aloneagainor

Potential:
1) possible, as opposed to actual 2) capable of being or becoming

There's been more new material on this forum than I've been able to fully process this week, but I try. And in trying, I'm learning. Learning opens doors to perception I'd not previously recognized exist. Such vast potential in this for positive change. We don't realize what we don't know, and we can't recognize it if we're closed to the potential for change, in allowing alternative perspectives in. Such is why I (try to) welcome them all, even those I don't agree with, or understand.

Yesterday I toured an art exhibit, the works of surrealist Alexander Calder. His work concentrated in the medium of mobiles and scuplture. I admire the concept of surrealism, how it explores the unrealized potentials of nature; surrealism rises out of nature and explores ideas beyond reality. Calder's mobiles focued on movement, subtle vibrations, and shadows created by the movement of his work. The shadows were as integral a part of the art as the object itself.

"The aestheic value of these Objects cannot be appreciated through reason."
-Alexander Calder.

Which is precisely why it appeals to that side of my thinking so greatly. To disengage pure known reasoning and consider the alternative potentials to what exists as we perceive it. What things could be. What we don't see. What are the possibilities beyond what are perceived by our own minds eye, through the filters of our emotions and predetermined conditioning. To see BEYOND our own limitations, to explore points of view outside our own realized capacity, is to truly allow for growth and learning and change... to begin, to continue, to flourish. Lacking vigilance in continued open-mindedness, life can become very dark and isolated, depressing and lonely. But with an open mind to the alternatives, life never ceases to be interesting, enjoyable, and I think out of that, happiness arises.

This may seem trivial and maybe even obvious, but to me today, it's of monumental relevance. I think things through through written word, and so greatly appreciate being able to so express my thinking here. Grateful.

brigid

Nice stuff!! Yeh, I think so too. I love that there are so many ways of thinking, there is so much more to life for me to explore and do yet. It makes me look to the future with anticipation. There is joy in growth. I feel ok now that I am not "there" yet, wherever "there" is. I used to feel like I should know everything and be right about everything, like there was some expectation I should live up to or be at a certain place in life. Now I am able to let things go when I find a better way (better for me that is). And that also means that I respect other people and their ways more.

And there are so many things in life that I have yet to have a go at. I still have not joined a drama group, done yoga, joined a bushwalkers group, a theater group, eaten all the different foods of the world, journeyed to different countries (well no country except for Aussie land actually) ... so many things. Life really does rock!!

peace and love,
Brigid

Bobbybanned

It doesn't seem trivial to me. Nope, nope. It's great!

aloneagainor

I was wondering what was my point in writing this out, and this morning I'm grateful to see this neat summary of what I was trying to say.

Dropping the whole of "expectations", externally applied or internally imposed, so rather than feel like we need all the answers now, instead appreciate the journey along the way.

((brigid)) a bushwalkers group? That really does place you in context.
((bobby)) it seems relevant today, now that I understand my own point.

brigid

Oh no, I really hope you aren't thinking sandals and socks with a bird watchers book under one arm, binoculars in the other hand and a quaint little hat perched in just the wrong way on my head!!!

Not that I guess those things are not great, just that I don't see me in that context ... ahem ... maybe I should ... not just yet anyway ... crap ... can't believe an image bothers me still ... I really thought I was over that!

Funny stuff.

peace and love,
Brigid

aloneagainor

This makes me laugh Brigid! Ha, I'm a sandals (no socks...barefoot preferably!) bird watcher but I leave my books (they're within arms reach now) at home and don't take the binocs because I prefer to be unencumbored by "stuff" when out in the woods, and have excellent vision. I wear a quaint hat! Unashamedly. Actually, the hat is the "hard helmet on my head", there more for mental protection than function. Though for function too. Bugs...and cold. But mostly it's a mental thing. Funny, my ma always said she's "embarassed" to be seen with me for the way I dress. I have no concept for fashion. Pure function. It is pretty ridiculous, I suppose. But it doesn't bother me in the slightest. Maybe it should, but it just doesn't.

temlin3

NOT ridiculous. Not at all! I have always been fashion-confused, or however you want to put it. I buy things that I think are "pretty" or that feel like MY style. Comfort is key. I was always the girl in college that my roommates would check on for "appearance" before we went out. Most of the time I laughed because I didn't care, but I did oblige them on several occasions.To this day, I still have almost no concept of color schemes, accessories, hair styles, yadda yadda yadda. I'm the girl who lives in pajamas and T-shirts on a daily basis. I figure, we might as well be comfortable, right? Who do we have to impress? If I do happen to get married someday, he'll have to deal with the PJs and T-shirts at some point, so why not now?

As for the other points in this thread, the open doors, open minds, consistent learning, and progressive personal growth strike me as the most imperative to consider. I entirely agree with the ideas posted here. The more we open up to the world, the more we understand. The more we understand about the world around us, the more we find out about ourselves. And isn't that our own true duty in this life? To become who we are in body, mind, and spirit... and then reveal the capabilities we were meant to have in order to accomplish what we are meant to do on this earth. Isn't there a quote like that? ...Let me look it up quickly...

"To realize one's own destiny is a person's only obligation."
— Paulo Coelho, from The Alchemist

Yes, I truly believe we were all created for a reason (how it happened and who actually initiated it I'm not sure), but I do think we must strive to discover it. There's an "energy" in this world that connects us all, no matter how diverse we are in human nature. This "energy" must be all-consuming and existent in everyone's life if it is to be true in the human spirit. I do believe it exists regardless of what the world population feels.

Perception... This idea still boggles my mind and probably will until the end of time. Each person has a different set of genes, a different set of social experiences, and a different personality/behavior pattern that somehow has developed on the way to adulthood. Therefore, what is objective? Is there an objective perception? This, to me, is the most difficult concept to grasp when observing people, behaviors, and beliefs. Every day is another chance to "create" or "discover" something new, and it's quite impossible to keep up with everything.

Boy... Life can be exhausting, can't it?

Thank you for the food for thought. A great discussion and a source of further debate inside this overthinking head of mine.

Take care everyone. I wish you all the best!
Jennifer

P.S. — Flip flops are the best invention since sliced bread!

shockozulu

That is me to a "T". What is wrong with a T and old sweatpants (without holes in them) for school? I want to be comfortable in class right? My best friend still checks me out if we have class together LOL

aloneagainor

Three days is the longest I've been away from SR since finding (amazingly) this site. Logging on this evening I smiled to see the home page. So comfortable here. Feels like home.

And so glad to see Secular back up and running. And SO delighted to see you here, temlin Jen. You've been away for awhile, and missed.

Practicality, comfort, function, reign supreme regarding choice of clothing. Well, seems that it should. I cannot fathom what goes through (or doesn't enter into) women's minds when they wear high heels and nylons in a snowstorm. That they wear heels (or nylons) at all boggles my mind. Foundation, grounding, a solid foothold to the earth...isn't that why we have feet as platforms, not pointy heels? On to finer points...

It's gratifying to know that there do exist others dedicated to the pursuit of learning, self-discovery, for the betterment of oneself and all that surrounds.
Awareness.

Perception is Reality. In what one perceives, and how one chooses to perceive, determines their reality. We can shape our reality by being aware we have the ability to choose how we will think. Objective reality? I don't know. Subjective perception certainly overrides. And in that, one has all the control inside their own mind to determine. It's incredibly freeing, to know...

Bobbybanned

As you know, I have much respect for your views and never would I challenge them, with ill intentions, but only as a means of exploring them with you. I know you know this already, but I mention it for the benefit of any other readers.

That being said, I am slightly hung-up on the "perception is reality" comment. I am trying to get to the heart of it and I wonder if I am missing something. It seems self-evident, but I wonder. Furthermore, the following sentence in the quote may be adding to my confusion. "In what one perceives, and how one chooses to perceive, determines their reality."
I have maintained the opinion that reality is in no way shape or form subjective. Regardless of what perception leads an individual mind to experience, reality outside that mind is what it is, and nothing can alter it from being reality. So should I assume you are directly refering to what that mind is actually perceiving rather than the actual reality itself? Or are you actually suggesting that if the mind perceives it as reality, it becomes reality, even if it is confined to that particular mind?
Maybe I am making more out of this than I need. I apologize if I am complicating things unnecessarily. That's not my intention.
It's just that if 3 people are looking at a blue ball, and one perceives it as red, while another as green and the third preceives it as purple, well, the ball is still blue, in reality. Their perception doesn't change the reality, only their response to reality.
Of course I am also assuming that may have been what you meant when you said, "In what one perceives, and how one chooses to perceive, determines their reality." But since I wasn't certain, I thought I would plunge into a bit as a means of discovering if I understood incorrectly....or what.
At any rate, perception is certainly an extremely important exercise in terms of accuracey. With awareness being such an important key to life, it would go without saying that perception is quite the team player.

Great Thread (Subject) My Friend

Bobbybanned

Shame.
In my life, it is very much a result of my perception of how I have failed to live up to my potential.

So why the post?

Just one little thing I could do on this day to exercise my perception, live up to my potential (by telling the truth) and reducing the shame.

Good for me!

aloneagainor

"Perception is reality" can be compared to "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." It's true, what the object is IS what it is. But it's the perception of the individual, the lens through which we perceive of the object, that determines what we will see and how we will see it. And as humans our ability to perceive is so so very limited, we cannot see anything for what it really is. Even perceived color is nothing more than a reflection of light through the filter of our eye. And if you're color blind, more restricted still. Can't see X-rays, or gamma rays, or so-called "dark matter", or anything beyond this narrow band of color wavelenths. Yet all that exists. Recognition of the fact that's there's far more we don't know and cannot perceive of allows us to get away from the concept of every knowing anything close to what any object really is. Best we can do is strive for a realisitic impression. And to do that, recognition of the reality of subjective nature of perception is essential. Recognizing that what I perceive differs from what you perceive, puts us all on the same playing field. And there mutual understanding can begin. But when someone claims to know objective reality, they are discounting everyone else's perception of what is reality.

That's right, and it's the response that the individual has the ability to change. We can choose how we perceive, but only if we're consciously aware that we are choosing our perceptions, and in that defining our reality. There's so very much ongoing all the time around us that we filter out, aren't even aware of. Or conversely, the details one chooses to focus on might distort reality completely, blown all out of proportion, altering perception of reality that way. Purely subjective. All subject to change.

Bobbybanned

Well said....puts the word "tolerance" in mind.