Looking vs. Seeing
Ponder how we focus our minds and hearts to better understand the world and our place in it.
"A light here required a shadow there." ~Virginia Woolf
In college, while studying photography, my professor challenged me to see for the first time. I had been a mere looker up until this point in my life. Scanning, skimming, and consuming my environment, but not actually engaged in deep recognition and understanding.
I began to explore and consider every detail of an object or subject in making a photograph - light and shadow, color, value, shapes, texture, and, importantly, their relationship with one another. I also learned that composition is crucial to making a dynamic, unforgettable image; knowing what to include in the frame is equally important as what to eliminate.
Seeing asks you to step outside of ego and become one with the object being seen to ponder what it symbolizes. It requires present-moment awareness.
Learning to slowly digest what you see reveals a kernel of knowledge: We are interdependent on the world around us to provide greater context for our lives. Your relationship with people, places, and objects is grounded in an emotional framework supporting both positive and negative associations.
When you allow curiosity to replace judgment, you are better able to expand into the fullness of your life.
The act of seeing - of embodied mindfulness - is a state you have access to at any time. It requires three things: a willingness to be a curious observer of your thoughts and feelings, trust in the process of getting to your deeper why, and the ability to let go of ideas, biases, and people that no longer serve your greater good.
Seeing surrenders your mind to your heart. This is where wisdom is born.
Insight to Action: Set a timer for three minutes and sit comfortably, eyes closed, where you are free from distractions. Bring some awareness to your breath; breathing easily in and out of your nose. Be a curious observer by letting your mind follow your breath. Notice what thoughts or feelings come up. Notice any sensations in your body. Do not try to hold on to them; simply let them pass through you. Accept that your presence is all that is required. You have done the hard work of showing up for yourself.
My question to you: Are you ready to be seen?
