Most of us take our eyes for granted. With just one eye we’ve vision, and with two we have perspective, the ability to differentiate. We also have a third eye, one we don’t often acknowledge.
This third eye offers focus which goes well beyond what’s in our view, extending to things that are physically ‘unseeable’. Such might include ‘seeing’ postential, seeing alternative courses of action, seeing into the hearts of others, among others. It’s in such views that we’ve our greatest opportunities for growth.
This third eye determines our perspective or framework for life’s choices. It‘s very noticeable in others, in their behaviors and responses, in their expressed emotions, also in their deeper drives or dispositions and also in their beliefs and values. It is here, that we might turn our third eye inward to enhance our own self-awareness.
In our material experiences that we recognize the power of both Love and apathy. It’s implied that positives and negatives are equal and opposing forces we’re required to balance, even though this is likely not the truth.
There’s further differentiation, such as Empathy, Openness, Generosity, Optimism and Respect on the Love side. There’s also, fear and greed to augment apathy, as well as lust, envy, spite and similar. These, once acknowledged, need to be dealt with or managed.
This is no easy task. My temptation has been to give substance to these qualities, just so I can manage them. I form archetypes – people, symbols, and events, to assist me – only to descend into rationalizations, explanations I then create just to comfort my conflicts. The inevitable result is that I don’t resolve these issues; I just learn to live with them.
There’s a better way. Instead of personalizing and then rationalizing such archetypes, I’ll substitute symbolic representations. This will make them impersonal and so my emotions won’t get in the way of resolving them.
As examples, on the Love side, for Empathy I’ll visualize a purple cloud that extends, embraces and envelopes others to offer peace and comfort; for Generosity it’s a golden river that flows, surges and nourishes those in need; for Trust it’s a sunlit cave that’s both security and shelter while suggesting opportunities for exploration.
On the apathy side, for fear, I’ll see a vivid, foreboding granite wall that encloses and confines me limiting my freedom to choose; in the case of greed it’s a shape-shifting maw, searching, sucking and swallowing everything in its reach; and for anger I’ll envision a powerful tornado indiscriminately sweeping all in its path to destruction. These are powerful images in my mind, but I’ve less difficulty in confronting and dismissing them.
My response to any threat is crucial. I’ve the choice to rationalize and accommodate, or to confront and then to assert whatever I know to be reality.
All I need to do is manage my mind.
