We are stuck in a battle of wills; our will to succeed, our will to survive, our will to thrive, and, in the midst of this struggle, we purport to be the sum total of our tangled yarn of thoughts and emotions. Our attachment to the outcomes of our actions sometimes brings with it more anxiety, discontent and suffering.
We are stuck in a battle of perspectives. One minute we are seeing clearly and the next minute we are doubting or questioning what is fact and fiction in what we’ve seen – especially if we suffer from exhaustion from a tough day or are overwhelmed due to extra duties in service of others.
The philosopher Alan Watts talked about “the myopic view of what one’s self is.” I think he has it right. He noted, “We look at the world from various levels of magnification. We can look at the world from the perspective of the microscope and see it a particular way. We can look at the world from the naked eye and see it a particular way. We can look at the world from a telescope and have a completely different perspective. Which one is more valuable than the other? They are all correct but have different points of view.”
“We take myopic views of ourselves that don’t make sense. When we examine our blood streams, there is one hell of a battle going on. All sorts of microorganisms are chewing each other up. If we engaged with this battle and chose sides, it would be fatal… From a larger perspective those battles need to be waged.”
At our level of perception, we cannot truly understand in the grand scheme of things how it all makes sense, but we continue to move and have our being in the world. Watts reminds us that “The universe does not make sense to us.” In so many words, he said, “There are gases, atomic explosions particles and subatomic particles mixing to produce parts of the universe that we cannot even fathom but space is an essential function in the grand scheme of our existence… We need space for things to happen within space.”
Watts was brilliant at breaking things down to their barest essence. The wars we wage with ourselves and the feelings of insecurity we experience are an essential part of who we are in figuring out what we mean in the grand scheme of things.
Our experience here is informing us in ways we cannot even begin to understand. Our lives are establishing a context for our senses to inhabit a greater sense of meaning. We know through the world and through our experience consciousness is formed. That conscious awareness will carry us to the delight of unknown realms of understanding.
Friends of mine have lost loved ones recently. In one way of thinking we can appreciate what one life has given us to inform us of who we are. We can share in a common experience of life that has touched something within us that is ineffable. We share the bond of common moments of singing songs, going to concerts or sporting events, eating on vacations and holidays and participating in the rapture of sensorial expressions.
On one level, our perception is given to the idea that we may never see that person again. On another level, the memory is still with us and carries with us through the end of time. The pictures that were planted in our minds, the imagery from the experience creates its own perspective and helps us in our place of understanding in what that means to us at any given time.
A subtle phrase uttered by someone takes on new meaning based on the wisdom of that individual. When we return to those utterings in sacred scripture, it informs us in different ways as we evolve. “I am with you always.” This phrase from one perspective can remind us that we are never alone. From another perspective it can recall for us the fact that a memory of one can bring a person closer to us and resonate in the heart. On another level, we can say that once a love has come into our lives it can become something greater for us. It establishes a context that can live and breathe and have its being in us in this life and beyond.
We have altered states of consciousness to remind us that we are never stuck in one perspective. If all these perspectives can be embraced, they can open a whole new world of understanding to us. “When we change our consciousness, we change the world.”
Ray Bradbury, the great writer, was as comfortable with religion as he was with science, because it informed him that he was participating in myths and wonder on his journey to survive. He noted, “We have scientific theories and theology. These experiences inform us and allow us to participate in the world more meaningfully.” He said, “Einstein’s theories are being called into question and as we evolve in this life, those theories will constantly evolve. Religion in its own right does the same. It gives us contexts to help us understand what things mean to us.”
When we discount a perspective, we are limiting the possibilities that the universe presents. If you’re an Atheist you’ve discounted a perspective that may serve you in life. If you are a Christian and discount an Atheist’s perspective you have been limited in your own right. If you are truly faithful to what you believe, you shouldn’t be scared by any perspectives and embrace them all.
In the grand scheme of things, our perspectives have a cumulative effect on how we perceive the world and some would suggest a deeper abiding contact and fuller realization of the soul and what it means to be alive. In the words of Bradbury, “You are here to witness and celebrate.” Period. Well said, Ray. It’s funny how a brilliant writer can untangle the confusion of perspectives in a matter of a few words.
spirit beat 