This is an excerpt from our Thursday teaching, emphasising the Buddhist emphasis on recognising how we fundamentally misperceive reality. First, we only partially perceive and then we hazily generalise by conceptualizing.
And that is why one of your countrymen, William Blake, said “If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, Infinite. For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things thro' narrow chinks of his cavern.” We perceive through our biocomputer, which is different from the biocomputer of other beings, and to complicate things more, the software of our mind is molded by our culture, by the time we are living, by our very own DNA! That is why it is so important to go back, and back and back till the source of all perception recognizes itself. Since you mentioned the Vedanta parallels and Ramana Maharshi, let me recommend to all this extraordinary Advaita Vedanta teacher, which during this meditation mentions an analogy similar to the one of the banana, but using a flower. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3vddQwxA48
Please take the time to watch it, it is worth it. I send my best to all.
Hello Ignacio. Your reference to William Blake is very appropriate, and fascinating! I really liked your comments, and I thank you for sharing the youtube meditation. Peace!
Oh yes how we see and perceive - soooo central to the understanding of our world and others ( and ourselves ) I will read this one ! As someone who feels ‘unheard ‘ when misrepresented quite often ( maybe l need to look at how l communicate) & how that hurts a bit - l will check this out xx thanks Alistair xxxx
For me, this was the "deepest" teaching you have provided, Alistair. I was particularly affected by your comment that it is wise to be humble about the limits of our perception, for in fact, does the way we lazily perceive the world make us suffer? There is so much to think about here, dear Teacher! Thank you.
I very interesting insight into how we see ourselves and the world and the limitations we put in place by doing this.
When we look, we need to really see and when we hear we need to really listen.
Thankyou Alastair.
And that is why one of your countrymen, William Blake, said “If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, Infinite. For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things thro' narrow chinks of his cavern.” We perceive through our biocomputer, which is different from the biocomputer of other beings, and to complicate things more, the software of our mind is molded by our culture, by the time we are living, by our very own DNA! That is why it is so important to go back, and back and back till the source of all perception recognizes itself. Since you mentioned the Vedanta parallels and Ramana Maharshi, let me recommend to all this extraordinary Advaita Vedanta teacher, which during this meditation mentions an analogy similar to the one of the banana, but using a flower. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3vddQwxA48
Please take the time to watch it, it is worth it. I send my best to all.
Oh yes how we see and perceive - soooo central to the understanding of our world and others ( and ourselves ) I will read this one ! As someone who feels ‘unheard ‘ when misrepresented quite often ( maybe l need to look at how l communicate) & how that hurts a bit - l will check this out xx thanks Alistair xxxx
For me, this was the "deepest" teaching you have provided, Alistair. I was particularly affected by your comment that it is wise to be humble about the limits of our perception, for in fact, does the way we lazily perceive the world make us suffer? There is so much to think about here, dear Teacher! Thank you.