The Power of Perception

Earlier this month I was having a conversation with a dear, long-time friend. At some point in the conversation my friend asked me if I had ever seen so much unrest in the world. I said, “No, not in my lifetime.” My friend affirmed that they had not experienced such unrest in the world in their lifetime either. We talked a little about the current events unfolding around the world. We then moved on to talk about other things.

The very next morning, I woke up and walked out to the living room. I walked over to the large window overlooking the neighborhood. Sitting on the window sill was a hyacinth bulb planted in a small pot. The bulb had grown significantly since I planted the bulb several weeks earlier. In the past week alone, the bulb had really taken off. It was clear that something magnificent was going to become of this hyacinth bulb.

Later in the day I thought about the two experiences I describe above. The exchange with my friend regarding the events in the world was full of disbelief, fear, even anger. I saw nothing but darkness in the exchange. My perception of world events in that moment left me feeling only fear. The experience with the hyacinth bulb was full of beauty and joy. My perception of the hyacinth bulb was imbued with love.

One could look at the above two experiences, and the feelings associated with these events, and consider them to be two very different experiences. If they were, it was only because of my perception. It is said in A Course in Miracles, “Perception is a choice of what you want yourself to be; the world you want to live in, and the state in which you think your mind will be content and satisfied. It chooses where you think your safety lies, at your decision. It reveals yourself to you as you would have you be.” (T-25.I.3.1-3)

All events are neutral; they simply are. Anything I experience associated with an event is a result of my perception of the event. None of my perception is true, in truth. Anything and everything are only as I want them to be. Our perceptions are a powerful thing. In the above experiences, I was struck by how my perception made my reality in those moments. I could have as easily saw love in the current world events, as I could have seen fear in the sprouting hyacinth bulb.

We can train our perception to see a more peaceful and loving world. Like anything else we strive for, it takes practice—until we realize there is nothing we need do to return to peace and love. We are that we seek.

Robert Meagher has been ordained as an Interfaith Minister and certified as a Sacred Attention Therapy (SAT) Therapist. Robert is the Founder and Spiritual Director for Spiritual Guidance and Co-Founder of the Center for Human Awakening.