Changing your perception of reality

                           Changing your perception of reality

                 By Jimmy Henderson

‘Reality is merely an illusion, although a very persistent one.’

Albert Einstein

   

We awaken each day to this present level of reality because our bodies and minds are biologically hard-wired to do so. However, recent research also suggests that paradoxical experiences, such as working with alternative realities, can bring about shifts in consciousness and perception, leading to a far deeper understanding of reality as well as insight into higher worlds of spirit.  

   This approach to altering perception is quite advanced and not recommended for novices, as one may be confronted with painful images from the past as well as some archetypes which could be disturbing. To work on this level of the mind therefore requires a high level of emotional stability, the ability to resist negativity and outside influences and to form powerful intentions.

   One method of changing your perception of reality involves combining meditation with powerful imagery to introduce pseudo-realities into your unconscious. This can deconstruct your current mental programming and over time, results in the construction of a more fluid and less structured perceptual system which is able to process very complex inner experiences, either created in the imagination or resulting naturally from higher consciousness and perception.

‘Without this playing with fantasy no creative work has ever yet come to birth. The debt we owe to the play of the imagination is incalculable.’

Carl Gustav Jung

   As I said before, this particular approach involves experimentation with new created ‘worlds’ of inner experience. However, in order to have success at this level of the mind, one must have mastered the skill of meditation as well as advanced interactive imagery, in which images from your unconscious are spontaneously presented and you are able to interact with them. If you have not yet achieved this level of imagery, I refer you back to my book ‘Multi-Dimensional Thinking’ in which these processes are fully explained.

   As a practical demonstration, this article includes a simple scenario which will allow you to shift your perception of reality back and forth (as well as providing a good way of exercising your faculties of intention and will-power). 

·        Find your quiet space and enter into meditation with a view to totally relaxing your mind

      (Keep your eyes closed at this point)

·        Set an intention to shift your perception between created realities and the real-life world

·        Enter into visualization and mentally create a scenario in which you which you visit a strange planet with zero gravity. You disembark from your ship to see a world where rocks are floating suspended in the air a meter or two above the ground.

·        The images you create should be clear, precise, three-dimensional and in full colour

·        Engage spontaneous imagery by letting go of active control of the scene

·        Note that some of the rocks are turning slowly, but always remaining at the same height and position relative to the others

·        See yourself walking amongst them and when you reach out and touch or push them, they respond by moving or spinning slightly, but once again, always returning to their original position

·        Relax into this visualization completely by letting your unconscious take over and enjoy the feeling of total peace and balance as the rocks continue to float and twirl slowly on all sides of you

·        After a while, slowly open your eyes

·        Notice that the images of the floating rocks are still visible, even in the room where you are sitting

·        Try to shift your attention back and forth between the reality of your room and your created world of floating rocks

·        When you have succeeded in shifting your perception a number of times, withdraw slowly from the meditation and visualization and return to normal consciousness.

                       

    During this exercise you combined meditation with mental creation and advanced spontaneous imagery and superimposed a scene created in your mind onto your everyday reality. You were also able to shift your attention between them. This integration of different mental and spiritual skills is the key which opens the doorways to deeper inner experiences and brings about a more universal view of reality.

   However, a word of warning, such exercises could initially cause some confusion and disorientation due to the fact that this is totally new to your mind. You should also not remain too long in this state as you could get a little ‘lost’ in the experience. This practice should therefore be reserved for dedicated times of meditation and also requires proper grounding before and after each session.

   Continue with this exercise at regular intervals, changing your created scenario to include strange, bizarre images and colours which will all challenge your existing framework of perception. With practice, your processing abilities will grow and deepen in order to cope with these created realities and also make it possible for you to shift your perception at will, allowing you to access multi-dimensional spiritual experiences which would normally go unnoticed in your everyday life.

Jimmy Henderson is a metaphysical teacher and the author of a number of books and articles on inner self-development. He has an Honours degree in philosophy (metaphysics) and a Masters degree in Psychology. He is also a Metavarsity facilitator and based in Durban.

His books ‘Multi-Dimensional Thinking’ (2007) and ‘Multi-dimensional Perception’ (2010) are available on Amazon.com and can also be ordered via his website www.jimmyhendersonbooks.com