Understanding Perception: The Essence of Our Experience
How often do we believe we’re surrounded by concrete, tangible things? Look around you – a chair, a table, a book, the humming of a computer. We are trained to believe in the solidity of our world, the realness of the things we touch, see, hear, and taste. But as Bentinho points out, at the heart of our experience is a more elusive reality.
Have you ever pondered the idea that maybe, just maybe, everything we see and touch isn’t an ‘object’ as we’ve come to understand it, but rather a manifestation of our perception? Bentinho suggests that our direct experience, the raw feeling and sensing of life, is not of ‘things’ but of perception itself. Our world, filled with what we believe to be objects, might just be an elaborate symphony of perceptions dancing together.
The World of Things – An Illusion?
Consider for a moment the vast population of our planet. Seven billion people, each perceiving a world of things. Yet, in truth, no one has ever truly encountered an ‘object’ outside of their perception. As Bentinho invites us to see, the objects we believe in are merely assumptions. What we have always, and only, known is perception itself.
It’s a provocative perspective, isn’t it? Often, science, with its rigorous standards and methods, is believed to be the antithesis of faith or spirituality. But when we truly examine the foundations of our beliefs about the world, could science too be based on an unverified assumption of objects?
Experiencing Directly: A Call to Presence
So, if the tangible world might be more illusion than reality, what can we truly know? Bentinho advises us to experience directly, without the interferences of thought, assumption, or description. It’s like pausing the never-ending chatter of our minds to truly listen and experience the moment, the now.
It’s in these silent, undisturbed moments that we might get a glimpse of the truth. Not the truth of objects, but the essence of pure perception. Bentinho’s words suggest that when we quiet our minds and remain vibrantly awake, we come face to face with the light within – the radiant essence that underlies all appearances.
The Light Within
This inner light, Bentinho posits, illuminates our thoughts, emotions, and experiences. To know this light is to touch the divine, to understand that everything around us, and within us, is a manifestation of this eternal brilliance.
“In the depth of stillness, we find the light of awareness, the truth that transcends our limited perception.” – Author Unknown
As the Bible says in Psalms 36:9, “For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.”
As we navigate our lives, it’s crucial to remember that our understanding of the world is shaped by perception. It’s an invitation to look deeper, beyond the assumed reality of objects, and discover the vibrant essence that dances at the heart of every experience.