Source @ Pintrest
We have two eyes, physical eyes that are like organic cameras. They perceive the world via an electronic transmission through the optic nerve, which goes all the way to the back of your brain where the image is upside down. The first 'processing conditioning' of this electric transmission comes when the brain turns this image "right side up", orienting our body to the world 'outside' of ourselves.
Then, the image moves through a series of #filters, all within the brain as well, to condition the image further. These filters scrub away "irrelevant" information that would overload our conscious thoughts, before the image reaches the front of your brain at the cerebral cortex -- our thinking center. This scrubbing is necessary, and it is an evolutionary adaptation that goes very far back in the history of life on this planet.
At the front of the brain, it passes through three stages: identification, orientation, and relation.
Identification: "That is a bull."
Orientation: "The bull is coming closer."
Relation: "The bull is coming after ME!"
However, we have an inner eye of wisdom, too. And equally important to our survival as well. For as a species, the way to counter the chaos that is multiplying ever so steadily through our modern society is through the opening of this inner eye, and learning to "see" with it.
This inner eye sees things for what they are, not as we wish them to be. This inner sight discerns and discriminates all the information coming in from our senses, and it makes judgements based on what we perceive. It draws upon our experiences, our knowledge, and our emotions in an instant, without us knowing. That is, if we don't develop this inner sight. We can let it run haywire, let it continually judge what we perceive in the world according to our inner conditions (those we get from society, learning, etc as well as prejudices and assumptions we hold as true).
Or we can purify it by understanding one simple phrase:
"THOU ART THAT".
What does this mean?
It means clearing up the contradiction that is at the heart of human existence. It is also the answer to the eternal question, "Who is 'I'?" It is a statement repeated over and over in many sacred texts calling to us through all the ages.
This contradiction and #identity crisis arises from the illusion of being separate from the world we observe. It arises when we imagine the 'I' within us as being "NOT THAT", that the 'I' is someway only part of life and not life itself.
When you observe the world, you can think "I am not that tree. I am not that other person." And to an extent, you are correct. But the underlayment of reality prove otherwise. Even modern science contradicts this as it has been discovered that beneath all apparent matter is a jumble of energy, and even the smallest components of matter have very "fuzzy edges". I am not a physicist, but I can see the correlation between the modern sciences and this very important statement of "THOU ART THAT."
Give up the #contradiction of being separate from everything you see, and your inner eye will open. You will begin to see the #truth, that the 'I' inside of us is a very limited thing with unlimited desires that color all your perceptions.
You are life, you are the universe. THOU ART THAT.
If you like this content, please consider an upvote and a resteem. Or, at the very least a comment and upvote. I am steadily trying to build up this Steemit blog since I am middle aged, and generally uneducated (well I should say STATE uneducated - I have a lot of self education!), and cannot work on my feet for long hours. Please help me make an honest living here by providing you great content! I have a lot of wisdom to share <3
Very powerful @becomingwhtur. You might enjoy this message by E. W Kenyon: