(Copyright 2022 Shawn Axten)
An odd title for an ode to the physical, and intuitive senses, as well as cultural, and life experiences that inform our vision, and frequently debate it. This quote by rap artist Tupak, or 2pak, is an eloquent harmonious cacophony of homonyms. A dear young man in my life shared with me this brilliant epitaph. Sadly, Tupac only lived to age 25.
Sometimes, however, the eyes themselves lie to us. The mechanics of vision are profoundly complex. The middle and lateral viewpoint of each eyeball travels ipsilaterally and contralaterally to the brain through the optic nerve, two of which criss-cross, resulting in 4 dissimilar snapshots of the world out front. The brain then must compile the 4 images to make sense of a singular viewpoint. Oh, and the images arrive in the brain upside down! The brain learns to see! Seeing is more of an artistic interpretation and translation than a mechanical fact. So, too, we learn to give meaning to the symbols we have creatively compiled in our brain. For instance, a six-month-old baby will creep on hands and knees right across a clear plexiglass panel suspended over two counters, with a visible 5-foot plunge below it. It is not until the baby’s brain has matured more through physical interaction with the world, to begin to “suspect” that the apparent cliff is real and could result in harm – they stop and won’t go across!
(Bali Group shared photo 2022)
As young children we learned as quickly to understand dangers that were not apparent through our vision alone. The plunging feeling in the gut with the simultaneous “shunk” sound of the car door slamming in the driveway. This emotion informs much faster and more emphatically than viewing a parent staggering into the front door, and the smell of alcohol. Depending on the age of the child, and how long a dysfunctional and self-reinforcing family dynamic has existed, the child might be told lies about the parent’s condition. This, of course, allows conflict between the mental, emotional, physical, and verbal information the child processes, leaving them confused, disbelieving, and perhaps doubting their judgement. Sadly, as the same young adult is confronted with conflicting information about a romantic partner, they may actually convince themselves things are fine, when in fact, they are unsafe.
(Copyright 2022 Shawn Axten)
Our ability to interpret the “reality” we perceive around us is actually a spectrum of convoluted learned beliefs, cultural influences, ethnic and religious indoctrination, as well as the results of our own experience. We often learn from a culture’s misplaced pride a definitive view that our approach to life is the only right one! We can see, too, that the landscape, altitude, climate, and forgiving or harsh ecosystem we mature in as children, and young adults lend lessons about life as well. For instance, don’t trust the iced-over lake in early Spring – a lesson in survival – meaning “life is harsh.” Contrarily, there will always be more mangoes falling from the trees – a lesson in abundance and support of the natural world, “we are loved and supported.”
(Bali Group shared photo 2022)
If, in fact, our entire “perception” of life around us is a complex course of overlapping influences – how can any of us think we have dialed in “the truth, the way, and the light?” We have created our interpretation of the many influences in our lives, in our tiny backyard of the planet. And those patterns, beliefs, and approaches that may have served us, and given us a sense of control, understanding, and safety could be false. Why, then, should we not entertain and trust an apparently conflicting paradigm of living that a neighbor in another part of town, or another part of the world has come to embody?
(Copyright 2022 Shawn Axten)
When will we allow each other to find a way that serves us, and realize that the colors across the spectrum of a prism are infinite aspects of pure white light. One is not better, nor the “only respectable color,” nor the most sensible color since they are just parallel vibrations from the same Source. One color is not right and another wrong; red, blue, black, and white are merely creative interpretations and aspects of the lives they have lived, and what they’ve been taught. Perhaps we can use our discernment – or real eyes to realize real lies – and instead see the one same pure Source of white light that creates us all.
(Bali Group shared photo 2022)
That’s my opinion, based on my upbringing, education, culture, and life experience. It encourages me to see the inherent good incarnate in each human, any human, anywhere. Can we learn to love, and share what we have with each other? As I was walking through the community streets of Kabupaten, Bali, carrying my freshly laundered clothes, I was confronted with a group of Balinese 12-year-old girls playing with a volleyball. I slowly set my bag on the street and clasped my hands rotating my white forearms forward in a gesture to bump the volleyball. The girls spontaneously giggled, and one sent the volleyball my way. I bumped the ball back and for a seemingly infinite moment we played hitting the ball amongst each of us, laughing and carefree together. They did not see a middle-aged moderate socio-economic Caucasian American woman. Nor did I see brown-skinned Balinese Hindu girls. We saw another human with whom we could trust, laugh, and play. In that endless moment in time – humans of the one same creation, on the one same planet, we are human to each other.
(Bali Group shared photo 2022)
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