I took this shot a few years ago, and while the quality isn't the greatest, it is one of my favorites. What I like about it is that there is the mirror of the snail in the berry. By the way, the snail is quite tiny, as that is a small, red gooseberry.
I have always found it interesting how our eyes in combination with our mind can "trick" us into seeing what isn't actually there. "Seeing is believing, but when our brain is doing the interpreting of what we are seeing, can we trust our own judgement?
Belief is a funny thing, as there needn't be evidence or proof of any kind, for us to consider something is true. It can literally just be someone telling us that it is true, and we can go the rest of our lives trusting that they are correct, and acting accordingly - thoughtlessly, unquestioningly, blindly. We can even then strongly and violently defend our unproven beliefs, inflicting horrible pains on those we consider are enemies of our thoughts.
It is pretty crazy.
One might say, extreme.
I am perhaps obviously, not religious. However, there is a lot of value in the process that religions use to attract followers. It is our human nature to want to be in a community and be part of something larger than ourselves, and aspire to be better than we are today. It is likely this desire to improve that has helped us evolve into what we are today.
When I was young, I heard a quote from Buddha that resonated with me,
O monks and wise men, just as a goldsmith would test his gold by burning, cutting and rubbing it, so must you examine my words and accept them, not merely out of reverence for me.
My teaching is not a philosophy. It is the result of direct experience...
My teaching is a means of practice, not something to hold onto or worship.
My teaching is like a raft used to cross the river.
Only a fool would carry the raft around after he had already reached the other shore of liberation.
It tells of being scientific in our approach to beliefs, to raise questions, to experiment, to experience and understand. But it also speaks to progression, and moving forward into the future, rather than holding onto the past, attaching oneself to the raft, or the river, instead of walking away to the next adventure. It is a practical view of the world, one where there is a time for everything to live, and a time for everything to die.
Knowing when it is time for each, is part of our maturing process, one step leads to the next, and the third will leave the first footprint in the past. It is good to reflect upon the journey, the lessons, and how far we have come, but not to the point that it consumes our time and energy, the potential of our mind and body, until there is nothing left to propel us forward. Holding onto our beliefs just because we have held them in the past, is like keeping childhood toys, isn't it?
Of course, just talking about this gets contentious, because people will identify with their belief systems, as if they are a part of their body, but is it the case? Thinking it is true, believing it is true, and having faith that it is true, still doesn't make it true, right?
However, acting as if it is true means to put practice to the belief, but it seems that people tend to pick and choose when their belief system is applicable, which generally follows convenience, when it doesn't get in the way of desires, or when it scores social points with peers. It is like many of the social movements, or diets out there, where there is a difference between what people say their values are, and how they act.
Which is to be trusted?
Last night, it changed to summer time, moving an hour forward. What this means is that if the sun rose at six, now it rises at seven. But I find this ridiculous and useless, because no it doesn't. The sun rises at the exact time it breaks the horizon. It doesn't care what time we call it, the practical experience of the sun doesn't change. Yet, we try to fool ourselves into believing there is more light in the evening, or more light in the morning at winter times. Strange, isn't it,
because it works.
Nothing practically changes in nature, yet we are able to fool our experience into believing something that isn't true. And, based on this, we act differently, shift all of our schedules, our meetings, the time we start school, go to work, head to the gym, watch a show. Fooled into changing our behaviors, because of a collective belief system.
Beliefs can make us better.
They can also make us worse.
It depends on what we believe, but more importantly, how we act.
Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]