You, Perception, and the Universe/Reality?

Question

You experience the world in a certain way. this may or may not include metaphysical/religious/spiritual experiences/perception, or not. this can be massively different on a whole variety of things. someone who experienced one particularly good or bad thing might have their entire world view adjusted in some way according to that.

in fact one could possibly argue that how exactly one sees and inteperets the world is the result of an immensely complex equation of experiences, and that the outcome of certain combinations are very predictable.

so my question is this, how confident that how much of the world experiences the world mostly how you do?

what sort of scale do you feel that the scale would be, how much views it mostly differently. how much views it mostly the same, in what ways are these groups similar or not?

have you considered the possibility that perhaps, a large amount of the world experiences a different world than you do?

Answer 1

You seem to have answered your own questions. I agree with you. I think no two people see the world in the same way. However, through studying history, I have noticed that different cultures think about the world differently. My most recent discovery of this was when I picked up chainmailing. The European weaves were vasty different from the Japanese, and both were a reflection on the culture that created them. The European one was very interwoven looking, similarly their artwork was very detailed with much interlacing. I've noticed different cultures tackle archetecture different from one culture to the next, and often their buildings and art are a direct reflection on how they viewed the world.

With this thought of cultures thinking similar one would think surely sibblings would think and see things very similar. I've found this only to be true to an extent. Two sibblings, no matter how similar, are still inherently different.

As for everyones perseption of reality I think Plato's allegory of the cave is good. In the far end of the cave are some people who are chained to stare at the cave wall and cannot look in any other direction. Behind them is a pathway, and beyond that a fire. These people have never been told about the fire, the pathway, or of any other people. The fire creates shadows on the wall. All these people know is the wall with its flickering shadows.
These people will make what they will of the flickering shadows, either trying to recognize them, accept them as they are, or attach mythological concepts to them. If one of these people were to be turned around to face the path and the fire by someone else, at first they would protest. The light of the fire and the solidity of the people would confuse and frighten them. After a while this person would grow accustom to their new reality.
Now the person has an opportunity to talk to his old friends who still face the flickering, fire-lighted wall. These people have no concept of what people or fire look like. His words would seem foreign and he would have no way of describing things except through symbols. The wall-lookers would think him crazy and not accept what he had to say. Even though the people and fire are more real than their reality, they still would be hard pressed to accept this.
After his discussion not going so well, this person is taken near the mouth of the cave. From here he observes the sun rise and set as well as the cave’s opening. If this person is moved yet again, this time fully out of the cave, he will have even more understanding of reality and the shadowy impressions upon the wall will seem far and distant.
I think most people opperate in the shadowy reality each interpreting the shadows for that they will. A few of us strive to see the reality of the fire, and some do, but all do not grasp the cave in wich they are in.

Yes, I have considered that the rest of the world experiences things differently than I do. If it wasn't for everones different take on the world many things would not be as they are and culture and heritage would be meaningless. Seeing through our custom filters does distort reality as well as blurs communication.

I do wish more people would recognize they are not seeing the same world as everone elce. One of the goals of my life is to live the examined life; this includes attempting to take off the filters that I see the world through.

Answer 2

“We don’t need to do anything to experience the truth of who we. Why would we need to do anything to just experience ‘what is’ ? And so in stillness (a lack of mind activity) our true nature shines bright and plain to see. We experience the creativity, love and joy that Eckhart talks about – our awake, alert essence that never changes.”
We are the Universe, if only we would realize it in a non-dual egolistic view.
Reality/Universe, just takes a bit of practice. The mind is always thinking, judging, making assumptions, commenting, labeling, and planning. To experience reality, simply be in the present moment. Accept things as they are not how you want them to be but how they are.
If only ones sees with eyes of wholeness. And in terms of liberation from delusion and be aware of the prisons we create from ourselves and for others through our delusions of separation when fundamentally there really is none. Can we as Einstein put it, widen our circle of compassion to "embrace all living creatures and the whole nature in its beauty"? Its a practice after all, not a philosophy.

Answer 3

Is like saying that if we watch an apple, I perceive it differently from your perception but if we draw it [assuming we both are artists of the same caliber] we are going to end up drawing the same things even tho its two different states of reality?

0p7
http://christianmetaphysics.com/lessons.aspx

Answer 4

All mankind makes many assumptions, some learned from others, some their own inventions. If the assumptions are correct, we have a better chance of arriving at a truth. If the assumptions is in error, there is no chance of arriving at the truth except by accident.