Usually when we see something, be it a person or when we
view a certain situation we draw certain conclusions (about what we are seeing)
based upon our experience, our personal level of understanding, comfort level
and perspective. Our impressions of something or someone create our picture of
reality, which is rarely true after all, but all that seems to matters to us is
how we look at something and not necessarily what we are looking at. If we
think about this a little bit further, the impressions we get (about something
or someone) have only very little if anything to do with the object of our
attention and everything with ourselves, our personal perspective, standards,
preference and viewpoint. Therefore, to gain true knowledge about the object of
our attention (be it another person or a certain situation) we need to go
beyond our personal perspective and impressions and make the effort to view
what we are looking at from different sides and in a very different light.
Impressions are about the onlooker, but only further examination and careful
observation can lead us to the understanding of what it is we are really
looking at, in other words, to get to the essence and to be able to perceive
the truth about the object of our attention.
The individual who is looking at something already comes
pre equipped with an arsenal of personal standards, beliefs, opinions, likes
and dislikes which only too many times get in the way of looking at something
objectively and realistically since we human beings tend to compare what we see
to ourselves, in other words, we tend to look at the world around us not as it
is, but as we are, or as we want it or need it to be. Comparing things around
us to ourselves makes it almost impossible to not be biased about what it is we
are seeing, which in turn distorts greatly our view of reality. Only by
learning to free ourselves from the need to hold on to our truth and
open ourselves up to life around us we are able to gain a greater insight into
the different realities surrounding us, learning to see things, people and
circumstances as they are which ultimately allows us to perceive the truth. The
only true way of bringing about understanding between people is possible only
if we focus less attention if we agree with or even like what other people say
or stand for, but rather if we accept them for who they are, unconditionally.
This idea is something that many people have difficulty
with since most of us tend to only accept that which we agree with or approve
us, but it has become apparant to me that only by
unconditionally accepting what is can we develop understanding of the truth,
which is a very liberating and empowering concept indeed.