Connecting With Spirit
"Here is my secret. It is very simple. It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eye."
--- Antoine de Saint Exupery, Le Petit Prince
Rich with sensory perception, our human experience allows us to take in and assimilate the world around us. Unlike the rainbow portraying the very basics of color schematics, the real world vibrates with a truly unlimited spectrum of possibilities. Not limited to merely seven colors, we bless our eyes for bringing to us a full-color array that changes with alterations of light and perspective. Similarly, we bless our Creator for showing us precious bits of digestible life, all the while we fully comprehend that more than we observe and understand exists in our grand gourmet of choices.
Our relationships with one another bring far greater depth and complexity than the limitations of sensory observation allow. Like the grand earth and all its vibrations, those around us -ourselves included - put forth a limited range of who we are, for others to see. Now, the two elements of the human equation - what truly exists compared to what our limitations allow us to perceive, and what we put forth for others to see, vs. their ability to see it - add a doubly variable basis for establishing, forming, and maintaining relationships with one another.
Who are you, really?
Over the years, various psychological studies hypothesize we use about 10% of our total brain capacity. That, alone, astounds us by demonstrating we rarely dare to exert the other 90% of our capability. What comprises that inert 90%? Mystical, elusive and often fearful traits popularly bear the reputation of that unknown brain store. The notion of true genius rests in people demonstrating perhaps a larger percentage of brain usage. But what if genius had nothing to do with the filing cabinet of facts and figures, and more to do with connecting to spirit for intuition and understanding of that we do not see using merely the ten percent?
Additionally, we must also understand that like the limitations of the spectrum of sensory perception and the 10% of human brain usage, who we truly are as a physical being reflects a mere fraction of our true selves as a spiritual being. When we consider the wide range of non-physical experiences our soul carries forth, these bodies - or vehicles - merely experience the possibilities limited on the earth plane. As we ponder our spiritual existence, our mind stalls as the magnitude overwhelms us. Like gazing at billions of stars in countless galaxies, our limited awareness barely comprehends the full breadth of our spiritual truth.
Understanding the human limits
Like living within our means financially, we quickly learn that our human bodies constrain us in many ways. Subject to the limitations of the law of gravity, for instance, mankind overcame his avian desires by building airplanes and other modes of aviation. The myth of Daedalus and his son Icarus exemplifies failed attempts at human flight independently, at will.
Similarly, we understand the restrictions of spirit as captured into the human experience. Like seeing birds in flight and knowing that mobility is impossible for us, we get loving glimpses of spirit at work in our life, and believe that, too, eludes us. Thus far, technology sidesteps or never considers the spiritual or invisible component to our earthly experience, and therefore fails to account for the spiritual component at work in human lives each day.
Multiple ports of entry
The news media proves effective by using several modes of sensory input to convey a story. For thousands of years, the spoken word prevailed as the primary source of information from person to person, and generation to generation. Then, somewhere along the timeline, the written word emerged, lending a second component to communication. Ever since Gutenberg, the printed word reigned as the staple of information exchange. Five hundred years later (give or take), recorded audio began as Edison brought the phonograph to the general marketplace. From there, various regenerations of audio media integrated into our culture and now we enjoy personal systems, satellite television and more.
Researchers over the years learned that the impact of an intended message intensifies when the message is presented using more than one sensory receptor. That means that if you get your news on television, for example, you see it and hear it. Therefore, the news' ability to reach you is greater, and your ability to receive and remember it, is greater, too. Add to the visual pictures, the scrolling bar along the bottom of major news channels, you engage in reading, watching pictures and colors and hearing. A triple whammy to hit your brain! As of yet, the transmission of smell, taste and touch is not possible, but when that occurs, the retention ratio will skyrocket! Think of the scratch-and-sniff ads in your favorite magazine. Why did they do that? It wasn't effective enough to let you see and read about a perfume. Once you see, read and smell, presumably, you're hooked!
The illusion of what we perceive.
In high school, a wise teacher once told our class, "Believe none of what you hear and half of what you see." Looking back, I realize her direction not only addressed the unreliability of gossip and hearsay, or even the media for that matter, but also spoke to our interpretive abilities as limited by the human experience.
Not meaning to second guess or inspire doubt in what we believe we know for certain, let us remember keep a healthy perspective when taking in information of any sort.
Spirit knows no limitation of any kind. Our higher self recognizes things on more than a physical, human level - it sees what Antoine de Saint Exupery, says "is invisible to the eye." The spiritual connection within us, when trusted, acknowledges what is essential - whether or not our ability to perceive it exists. When our awareness of the illusions comes to light, our ability to thrive peacefully increases along with the connection to Spirit and the Infinite.
We are human beings struggling to move forward in a world with built-in perception restrictions. We are so much more than our human limitations! Remember what is essential to you, take a deep breath and trust that your higher self senses all and shows you the truth.
Copyright © 2009 Marlene Buffa
Taking a quiet sideways glance at life, Marlene offers insight through her words from experiences. A student of new-thought teachings, Marlene finds practical spirituality around every corner and seeks wisdom through observation of life's inter-relationships. Sometimes playful, sometimes poignant, always thought-provoking, her writing inspires readers in meaningful ways. Be sure to visit her website: www.wordsofmind.com