What is the lens you’re looking through?

Have you ever experienced that the world looks more beautiful after a yoga class? This yoga blog is about the underlying cause and how to use it consciously.

What is the lens you’re looking through?

"We see the things according to our fear, according to our desires, we see what we expect to see. We actually see only our unconsciously projected on the world."  A.H. Almaas.

In other words, our inner world determines how we perceive the outside world.

An simple example is the rose colored glasses when we are in love. When you fall in love, you feel fantastic. It makes you even (almost) not see the ‘flaws’ in your partner.  The way you feel at that moment, changes the world around you.

I still remember that I went to a retreat / self-reflection weekend a few years ago. Reflection is about getting to know yourself including your habits, patterns and reactions to situations. During one of the exercises, the groups was given a card showing an image. We all had to describe the image in writing. What it made us feel and what it meant to us. This one card resulted in 10 different answers, observations and feelings. In response to what we wrote down, the supervisor asked each of us some more questions. Eventually, it showed that we all described the image in a way that it was related to thing going on in our own lives.

I still remember that I saw anxiety in the person on the image. Eventually, I became aware that I was pretty afraid myself for new things at the time. Afraid to take action, afraid to do the wrong thing. Without realizing this, I projected this in how I perceived the image at the card.

However, the person next to me thought that one person at the image wanted something from the other person at the card. It seemed to her as if something was forced on the other person. While talking with the person that was guiding us, this subject was also showing up in her own life. The feeling that she was on a lot of pressure due to people in her environment.

In this way, each of us had a totally different interpretation and experience with one single card. With this I fell a quarter. This did drop the penny for me. How factual and true is what we (think to) see in the outside world? Or is our experience colored by how we feel ourselves and what is happening within ourselves? Since I never had thought about it that way, it was a remarkable observation to me. However, once triggered like this, one cannot go back to their old way of thinking. And I started to think about it more and more.

A few years later, I am convinced that our inner world is coloring our lives. That we can influence and even determine how we look at and perceive the world.

During periods that I didn’t feel that well, negative thoughts were also bothering me more while I was also more focused on the negative things around me. Like looking through my own ‘negative’ glasses. I noticed that I look through other glasses nowadays. Even though "less fun" stuff is still happening, I perceive or handle them differently. Recognizing way more positive aspects where I used to see a negative interpretation.

As with everything, this was also a matter of time and practice, but it is important to first become aware of the kind of glasses you are looking through. Once that happens, you have the choice to put on a different kind of glasses and you will notice over time that the old ones won’t suit you anymore.

In silence and tranquility, you will become most aware of your patterns and habits. But for example also during practicing yoga. Your practice on your mat can confront you with yourself. Just like the people around you that function like a mirror. Unconsciously, we attract "equals". Do you have a lot of people around that focus on negative things/interpretations? Without criticizing yourself, it can tell you something about your own patterns in life. Just give yourself some time and take it on as a challenge. Make it fun to observe yourself and occasionally exchange glasses from time to time! Even when it's only to experience how they look on you and how it makes you experience the world! ;-)

Enjoy your YogaHabits^© today!
 
Amber Hanning
    
  

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About Amber Hanning

Amber know from her own experience what a big effect healthy lifestyle choices can have on your energy level. The effect of the tools she found is even that amazing, that she started to share these tools. To inspire others to challenge themselves and also take up these challenges. To grow both on a physical as mental level. Awareness of your body & mind and respecting your own boundaries as foundation. In her yoga and bodybalance classes. But also in workshops, lifecoaching and blogs, she like to let other experience successes, change automatic patterns. With enthusiasms while keeping it simple.

 
Do you want to keep posted about Amber's activities? Follow her at Facebook or Instagram. Or check her website www.amberhanning.nl.

Photo credits

Photo (of Amber Hanning) made by Cristian Geelen.

Never again miss anything from our yoga blog?

Do you want to implement more yoga lifestyle habits, step by step? To become more relax and create & enjoy your ideal life by heart? To live according to your intention? Your pursuit of happiness? It is our goal to help you with this. 
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