Reality?

The point here is that our reality is just that, our reality, or reality as we experience it. It does not constitute reality in the way that others experience it. Neither does it constitute reality itself.

That’s a lot to digest and it can be a little discomforting at first but once this truth is embraced, life becomes easier to understand, makes more sense, feels more gentle, and, frankly, is a lot more fun!

Let me try stating this another way:

The reality that we perceive to exist is dependent on the perspective from which we perceive, or choose to perceive that reality.

An example

By way of offering a fairly extreme example, I want to share with you two posts that I read in a mainstream news feed, earlier this week.

The first relayed the perspective of a war correspondent who had spent an extended time on battlefronts and in violent hotspots around the world.

She lamented the ‘hostility, ruthlessness, destructiveness and harshness’ so prominent on our planet.

The second put forward the perspective of an astronaut in orbit on the international space station.

He praised how unimaginably serene, beautiful, and fragile life on earth appeared from his lofty vantage point.

Towards balance

The truth is that in a healthy, balanced system both positive and negative vibrations coexist. There are as many possible perspectives on reality as there are perceivers of that reality.

Living in a state of balance brings true happiness and inner peace.

But, it requires constant conscious effort to prevent from getting sucked into a perspective of reality that is overly polarised.

A change of perspective

When life seems difficult, harsh or even brutal, it is time to invoke the power of perspective.

You may not be able to alter the reality you face but you can – with relative ease – alter your perspective of it.

To close out, I want to share an old parable that I think is very relevant here. It was featured in Bärbel Mohr’s 2001 book, The cosmic ordering service: A guide to realising your dreams.

I have adapted the language somewhat to make it an easier read.