Spiritual Vision

"The smallest leaf becomes a thing of wonder,nand a blade of grass a sign of God's perfection."n— A Course in Miraclesnn nI remember a moment twenty years ago that sparked quite a reaction in me. I was sitting in one of my high school classes, and my teacher made a curious comment. "Only the poets and the mystics see the world clearly," he said. See the world clearly? What did that mean? I was intrigued. We went on to have a discussion of romantic-era poetry, and how various poets were able to perceive a beauty in everyday things that most of us missed. It was an interesting discussion. However, the topic left me pondering things. Was I not seeing the world around me clearly? If so, why not? And what could I do to clear my vision, as these poets and mystics had apparently done? If I could learn to see things clearly, what would the world actually look like? I was haunted by the questions. A few years later, I began to delve into various spiritual writings. I immediately found a great deal of information about this topic of seeing. Virtually all mystically-oriented writers talked about "flashes" they had experienced, in which the world took on a profound sense of beauty. In these flashes, the spiritual glory in people was revealed; everything and everyone seemed to glow with a quiet beauty that melted the heart. These flashes sometimes lasted for only a few seconds; however, they were life-altering. They showed these writers that there was a higher vision that could be accessed – a vision that revealed a spiritual glory everywhere. Over the past twenty years, I've gained an appreciation for how rare this experience of spiritual vision is. And yet, I believe that it is an experience that is accessible all the time. It isn't only the poets and mystics who can see clearly. Any of us, at any time, can make the shift.nnThe Old Glasses In my psychotherapy work, I often talk with clients about conditioning. The idea is that our minds have been conditioned to see the world (and ourselves) in a particular way. This conditioning is like a set of glasses that distort our vision. Instead of looking at ourselves with tenderness and appreciation, we have been trained to see our flaws. Instead of seeing the beauty in strangers that we pass on the street, we have been taught to see them as disconnected characters. Instead of seeing the spiritual glow emanating from the world around us, we have learned to see a series of problems and obstacles. However, it's possible to take off the glasses of conditioning – even for just one instant at a time – and see things with an open heart and mind. True, spiritual vision can pop up immediately as soon as the blocks to it have been released. The glasses come off, and we can see. Now, when I share these ideas with my spiritually-oriented clients, they often say, "Sure, that sounds fantastic. And I agree with that concept intellectually. But how can we do this? How do we free ourselves from the old conditioning?" My answer is: practice, practice, practice. The old conditioning was established through practice; the un-conditioning will be done in the same way. But the hopeful thing is that we can start this practice with anything, anywhere, at any time.nnPracticing the Shift Along these lines, I sometimes go to a public place – the patio of a coffee shop, perhaps – and sit down to begin this practice. I look around at the people near me. Starting with one person at random, I make a note of my current vision of that person.Am I seeing the spiritual beauty and glory in that person? Is my heart touched by a sense of love and tenderness for him? No – not really. Well, then – how am I seeing him? Right now, I'm seeing him through the lens of my old conditioning. Through this lens, he looks a bit tough – kind of mean. Sort of distinguished though. I bet that he wouldn't be very nice to me if I said hello. I bet he's one of those close-to-the-vest older tough guys. I step back and observe all that chatter in my mind; all that distortion to true spiritual vision. Then I try – for just a moment – to set that perspective aside and realize that I don't have any idea how to see this person. I try to let a vision-of-the-heart emerge, to show him to me in a new light. I ask for a divinely-inspired shift. If I'm really willing, I'll begin to feel a sense of appreciation and warmth for this man. I'll begin to see the both of us as family. A sense of his worth and value will arise. I will begin to see him as a precious, beautiful person. I can then allow that vision to transfer to the next person, to other people that come to mind, to the stream running behind the patio, to the "smallest leaf" and "blade of grass." And ultimately, that same vision can help me to see myself in a gentler, more benevolent light. Now, the nice thing about this type of practice is that it doesn't just give us a temporary flash of spiritual vision; it actually helps to dissolve the old conditioning that influences us every moment of the day. The new vision will spread through practice, dissolving the old lens that keeps us feeling isolated, flawed, alone. It will reveal the world in a new light – as a place where we can share our gifts, and strengthen what we have given. It will illuminate our relationships, showing us how precious and holy each one is. As we use this vision, we will increasingly come to realize our own inherent holiness – the holiness of our true, spiritual selves. The rewards of this experience are limitless. The process all begins, however, with a small shift of vision. And every bit of practice leads us closer to the goal.nnThis article originally appeared in Dan's Quiet Mind newsletter.