by Alan McAllister, CCHt PhD-phys
Perhaps you are used to thinking about your eyes as a doorway that lets light and vision into your mind? Through them we absorb images that tell us what is happening in the world around us. We usually think of sight as a passive experience, like watching a movie.
When a scientist observes his experiment, however, quantum mechanics tells us that it is not entirely a passive process. Her observation will, subtly or grossly, affect the process that she is observing, will influence the outcome of the experiment. This influence is not simply selective observation, the mind filtering its inputs (which happens all the time), but is such that the events themselves are altered by the observations process. In the social sciences, or news reporting, the presence of an observer may affect behaviors on conscious and unconscious levels. If the observed are, on any level, trying to please the observers, or persuade them, then the act of observation has effects that are edging towards the active.
Remember the experience of riding as a passenger in an automobile with a driver who you didn’t fully trust? Perhaps they are angry, or tired, or for some other reason aren’t giving the road their full attention. You may have noticed yourself trying to make up for their lack of attention by increasing your own, leaning into the curves, breaking with your feet, or perhaps you have found yourself willing the car around the curves or to break at a light? Now your eyes are actively trying to manage the world around you, to create your experience, manifest a positive outcome. An activity that takes energy, and over time, can be noticeably tiring.
In fact, we often use our eyes to create what we see, to will our life into existence, either literally or figuratively, in our imaginations.
The other night I had a chance to experience a period of being blindfolded. I recommend you try it sometime. I have noticed before that when the visual mind “gives up”, besides making space for our other senses to receive more attention, something else happens. The willful mind relaxes. It may not do it right away, but when it does there is a profound sense of relief. This happens when we allow ourselves to trust that someone else, or something else will guide us where we need to go, safely and well. Suddenly I realize all the energy that has been going into “keeping the car on the road”. When this effort ceases there is a sense of calm and peace that is unexpected and perhaps somewhat unfamiliar.
In our lives who is it we don’t trust? Ourselves, others, the divine? who is the driver that we need to help out by adding our will to theirs? How much life force do we loose through the eyes, trying to shape our world, to keep our life on track, because we don’t trust it to happen otherwise?
The other night after a period of time of being led through a process, a period in which I could relax and just be in a unique way, I am invited to take off the blindfold, and a little later to dance. I find that I am certain of my moves, I know where the spaces are on the floor. I move easily and without effort through those spaces, without fear or anxiety that I will be anywhere other than where I should be, that I will trip, or run into someone else, even though they are all moving too. Without my willful mind I am able to show up and be present in a new way, that is far superior to the way I am used to navigating my life. Relaxed, fun, free. I am more fully aware of what is, using my eyes to see rather than create, I glide effortlessly across the floor, joyfully weaving the dance with everyone around me.
Give the mind and the will a vacation. Stop projecting what “should” be there, and allow yourself to dance with what is, in joy and gratitude. You may be surprised at how beautiful, effortless and graceful the experience is.
(© 5/2008)
