Perception is Reality

William Shakespeare was quoted as having said, "There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so."

Please read the Taoist story which so poignantly illustrates that our thinking makes things good or bad, not the neutral event in and of itself.

An old farmer who had worked his crops for many years had his horse run away one day. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. "Such bad luck," they said sympathetically. "May be," the farmer replied. The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses. "How wonderful," the neighbors exclaimed. "May be," replied the old man. The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbors again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune. "May be," answered the farmer. The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son's leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out. "May be," said the farmer."

(Thanks for tagging me Ana - I had inserted this as a Scotish farmer story which I had originally heard it told; however, Ana sent the story to me from the web yesterday and it is credited as a Zen story. I am adding this disclaimer and changing it back to a Taoist Story because I want to acknowledge and share with you how easily I fell into my own story box that as a Christian I might offend other Christians quoting a Taoist story even though Christian writings profess the same message in similar stories!!! How perfect! I am part of the whole. You are part of the whole. We are all part of the whole...)

Our lives are made up of a series of neutral events that we have placed in our mind as either 'good' or 'bad'. Our brain records all the stimuli in our life which forms our beliefs and typically, by the age of 10 we have most of these programs hard wired. Unless we make a conscious decision to change them! It is not easy to choose conscious thoughts over past repeated behaviors. In fact it will be both the easiest and the hardest journey you will ever take. More about this in later blogs...

Have you ever reacted to someone in a manner you disapprove? Have you ever said or thought, "They just pushed my buttons." In essence you reacted without thinking. You were on auto pilot.

Once you realize you don't have to be a victim of your own subconscious thoughts you can choose a new way of being! Shifting your consciousness from that of a victim to a responsible individual begins with your awareness that you have all you need. You can each do incredible things! Your thoughts manifest your reality! Whether you believe you can or cannot do something, you will prove yourself right!

God made us in His image. This means that we are co creators with God. Proverbs 23:7 (King James Version) states, "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he."

(I'm adding this poem to my blog from yesterday after reading my morning devotional from Streams in the Desert. Once again reading this poem today confirms my faith in God's holy mystery...

"Give me a new idea," I said,
While musing on a sleepless bed;
"A new idea that'll bring to earth
A balm for souls of priceless worth;
That'll give men thoughts of things above,
And teach them how to serve and love,
That'll banish every selfish thought,
And rid men of the sins they've fought.

"The new thought came, just how, I'll tell:
'Twas when on bended knee I fell,
And sought from HIM who knows full well
The way our sorrow to expel.
SEE GOD IN ALL THINGS, great and small,
And give HIM praise whate'er befall,
In life or death, in pain or woe,
See God, and overcome thy foe.

I saw HIM in the morning light,
HE made the day shine clear and bright;
I saw HIM in the noontide hour,
And gained from HIM refreshing shower.
At eventide, when worn and sad,
HE gave me help, and made me glad.
At midnight, when on tossing bed
My weary soul to sleep HE led.

I saw HIM when great losses came,
And found HE loved me just the same.
When heavy loads I had to bear,
I found HE lightened every care.
By sickness, sorrow, sore distress,
HE calmed my mind and gave me rest.
HE'S filled my heart with gladsome praise
Since I gave HIM the upward gaze.

'Twas new to me, yet old to some,
This thought that to me has become
A revelation of the way
We all should live throughout the day;
For as each day unfolds its light,
We'll walk by faith and not by sight.
Life will, indeed, a blessing bring,
If we SEE GOD IN EVERYTHING."

--A. E. Finn

Namaste, God Bless You, Peace!