There is a giant difference between perspective and perception. I have found that I threw these words around, used them often, but realized today, with guidance from Jesus, I have been using them incorrectly most of the time. More alarming is that, I have been living them incorrectly most of the time.
Perspective is viewing. It doesn’t matter which definition, which source I used for the definition, it is always used from a platform of viewing something. Perception on the other hand is from imaging. Where does imaging come from, imagination. This gets tricky, because they appear to be close to the same thing, but in “reality”, they are very different.
Let’s start with breaking down perspective. Like I said before, it is the viewing of something. I have seen with my eyes, heard and felt the reality of what ever the subject is. You may be standing ten feet away from me, your perspective on this same subject will look different, be perceived differently.
The truth of what is exists, but our view has a different angle, so it is not nor can it be exactly the same.
Perception is much different. Perception is not viewing anything, it is a creation from a belief system that we have accepted through the programming of our life. I need not see a thing, all I have to do is believe it is true.
My ego is hard at work in its perception of reality, all though reality it knows nothing about. It creates a story based on a belief system put in place from a believed reality, not reality itself.
Trauma, our own actions and things we watch and listen to, make up this programmed fictional story. Although we may have actually viewed something, it creates out of belief, not the reality of what is the truth. I told you, it is tricky.
Reality exists in the moment, in the perspective of what is happening, not a belief system that is influencing what is happening.
Here is an example, let’s say my wife and I are at an event. I m across the room searching the crowd for her with my eyes. I find her and see her talking to man, she laughs and continues talking. I have no idea what is being said, my view only is she laughed and is engaging in conversation. In this moment, She having conversation and laughed, nothing more. This is as far as the truth of what my view is in this moment. If I stay in reality, if I do not let the programming of my past get involved, this is a perspective of the truth.
Perception however has no view of the moment, I could close my eyes at this point because it doesn’t care about reality, it’s story time.
If I have trust issues, if I have been cheated on let’s say, if I have cheated, if I know that others have cheated and shared their story with me, the program changes the perspective into perception.
I will make up a dialogue to fit the belief system. I can’t trust her because I know that people cheat and this is how it starts.
I don’t move, I don’t go and join the conversation, I stand there with my ego creating fiction, not experiencing reality.
What if I decided to change my view? What if I changed my perspective and walked over there, leaving my ego and it’s perception of the situation behind me?
What if I approach, open minded to reality, she grabs my arm and says “we were just talking about our grandchildren and what a good Papa they have in you”. Think about the story compared to reality. What could have been anger from a deceptive perception, was actually me being honored and loved in reality. Much different isn’t it!
This happens all the time, our perception through belief systems, some that we never even experienced, alters our actual perspective.
We even do this from a place created by our own transgressions. Ego uses everything it can to create a defensive posture that it tells us is for our own good, so we don’t get hurt again. It does this so you don’t suffer at the hand of someone else, this is it’s belief.
What actually happens is we create our own suffering though perception, from a story with a hint of truth or no truth at all. Just because something happened once, just because it was something “I” did before, just because I heard stories of this happening, does not mean it is happening now or that it ever happened.
The biggest lies told to us are the ones our mind tells us! I know this is true for me. I have a great imagination, it can be a blessing or a downfall, that is my choice on how I use it.
Another reality for me is that if I am looking for it, I will see exactly what I’m looking for. This is perspective altered by perception.
Let’s say I’m not at the event or even if I was and never saw this conversation in person. Later I am watching a video someone posted on Facebook and I see this conversation taking place in the background of the video. The choice comes right here in this moment of that moment.
Do I make a story up based on past beliefs or do I make nothing up at all and go on about life?
Do I ask questions?
If I ask questions do I believe her?
Do I ask and then look closer at the video to see the reality of the situation?
All of the things come into play here. My belief systems, my experiences, my reality, trust, transgressions, it all floods in on me and my choices will be mine. Once again, all of them based on perspective or perception.
This is the biggest reality of them all, in this moment what do I choose?
What my ex did?
A mistake made in a moment that doesn’t exist now?
Who’s issue is this, hers or mine?
Do I choose to stay in this place, this mindset and suffer or do I choose to release the perceptive mind and join in the bliss of the reality that can exist in this moment?
Do I choose the perspective of right now, this reality or perception of what was or what could happen?
I have given so much time away to suffer from perception that I have lost out on the joy of the reality of right now!
My ego believes it is protecting me, I can respect that, but it also has kept me from having deep, intimate and meaning relationships full of vulnerability and connection.
I want to blame others, different situations and multiple relationships for this, but it isn’t an actual perspective it is perception being driven by deception of the ego.
I have to let go of the shame of the thoughts of time wasted battling this perceptive mind and start enjoying the reality of view of this pretty amazing life I have right now!
I do not want to fight so I will choose to release the past, ego you can have it, go on with your bad self and I Am going to enjoy the view I have right now!
There was a time this life was a dream, a home, kids, grandchildren, a job I Love, time to be me and an amazing wife that thinks I’m worthy of this life! Why do I want to create suffering… I don’t! So I won’t, after all it’s my choice, always has been, always will be!