Perception: Seeing Past The Obvious

Perception vs. Reality: Are they one and the same?

"If you believed there is purpose, meaning and significance
behind everything, how much more would you see?"

Many times in my life I have caught the hint of a hidden reality, that vision that eludes us when we concentrate too hard on the obvious, a fleeting image in our peripheral vision that challenges us to look past our pre-conditioned perceptions. Have you every had a sense of wonder overcome you through what appeared to be a common experience when observed from the outside? It can be something small, a hint that there is much more beneath the surface. Perhaps on an early morning walk such as I experienced…

“From a road that circled the lake I watched the sunrise light up the edge of the desert. Birds stretched, flitting from tree to tree. Everything suddenly came to life. Early risers walking their dogs, nodded in passing. Prickly pear cactuses abounded, red flowers and fruit crowning the edges of their fleshy leaves.

A jumble of small storefronts lined the avenue. By the look of it they had been here before this town was a town, sitting silent witness to the turmoil of the growing population. I paused by a stucco building under renovation -- perhaps new owners preparing to open a little restaurant. The front door lay invitingly open and all was quiet. I couldn’t help but peek inside for a moment.

Strains of dirty light filtering through the paint stained window flooded the place. Throw cloths covered most of the furniture; white looming objects bucking their shrouds. Is this emptiness an illusion? I wondered, while sensing a history, a presence in the shadows. I placed my palm on the bare bricks, tracing the cracks in the mortar, closed my eyes and felt a part of the building. Is it normal to see so much in something that appears empty? I heard a rustle, saw a fleeting shadow from the corner of my eye, but never straight on. I could sense these realities in the half-light, but they vanished when I turned to look at them directly.”

Perception hinges on our own interpretation of events. I believe we are all equipped with an inner barometer; and that 6th sense that tells us that our present reality is only the tip of the iceberg, a huge adventure awaits…

On the topic of perception, I came across this:

Faith and Perception Article