Ep. 5: The Power of Perception

04/17/23 • 10 min

"Are you sure?"... Perception, the process of recognizing and interpreting, holds immense power. It shapes our lives, our worldview, and how we interpret the news.
Before reacting to the stories you hear, pause and ask yourself, "Are you sure?" This simple yet profound question became a lifelong practice for Dr. Larry Ward, inspired by his teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh, the founder of the Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism.
Nothing can happen without our mind being involved in what comes in and what comes out. And when we cling too tightly to perceptions, says Dr. Ward, we close off the possibility of life itself. True perception is found in a clear mind and an open heart. Release from the thickets of opinions that flow out of modern media.
Go deeper with these practice questions:

What news stories reinforce your perceptions?
What challenges how you perceive the world?
Whose voice is missing from this story?
What feeling tones were invoked in you when you read the headline? What did you feel in your body?
Who will feel better, and who will feel worse, as they read the story?

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What news stories reinforce your perceptions?
What challenges how you perceive the world?
Whose voice is missing from this story?
What feeling tones were invoked in you when you read the headline? What did you feel in your body?
Who will feel better, and who will feel worse, as they read the story?

Support the show

Previous Episode

Ep. 4: The Social Implications of Our Feeling Tones

Continuing the discussion from episode 3, Dr. Ward delves into the societal implications of how we respond to the feeling tones we experience when consuming the news. Feelings of pleasantness, unpleasantness and neutrality are a natural and normal part of being human. Like clouds, they come and they go.

Yet when we scroll through our social feeds or listen to the news, we can unconsciously develop reactions to these feelings that drive our ego and shape our definition of self and others. The practice is to remain open and aware of the movements of our body and mind, so that we do not get seduced by neutrality or stuck in the pursuit of power and desire.

Notes:

Non-reification: Reification is the act of treating something that is abstract, like an idea or ideology, as if it were a concrete thing. The practice of non-reification helps us to ensure we do not get caught by our feeling tones, that we see concepts and ideas as impermanent.

Skillful attention: Mindfulness practice of learning about the systems of our body and mind, and how they impact our presence in society.

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Next Episode

Ep. 6: Attachment to Views

Our views are not fixed monuments. They are directional, flexible and open to learning. In this episode, Dr. Ward, invites us to pause, look deeply, and consider how we may change our way of seeing and looking at things so that we may live together in wellness, justice, and harmony.
To study and observe our views can help us understand how our beliefs and identities are interconnected. And if we are open to changing our views and recognizing their impermanence, says Dr. Ward, we can move together towards individual and societal transformation.
Go deeper with these practice questions:

What assumptions about your daily life have changed since the Covid pandemic?
How open is your mind? Are you willing to receive what you've never thought of before?
What views are you considering to let go of or have already let go of? And why?
What views do you want to pass on to future generations?

The current events mentioned in this episode took place in March 2023. The teachings behind each story are timeless.

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