The path to Tranquility (summer)
104. Get out of our own subjective world
Through experience, imagination and some perspectives, we construct a unique
subjective world. This is an integral part of life. However, the subjective
world can also limit our understanding of the objective or real world, and
even lead to misunderstandings and conflicts between us and others. Therefore,
we must work hard to open our hearts, step out of our own subjective world,
and allow ourselves to live more freely in the real world.
In the subjective world, our perceptions are not stable and differ greatly from objective reality. Sometimes a little fear, or an emotional low, can cause us to turn our friends into enemies. Moreover, this transformation is often driven by imagination.
The real world is also constantly changing. If we cannot consciously step out of the shackles of the subjective world, our reason will fall into an illusion and cannot effectively deal with things in the real world. Even if we could temporarily escape the illusion and return to reality, our rationality would be unable to function without a foundation in the past.
Reason is the key to building authentic connections with others. Our emotional abilities vary widely and are unstable. If too many subjective elements are added, the relationships we build with others are bound to become weak or loose. Only reason and consciousness are the common attributes of human beings and can become the real basis for our connection and integration.
On the other hand, if everyone lived in their own subjective world, we would live in different worlds. Even sitting together, some people may be missing the past and therefore living in the world of the past. Some people may be imagining the future, living in a time and space that has not yet arrived. This way, they can't really get along.
The past has become a blur in our memories and the future is just a figment of our imagination. These are the foundations of egocentric and can lead us to ignore or exclude other people’s perspectives. Therefore, only by living in the present can we be in the same time and space, transcend ourselves, and connect our freedom and happiness with others.
Everything here and now belongs to no one. Once we realize this, we can let go of our own biases and habits. In this way, we can also get rid of the loneliness of the subjective world, coexist naturally and truly with others, and share everything in life.
Only by sharing life can we truly live together. Many couples live in the same house for decades but live in two different worlds, leading to much conflict and pain. Although they gradually learned to avoid quarrels and presented the image of a harmonious family, living together like this was unreal.
However, we cannot truly know and love each other unless we experience life together in the present moment. In the subjective world, a lonely mind is not in the present moment, so it cannot produce a true sense of love and belonging. Love also comes from our awareness of the time and space of life. It is the beautiful thing we create together with others in the journey of life, and it is also the eternal light of our spiritual home.
103. Let emotion and reason blend in love
