Perspective and Understanding
“Aristotle, the ancient philosopher, was walking along the Mediterranean when he noticed a figure in the distance running between the water and the sand. As he got closer to the figure, he noticed it was the town madman carrying a little bucket. The man was filling it up in the water and then dumping it into a hole in the sand. When he got close enough to speak, he asked the man what he was doing. The man replied, I am going to empty all of this water so I can clearly see the blue-green color at the bottom. Aristotle then thrust his arms out and said, how are you going to get all of this water into that little hole of yours?”
“The man straightened up, scratched his head and pondered what the great philosopher had just said. The man then looked at Aristotle and said, great philosopher, what are you doing? Aristotle then took his arms, raised them to the sky and said, I am contemplating the universe. The man then thrust his arms into the sky in a sweeping motion, then pointed a finger at Aristotle’s head and said, now how are you going to get all of that in that little head of yours?”
A 92-year-old man went to the doctor to get a physical. A few days later, the doctor saw the man walking down the street with a gorgeous young lady on his arm. A couple of weeks later, when the old man had an appointment with the doctor again, the Doc said, “You’re really doing great, aren’t you?” The man replied, “Just doing what you said doctor, ‘Get a hot mamma and be cheerful.’” The doctor said, “I didn’t say that. I said you got a heart murmur. Be careful!”
People have their own opinions, viewpoints, perspectives and might hear things differently than the original author or speaker had intended to convey. There is no right or wrong. Each avenue we pursue leads us to different learning experiences in this classroom. Not only might there be different lessons but different discoveries can be made based on different interpretations.
In the following paragraphs both J.R. Newton and P.P Quimby stated that they had evolved their philosophy from a study of the gospels.
In an early post I mentioned J.R. Newton, he helped 250,000 people through the power of love. In his autobiography in the 1870s he stated that it was his studying of the scriptures that led to his life’s work. He believed that Jesus’s ministry was a ministry of pure love. Newton honed his philosophy, and based all of his life activities on the demonstration of love. Love in thought, works and deeds. Even when he was not working with others, he poured love out throughout each day.
Around the same period that Newton was active, P.P. Quimby, who many consider the father of the New Thought Movement, was working with more than 25,000 people. Quimby stated in his Quimby Manuscripts that through studying the scriptures he found that Jesus had come to teach a Science of Healing. Quimby based his philosophy on the concept that often Jesus stated that the level of one’s results were based on their belief and faith.
If they had strong enough faith then healing would take place to the level of their belief. If there was non-belief, then no mighty miracles could be seen. In my previous posts we saw that Quimby has a very thorough philosophy regarding thoughts, belief, sickness and cure. We create what we think. It is not only what is said, but what we believe was said, that leads to our creation of thought forms that then manifest into solid physical reactions.
The following is a true story that Paul Harvey told about 40 years ago. The Harvard doctor tells this story to each of his new students so that the young interns understand that they don't know everything and they are not God.
A doctor from Harvard Medical School was making his rounds in the heart ward. He had 10 interns with him. They came to the bed of a patient who was in a coma and was expected to die at any moment. The patient's heart was literally in pieces. The professor placed his stethoscope on the patient and turned to the interns and said, 'Listen to that beat (which was very erratic)...just listen ...to the wholeness.' Each of the interns placed their stethoscope on the patient and remarked that they heard what the doctor was talking about. They continued on their rounds.
The next day the patient came out of the coma...one week later the patient was walking around and two weeks later was checking out. The professor happened to see the patient and remarked...you are a real miracle! The patient said, that's not what you told me doctor. The doctor remarked, 'what did I tell you?' When you told me how whole my heart was, and all the other doctors agreed, I thought I was alright.
Now, not only did the patient think he was all right...another examination showed his heart had completely rectified itself. He was in a coma and didn’t really understand what was being intimated by the doctors that were speaking about him! The doctor used the word whole in the wrong context meaning that it was not whole in its proper functioning. This is the power of our minds and belief.
The point of all of this is that our perception and interpretation is what leads to each outcome. The original writer, speaker, or person performing an action, might have had a particular thought or concept in their mind that they were trying to share. Your interpretation might lead you to another understanding that was not anticipated, recognized or known by the original author. It’s all a part of creation and we shouldn’t shy away from new ideas and discoveries that come from within. TRUST YOURSELF!
We should also observe what we might have created in our physical body and mind due to our interpretation. We are creators!
Today see how many times you see beauty around you and how you can express the love you have inside of yourself.
With love, in love and through love to you.