(photo from http://www.luckymag.com)
They say the eyes are the windows of the soul. I say the eyes are the doors of perception by which we see and experience reality. Many times the quality of our lives is merely a product of our own perception of ourself and the world around us filtered through multiple layers of deeply ingrained thought, feelings, past experiences and belief patterns.
In the same vein, whether we realize it or not, perception has found its way to shape and mold us to become the person we are today – the kind of person that acts in a certain way in response to the expectations set by our own self, families, friends, larger society and even by those who, for some of us, can be considered as enemies.
But when our own perception and the perception of others meet and collide, a battle of perception takes place. We begin to question the validity of the truth of our own experience and in the process, we question ourself too. This evokes the feeling similar to a place where the rivers meet the ocean and the water turns brackish. The brackish water can be a dangerous territory especially for the undecided, for beneath its surface lurk the creatures of confusion, doubt and fear. And in the aftermath of this internal battle, what would prevail? The version of truth that matters to us or the version of truth that is validated and more acceptable?
Perception is a formidable force to reckon with. It has the ability to either bring us to lofty heights or keep us stuck in a cage for what can be considered an eternity. But every cage has a lock and to every lock is a key. And the key has, is and will always be in the hands of the beholder. For truly, no one can set us free except ourself and it is always a personal choice to be free.
To harness the real power of perception one is required to willingly cleanse the looking glass through which we perceive ourself, other people and the whole wide world. As we let go of old preconceptions, everything in our life will appear as it is. Pristine, untainted, unadulterated. Once the isness of our reality is experienced, we realize that is not what we look at that matters but what we see.
The Daily Aah 