I will make a challenging statement, and my intention is not to offend. You don’t see what is there, no one does. Whenever you see anything, you see only the part of you that is there. The quality of your attention or judgement.

Inside is a reflection of the outside? Yes, exactly.

I think that’s the biggest reason for arguments. We argue with people when they challenge what we see and offer an alternative. You need never argue with anyone. When offered a counter point you can disregard it, just because it doesn’t feel right. You need justify your choice of focus to no one. I will offer this though, does your choice of focus feel right to you? Do you notice that you choose what is inside your bubble of perception?

Sometimes. Sometimes it feels wavering. It is. It’s a common challenge, but you do choose even when you feel you don’t.

Ego versus? That is the basis of the confusion. The concept of ego versus. What can ego actually be measured against? If nothing, than how can we know anything about ego at all?

Something large? Ah yes, but the idea of largeness… Isn’t that also us? Is it not so that what one person considers large another will judge small? Is there this “external” large thing for us to measure anything against?

Our perception of the world around us? You are your perception of the world around you. Reality is in the eye of the observer. Reality literally is the eye and the rest of the being that we might call an observer, the mind, is very obedient, but how is it given orders? Where does it get these orders from?

You’re saying that our reality is what others observe and not what we see? No. I am saying no one else sees your personal reality. Even when you present something to them they still see it from their own reality. You see what you are. You don’t see what is.

The movie “Shallow Hal” is on. He sees these women as beautiful because he sees their inner beauty, while his buddy sees them as not quite so pretty. It is a good movie about perception, and totally applies. A beautiful soul has beauty as a focus, as an aspect of their total focus, and are they ever not noticing beauty? I think we all may have known someone like this at some point. We may have even called them a pollyanna, but is that idea them or us? What would make this person, who sees so much beauty, wrong?

Failing to see flaws? Where is there a clear flaw in reality? Clarity of focus is not measured by the degree to which ones focus agrees with others, but quite the opposite. If your focus agrees very broadly, you will take everything in exchange for your own soul. You will have no real presence in your life, because there will be no point to which other people can reference. Who would this serve to lose the self in such a way?

When you reach your goals it’s time to set new ones. And what would allow us to set new goals? Can we set new goals if we are looking for objectivity as a standard? Can we set new goals if we are looking for a “standard” at all?

We set goals because it’s our nature to do so. Exactly. Are beliefs standard? If they are, then why so much conflict around beliefs?

Beliefs are personal. Exactly, and my beliefs are true for my life to the degree that they contribute to the clarity of my focus. If a belief clouds my focus and restricts my decisions, is there some standard by which it is true?

Maybe the belief is too rigid. We need to be more open to new possibilities? Rigidity is the measure of the inaccuracy of a belief. Beliefs are the road signs to self knowledge. They don’t have to be the “one true belief” to be true for you, yet people look to reconcile their beliefs with what? Normative behaviour, but what purpose does normative behaviour serve? Behavioural norms enrich who?

Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.

Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~