Disc 1 Track 2

The illusions are a fun exercise with an important message.  They demonstrate the opportunity to broaden our scopes and see possibilities that we constantly miss due to our conditioned way of perceiving the world around us.

If you looked at any of the illusions and all of a sudden saw the hidden word or picture, that’s a “shift”, an “ah-ha” experience.  You can actually feel it, it’s like “Why didn’t I see that, it was here all along”.  You just needed to let go and be open to other possibilities.

The conditioning I spoke of refers to our habitual way of thinking, our automatic “reactive” process.  Our first reaction to anything that crosses our minds is to judge whether it is positive, negative, or of no importance.  If we need to make a decision, we get caught up in the emotional drama of the outcome.  We tell ourselves, “If I do this, it will be better, if I don’t do that, it will get worse” and on and on.  You can just feel how narrow your field of vision becomes.

So, take a few breaths and focus on being present to the moment, right here, right now.  Just breathe for a while, letting things be as they are, without judging and labeling.  Try to be open and accepting.  Accepting reality does not mean hopeless resignation, it means letting go of comparing how things used to be in the past or wishing for how things might be in the future.  Neither of those are reality.  The past is gone and we really can’t predict the future.

The practice of mindful meditation and focused breathing will begin the process of re-conditioning you to be awake and aware of the present moment.   Allowing your breath to calm your mind and create space between and around your thoughts will make you feel like the weight of the world has been lifted from your shoulders.  It is very freeing and relaxing.  There is great joy in simply “being”.

You may begin to feel that mindful awareness is making your life a lot less stressful.  Just as with the illusions, if you can let go and be open to possibilities, you may become more responsive and less reactive to life.  As you know, your attitudes, thoughts and emotions have a major influence on your health and healing.