A shift in perspective can bring both understanding and release.
“Besides learning to see, there is another art to be learned -- not to see what is not.” -- Maria Mitchell
2007-07-28 01:35:11 · 7 answers · asked by Kallan 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I used to call my self Paradigm for a reason :)
It directly relates to Relativism, people often refer to relativism as philosophically and morally bankrupt, but without acknowledging it as a possibility their minds are like confined spaces.
I think the quote in a way refers to acknowledging the blanks as blanks rather than trying to fill them in.
P.S haven't seen you here in a while, welcome back.
2007-07-28 01:37:39 · answer #1 · answered by Link , Padawan of Yoda 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Welcome back Kallan :-)
To not see what is not is to see the mirage for what it s and not the oasis it appears to be.
The entire quote is referring to the ability to distinguish the real from the unreal, truth from fiction.
All too often we project what we want to be true onto what is true, thus obfuscating reality in favour of our personal delusions.
A change in perspective can lead to a paradigm shift. A classic example of this is the book "Black Like Me' where the author (white) wore makeup to make himself appear black. This led to a vast new horizon of experiences which in turn revealed the truth hidden beneath the self-serving assumptions.
The old adage "you cannot know someone till you've walked a mile in his shoes" also beckons us to shed illusion and assumptions in favour of real life experience.
It is a pity that presidents and senators and politicians in general were not required to spend (at least) one day on the streets with nothing (including secret service) so as to know what it is like to be poor and homeless.
How the world would change.
2007-07-28 10:27:26 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
For one to learn to see what truly is as opposed to that which one may have been taught to "see" (having been tought by other as to the "what" of "some thing") is to become enlightened, i.e., to awaken.
Persons are often taught to see the world. This means that they are taught to "judge" what is seen and experieinced rather than to simply experience what "is".
The judgement is always a reflection of the one who is judging and seldom is a reflection of the reality of what is being judged.
One hears, "Such a thing is beautiful", or, "Such a thing is terrible", when the reality is that such a thing simply is such a thing, no more and no less.
The quote you cited can be easily understood from a Buddhist perspective.
thank you for this quote.
may it all be well with you.
2007-07-28 09:07:21 · answer #3 · answered by Big Bill 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A shift in understanding can bring perspective and release.
2007-07-28 08:40:21 · answer #4 · answered by bonzo the tap dancing chimp 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think that this is a million times harder than seeing and those who have mastered this act are truly enlightened. I hope to one day be able to do both. It can be very painful to let go of what is not there when you have believed it to be true for so long.
2007-07-28 08:48:47 · answer #5 · answered by PaganPixiePrincessVT 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes,I would agree...no question..and Jesus summed it up in this:
"You will know the Truth, and the Truth will make you FREE." John 8:32
When one is convinced of truth,then one is able to procede in faith,without evidence,without seeing...and will not fall into the error of seeing what is not.
"Faith is the substance of things hope for,the evidence of things,not seen"
2007-07-28 09:00:21 · answer #6 · answered by bonsai bobby 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The world has a great veil over it. ; )
2007-07-28 10:08:10 · answer #7 · answered by Lillian Cassidy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋