True perception involves seeing the whole in a sensitive way without the contamination of isolated (taught, habitual) images. Distortion occurs when the supposed (but false) whole is seen fragmentarily through a mental screen of conditioning. For instance, it is in vogue to say that “I am one with the beauty of nature”… or to identify oneself in a special connection with magnificent, towering trees or a breathtaking mountain range. One fragmentary image, however, identifying itself with other images… is what it is: a sequence of fractional image making. (Few, by the way, identify themselves with people who are mentally or physically handicapped or with disappearing coral reefs; maybe if they observed them without a mere fractional center… more good things would get done). Real wholeness exists beyond the boundaries of thought. These boundaries include the fallacious center that feels in control of what are considered “subservient thoughts.” Thought/thinking projects this center as being separate from other thoughts and as being separate from what is perceived (through the screen of thought); this center has (and is) an essence of separation. Real wholeness does not put a separative, isolated image of a (fallacious) center on a psychological pedestal; real wholeness does not have a supposedly central image that merely identifies itself (at times) with other chosen, select images — like breathtaking mountains — while (at other times) it purports to be domineering over “other” images (whether they be internal or external) from a distance.
Most people don’t care deeply about true or deep perception; they have accepted crude, mundane ways, (and they continue to perceive through — and “as” — these mundane, superficial ways, without going deeply beyond them). In these banal, mundane ways, most inevitably get bored and feel unfulfilled, which is (obviously) due to clinging to the old and stale. They continue to cling to the old and stale ways, and they are afraid to let them go. Untold many, over centuries, have each relied on and believed in a domineering and manipulative center that is (supposedly) in charge of the rest of thinking… and the world remains in crisis; deep harmony rarely emerges out of distortion. The irony in this, unfortunately, is that most will not care to delve into this and transcend the fractional center; yet it is this very so-called center (because of its unnecessary friction and conflict) that keeps them in psychological isolation that is dull, lonely, distorted, second-hand, deceitful (and that is not dynamic while it creates a space of limitation that directly leads to boredom and inner sorrow). The serious mind that sees the falsity of such a center is, on the other hand, joyous, harmonious, original, whole, and beyond deep deception. Falsities are not just in some of the age-old, infantile beliefs of man; they go to the very essence of what consciousness entails. Transcending them is true liberation and bliss… not all that phony stuff.
Sharing (1) Photo by Thomas Peace c. 2016
Sharing (2) Photo by Thomas Peace c. 2016
Tom's Nature-up-close Photography and Mindfulness Blog 
Thank you, Thomas for this Sunday lesson of philosophy and the wonderful photo, have a nice day, regards Mitza
Thanks, Mitza! 🙂 And thank you for sharing your wonderful feather art! That is fantastic talent! 🙂
Thanks a lot, Thomas. I started to paint again, now some Mediterranean seeds from a tree. I will post it later with a frame. Have a nice day, regards to Tweetie, too, Mitza
That is great, Mitza! 🙂
I agree, humanities perception of life/living on this planet has to change, for as things are there is no chance of a viable future for it or any mammal life form, Arthropoda, well that’s another story, and probably more dependent on how humanities perception affects the flora, but hey what do I know? The short answer to that question is only what I see, and hear, and none of that bodes well for the future of Earth!
Yes, i understand, Mick. The crass nature of much of humanity is unbelievable at times. Changing it would take more than a miracle. I’ve tried, with my book and my blog posts, but it hasn’t had much of an impact (except maybe for a few). A horse can be taken to water, but that doesn’t mean that it will drink. Some scientists are talking about going to another planet. What a joke! We need to clean up our act here and do something tangible about the population explosion problem… but that doesn’t look likely; people just are not serious enough; what is superficial and disorderly on the inside extends that to the outside.
The problem with brains and minds is that without some kind of embodiment (which includes feeling and our senses) we are left without a connection to the real and natural world…transcendence is not the answer if we are concerned about the earth and her creatures, human and non human.
Real transcendence is tremendous order… and that tremendous order will act correctly to keep the earth and her creatures clean and healthy.
To rise above nature is to leave her behind… the very last thing we need to be doing at such a perilous time in earth history – what we need to do from my point of view is to inhabit our bodies – what is rarely understood is that this is the only way we can create a bridge to nature. Rising above her is literally killing the earth.
Sara, you’ve misconstrued and distorted what i am writing about and you keep leaving negative comments, which you have done in other of my postings. Please refrain from engaging in this negative commenting here. If you don’t like what is here, please go elsewhere. That is the polite thing to do.
Thank you for sharing your deep thoughts. I like the two photos. Try to figure out how the second one was done! 🙂
Thank you, Showers! Much appreciated! 🙂
You’re very welcome. Will be back.
Good, i hope you get something out of it! 🙂 The message behind the words is far more important (one thinks) than the superficial photographs.
Tom, so many times I read your posts again and again. I really like to take time to allow it all to “soak in”. If I able, I enjoy spending time pouring over each sentence. Each time I read one of your posts, I make sure that I have time… if not, I wait until I do! Thank you for your depth of thought and the ability to share with others in layman’s terms.
That’s great, Lori! 🙂 Many are just satisfied with the photographs. Rereading the material means that you are delving into it deeply, not just taking it in superficially. Too many are merely satisfied with (and “as”) the superficial! Miseducation has a lot to do with it. We weren’t encouraged to ponder about deep things, but (mostly) were shoveled (and fed) the rather superficial.
That’s how I grew up. But something within never felt that stuff I was being told, made any sense. The more I questioned life, the more flack I got from people about how “off” I was. I am the oddball in my family. The weird “out there” sibling. I rarely meet someone I have anything in common with. I find it so hard to believe people accept the superficial-ness of life. It’s really sad to me.
Yes, same here, Lori. I’m also the oddball of the family. I’m glad! At my aunt’s funeral service, one of my cousins turned around — she was in a pew in front of the one my wife and i were in at the church service — and said to me, “It’s too bad that you’re a heathen, isn’t it?” It’s all, with the rigid, orthodox families, so very ludicrous! Don’t ever feel bad about not fitting in and don’t ever try to fit in. Don’t compromise your integrity (ever). I’ve always realized that i am way different… and i’m more than appreciative of that. There’s a lot that has happened over the years that i haven’t shared — not with family nor with anyone else — that is tremendous in its beauty and depth… and immense in it profundity (and a lot of it is quite tangible and capable of being shown… and not of my own fabrication); however, it won’t be shown… because (well, for one thing) as someone once wisely said: “You don’t give pearls to swine.” It’s up to each one to go beyond the superficial. Most, unfortunately, will not care to do so. On a dollar bill, there are a lot of rigid, dead bricks that make up the pyramid… but there is only one little section that contains the living, all-seeing eye.