, which themselves gives rise to our actions.
What kind of actions are we taking if our lens is obscured? Is it right action? Just?
Our character, discipline and integrity are founded upon right action, doing what is right for ourselves and others. But if we are to walk with confidence free from doubt and fear, then first we need to clean our lens.
We need to eliminate the emotional and cognitive obscurations that affect our perception. That is a must.
Time to do the work.
It becomes distorted by negative emotions, bias, ignorance and fear. It is clarified by knowledge, insight and wisdom.
Our thoughts can feed our perception (or misperception), furthering the distortion into something unrecognizable or they can be used skillfully with logic and reason to create clarity and true seeing. Our perceptions give rise to our thoughts and intentions, which themselves gives rise to our actions.
What kind of actions are we taking if our lens is obscured? Is it right action? Just?
Our character, discipline and integrity are founded upon right action, doing what is right for ourselves and others. But if we are to walk with confidence free from doubt and fear, then first we need to clean our lens.
We need to eliminate the emotional and cognitive obscurations that affect our perception. That is a must.
Time to do the work.
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