Understanding Perceptions

Do you know that there is so much wisdom and knowledge in the world today that if we applied it in our daily life, we could solve all our problems in no time? But this knowledge is scattered and not integrated. You have to search for truth to find your way around.

Unfortunately, most people are not searching for the truth. They are mainly interested in consumer-orientated activities and too busy escaping reality. And the world is not going to help you search for truth.

It is the reason why the world is in such a big mess? The ego or self is the centre of consciousness and awareness in our mind. It is supposed to interpret reality to make sense of the picture in front of us. But instead, it is continuously misinterpreting reality. There is no insight or self-knowledge in the individual and no understanding of what perception means. Thus we have a disorder of perception where we see mental illness in every society increasing in the world today.

The problem is no one wants to listen, and no one wants to look at themselves. No one wants to look at the ego. Everyone is a time traveller doing their own thing and living in their little world. Our learning in the schools and universities is all about developing our egos and whatever skills and talents we have. There is I, Me and Mine in everything we do, and everything else becomes subsidiary. It is a self-centred world we have created where we think we are doing the right thing and believe we are on the right track. Hence most people believe they are not deluded.

Perception is all about how we look at the world. It takes place at different levels of our consciousness and awareness. It is the wire that connects our mind to our body. When we are young and growing, the biochemical changes that take place in our body under the influence of hormones affect our perceptions. We act as if we are Superman. But as we grow older, as time produces more changes in our body, we become aware of the fact that we are mortal after all. But time is not the only factor that influences our perceptions. Our outer world and our experiences in life also affect our perceptions.

When Muhammad Ali, the world greatest boxer said, " The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.", he was speaking from his hindsight of experience. Time also had forced him to change his perceptions and knocked some sense into him.

So why is perception so vital to us? It is because perception influences our thinking. Our thinking influences our actions and behaviour. Hence if we want to improve our mental health, we have to understand what perception means. Perception also directly affects our subconscious mind. Since all our vital functions are under subconscious control, one can see how important it is also to understand the workings of our subconscious mind. You may not be aware of the fact that distorted perceptions result in the production of negative biochemicals in our system, which, in the long term, affect our physical and mental health.

If you thought the world is going to help you understand your perceptions, you would be on the wrong track. Politics is a game of distorting peoples perceptions, so if you thought politicians are going to help you here, please think again. They are all involved in exploiting your hopes, fears and desires. Their only interest in you is to promise you a world and buy your votes.

If you thought the medical profession, which is supposed to be the guardian of our physical and mental health, is going to come to your rescue, please do not hold your breath. With the highest suicide rate in society among the doctors, how can they possibly help you? This profession has abandoned its responsibilities and sacrificed its principles on the altar of consumerism. It is involved in politics, and their thinking has become bureaucratic with significant limitations. There are no longer many independent thinkers left in medicine. With their conflicting interests, how can these doctors straighten out your perceptions?

Again if you thought our tertiary institutions, the bastion of knowledge in society, are going to help you here, please forget it. These institutions are bureaucratic structures designed to teach you what to think, not how to think. Just observe the zombie type of individuals with bureaucratic thinking prevailing everywhere in society.

So how do we go about identifying and straightening out our perceptions? First, and foremost, one should be willing to take an honest look at oneself. If one is happy with oneself and the world around them, there are no problems. But if one finds oneself in conflict, quite clearly there is a problem of perception. It is the change in your perception that will help to resolve the issue. If you do not change your perceptions, it means that you have not changed, and you will continue to produce negative biochemicals in your system. These substances can only harm your physical and mental health in the long run. Do you wish to continue this way? It is you who are the master of your destiny. It is you who decides which way you want to go.

Does what I have written above make sense? Does it help you to understand what perception means? Please become aware of how it influences your thinking and behaviour. There is magic to be discovered. It is possible to change your perceptions as you go along and not let time or circumstances force you to change them. Please do not become part of the zombie world.

If you wish to learn more about perceptions and how they can transform you, please read "The Enchanted Time Traveller - A Book of Self-Knowlege and the Subconscious Mind". Visit website HTTP//theenchantedtimetraveller.com.au. The Ebook version is available at Amazon.com.