Practical Positivity

The human mind has a way of finding what it seeks. Studies of the brain have revealed that most of the time, we don't really see all of what we see. Rather, our senses only catch glimpses of the world around us and allow our minds to fill in the gaps with guesses based on experience. There are hundreds of optical illusions and other mind tricks to prove this phenomenon, and the art of prestidigitation counts on it. So uncomfortable are we with the missing things in our perception, that our amazing brains construct something familiar to see us through. As a result, each of us lives in a world largely of our own making.

This very personal relationship to our environment can lead to some interesting perceptions. Nearly everyone has a funny story about a misheard song and how the comical lyric seemed to make sense in its own odd way. Faced with random patterns, we unconsciously seek pictures, often finding faces staring back at us. It can be unnerving for some, miraculous for others. But, given our imaginative inclinations, it is all completely understandable, at once wonderful and mundane. Similarly, a glimmer of light in a midnight mist becomes a figure, ghost, fairy, holy visitation, alien, or swamp gas - we make of it what explanation we can believe. The question stands, in a world where perception creates reality for every individual, is anyone's perception, however it may contradict his neighbor's, any less real? Knowing you have power over your own reality can be a great comfort. Each of us can choose the world we live in, so why not choose a world of happiness and hope?

It is not a mindless positivity I advocate here, but rather a kind of practical positivity. Much as I believe in the power of thought, meditation or prayer to change the world, I would not walk into a war zone with a smile as my only shield if I could avoid it. And, if that were, somehow, my only course, I would do so accepting the very real consequence that it wouldn't likely end well for me. Our realities are our own, but they do brush against the realities of others at the edges. For all the marvelous work your brain does to fill out and polish your world, there are still anchors of objective actuality. Prayer alone will probably not cure your cancer. Bad things may still happen to you even if you fervently refuse to accept the negatives. That said, we can still recognize and embrace the practice of practical positive thought to improve the world for ourselves and others. It is possible to stand in the darkness and still have a commitment to seeing the light.

We may favour peace and still recognize the need to protect ourselves and others from those who have not learned to value harmony. Defend, but keep peace in your heart, and do only what is necessary to restore that peace. Let go of bitterness and offer opportunities for peace to others.

We may wish for health in a time of desperate illness and blend conventional medical care with more spiritual methods. Medicine will do what it can, and prayer may boost it. There is no reason to shun either approach, and whether you believe the positive thought will cure or not, there's no reason to add negativity to your ills. There is no sense being sick and miserable when you can be sick and hopeful.

We may not be able to avoid troubles, but we can recognize the opportunities for good in them. There are always lessons to learn or insights to gain. You're paying with your pains, why not get something for your trouble? As I've suggested in earlier posts, you don't need to run from your problems, but something good can come from facing the sadness. Maybe you can't completely control your world, but you are not powerless, either.

It's up to you to choose what fills the gaps in your world. Like the unconscious action of seeking faces in random patterns, you will find what you look for. Believe that there is good in the world, and you will begin to see it everywhere. Act with faith in that good, and you will make it a reality. Deal with the objective anchors that you encounter, but meet them, always, with a spirit of practical positivity.