The process of perception keeps swinging and alternating between reality and imagination – all depending on the current state of our mind. Most of us are comfortable with this because it doesn't require any attention. We don't even have to think about it nor do we allow ourselves to think about it. We live in an ‘experience world' rather than in an ‘expression world' because our subconscious is a storehouse of experiences. Everything is fine until a problem crops up. This could be damaging, destructive or completely unnecessary. How?
Effects of our perception
Our responses are the end result of how we have interpreted our perceptions, which again maybe based on something real, imagined, borrowed or conditioned. It maybe based on others' beliefs, values, experiences, and ideas, which again could be real or imagined. Whatever it maybe based on, our responses are absolutely real.
Let's understand this with a real life experience. Say you feel that your child has disobeyed you. Now this perception may be interpreted by some childhood experience of yours which is stored in your subconscious and surfaces now and then (this experience may not even be true, relevant or related to the present context). So you create a situation and you respond. Your response is that you feel anger or frustration and this may goad you into disciplining the child. Or you may just nurse this anger and it will manifest sometime later. Either way, there is an impact. These responses are real and this will hurt the child and impact it (he/she will continue to store it in his/her subconscious), or you and your relationships.
What is the final result? Your response to the imagined picture is real. Your child's feelings are real. Your feelings are real. The effect is real and far reaching. Is this worth it? More often than not, you may repent after a while but then you cannot change what has already happened.
When do we repent? When we think about it, then it changes the process of our perception. What does this show? All of us have an unique ability to change our perception at any time and at our will.
Changing our perception will change our thoughts, which in turn will change our personality and our lives.
There are many things we can do to bring about a paradigm shift in the way we perceive and process:
Be aware – Be completely aware of your surroundings and your senses. Sensitise yourself to sense what is closest to reality and the way you want to see it. Keep an open mind without any predetermined notions and biases.
Sit back and think of the last two hours. Run through every thought and act that you were either a party to or witness to. You will see that there is a lot of confusion and disparity. Make a list.
(The writer is a transformation expert and can be contacted on babita@persona24carats.com www.persona24carats.com)
