Mind_Buying_Into

Some of you have probably noticed that each of has our own individual way of looking at reality. You may have also observed that it is not uncommon for most of us to believe that our reality is God's own truth.

What if we saw reality as a commodity for sale ? In what ways could we improve our consumer awareness ?

Probably the most common thought in Universe is "I'm right. The truth is that being right is not enough. There's the ancient story of the blind men who encounter the elephant. One believe it's a tree because he's run into the leg and another thinks it's a snake because he has hold of the trunk. Multiple points of view give you a better picture of a situation. A differing opinion can challenge you to think outside of your particular box. It's like my friend, Dr. Dave always said, "If five people are in a meeting and everyone is always agreeing with you, there are four too many people in the meeting."

All concepts/ideas/words are only models for truth. No model is actually the truth. Each merely describes the Universe from a particular point of reference.These are always limited and are never the complete and absolute picture of any given situation. Exploring the essential truth of an event should be more important than proving the validity of a specific theory. Be aware of whether you are truly observing a situation or manipulating the perception to fit your theory.

You may have trouble with a leaky faucet and need to call in a professional. The type of professional you hire will effect the kind of service you receive. If you call in a carpenter, you will end up with a beautiful cabinet. Bringing in an electrician would result in a well lit area and an efficient garbage disposal. A minister would discuss with you how to improve your relationship with your Higher Power. And if you call in a Freudian psychiatrist.........well let's not even go in that direction. Professionals naturally diagnosis/assess from their area of knowledge and expertise. Good ones refer to others when a situation is beyond their scope of practice. Yet, many will insist on helping whether the cure is worse than the illness rather than deal with their own embarrassment or lack of knowledge. So choose the right person for the right job.

If in the past you've bought an idea that no longer fits, get a new one. You may have bought it from your parents, society or the church. It may be something like "real men don't cry" or "strong women don't get dates". It doesn't matter how much it cost you or how long you've held on to the belief. If the concept constricts your growth or no longer serves you, toss it out and buy a bigger size.

Any perception can be assessed for value based on a number of factors. Is it helpful ?

Does it empower you ? Does it build your self-esteem? Does encourage progress/grow ? If you believe you've seen Elvis and this helps you be a more loving human being then more power to you. On the other hand, if you think you have heard the very voice of God and the result is that you live in dark personal shame and damning judgment of others, I encourage you to rethink it.

Notice whether a specific view of reality is more like a snapshot or a video. The nature of our world is that it is constantly changing. It is helpful to be cautious of how quickly we carve a belief into stone. This doesn't mean that there are not Universal values and principles which consistently hold true. But, it does challenge us to be vigilantly aware of the subtle changes in the lessons that life has to offer. By seeing life as a process/journey we can gain awareness through experiencing the patterns rather than trying to freeze frame experience into a rigid dogma.

These tips have focused on how we buy into reality. I would also invite us to be conscious of how we sell reality. Respectfully understanding how another feels and where they are coming from offers us the opportunity to add our unique view of life to their images. A hard sell may result in a win/a quick sale for us and a sacrifice of the relationship. This would mean, no repeat business. The expert who believes that he is a know-it-all and that no one can teach him anything is usually right.