Things in the world show up based on the way we look at them. The more we look at the imperfections of the world, the more imperfections we see. The more we see things as perfect, the more the world shows us its state of perfection.
Our Challenge
One of the most difficult tasks for all of us is to turn our attention away from all the problems we see out in the external world and to focus our attention on our dreams of what we know is possible. This is not a call to hide our heads in the sand and pretend that issues don’t exist. Yes, the world may currently exist in its manifest form in ways that are less than what we desire. Our goal is to use those conditions to give us guidance on what we don’t want so that we can turn our attention towards what we do.
Each of us must learn to spend less time whining about what we currently see that we don’t like, and spend more of our time on the perfection we know is possible. If we were to perform an “energy audit” on our thoughts and actions, where might we find our energy flowing? Let’s close the negative energy leaks and be more positive energy efficient. Can we move to seeing the perfection in an imperfect world?
What is Perfection?
The Wikipedia article on perfection shows that the term encompasses a number of concepts including — that which is complete containing all its parts, or that which is good so that nothing of the kind could be better, or that which has attained its purpose. Can we see the world in this light? Does the world contain all of its parts? Is it so good that it could not be better? Has it attained its purpose? What do you think?
Metaphysical traditions such as the Science of Mind and Spirit state that each of us as well as the world is already “perfect, whole and complete”. Newcomers to the philosophy often struggle with this concept as they mentally compare the state of their lives and the state of the world against a vision of what is truly possible. The gap between what currently exists and the vision of our potential makes it hard to see the perfection.
Yet the perfection that the Science of Mind claims already exists is not necessarily a description of the current condition. As its founder, mystic Ernest Holmes described the concept of perfection, he used words such as “the real state of being” and “the divine attribute of complete excellence”. He advised us to “see only perfection… regardless of appearances”. In other words, he was pointing us to focus our attention into the realm of the divine beyond the realm of what might be right in front of us.
Behind the world of the “seen” is the world of the unseen. Here is a reality that metaphysics frequently claims is “more real” than the external world demanding our sensory attention. Here is the world of our consciousness, of energy, of thoughts and visions, of our dreams of what is possible. Here is the world that creates our mental picture of perfection that we use in comparison with the material world and its seeming imperfections. Here is the world in which our free will exists to move our thoughts in the direction of our desires. Here is the world in which all of our collective consciousness joins together in one divine consciousness where our highest dreams combine to know at the deepest level of our soul what is truly possible. This is where real perfection exists and serves to call us towards it. Our seeking this perfection is truly a motivating force in our lives and on our planet.
Similarly, philosophers have long pointed to a paradox is contained within the human concept of perfection. If the world were totally perfect, then there would be no room for improvement and therefore be imperfect. This paradox claims that true perfection depends on the ability to grow, evolve and make progress. Ironically, true perfection involves our movement towards that perfection.
Quick Summary
- There exist in our inner realm of consciousness a vision of what perfection is.
- As we look at the world, things appear to be less than perfect.
- Our judgment of imperfection comes from noticing the gap between our inner sense of our highest potential and our outer experience.
- We are at choice as to whether we focus on the vision of perfection or the worldly imperfections.
- That which we focus on tends to grow in our outer experience.
- Regardless of where we direct our attention or any imperfect conditions, there always exists the state of true perfection.
- True perfection is a force that is calling us towards it.
- The process of our moving towards this true perfection is part of the true perfection.
Our Charge
So what does this means for our lives? Armed with this knowledge, let us all:
- Be aware of our vision of the highest state of perfection for humanity.
- Turn our attention more and more towards this perfection.
- Experience the perfection of our vision as more real than the outer world.
- Recognize the perfection in the process of our evolution from the imperfect outer world towards this greater inner true perfection.
- Allow that true perfection to be a force that calls us to learn, grow and evolve.
So how can you actually apply this in your life? I’ll be sharing some ideas in the near future, but would love your thoughts!
Mark Gilbert
“So how can you actually apply this in your life?” There is, Mark, a contemporary orthodox Jewish philosopher and self-help Maven who sounds a lot like you. She is Miriam Adahan, who wrote “It’s All a Gift” (among a number of offerings), and she’d reply that the application of your essay’s theme is to “find the blessing” in everything that at first looks to us like a problem, a challenge, or an adversity. In this way, we move away from our own initial impressions of the imperfections that surround us and move towards the perfection described in your essay.
In my own primary career-example of finding the blessing, if it would not have been for the abusive alcoholic first health care boss in my career, perhaps I might never have resolved to always leave my ego and mood at the revolving door each morning as I enter the office building. A lot of unnecessary screaming was saved over my 38 years of managing in return for my being abused for only four years, three months, and one day (but who’s counting?).
What is perfection – for me, one large piece of tha puzzle is having a trustworthy friend who writes well and whose monologue is worth converting to dialogue. … even as I hope my own writing style doesn’t drive you to sleeping like a “logue.”
Hi, Bernie,
Although I am not familiar with the author or book that you cite, from the description that you provide, I have no doubt that she writes from that One Mind and One Perspective of greater truth that recognizes that all of this experience is a blessing and gift, our goal is to change how we look at it so that we see it that way….even those things that are not as we would choose. Thanks for “logue-ing” a comment.
Mark
Wow. Amazingly insightful. Thank you brother!
I had googled “perfection in an uncertain world,” because it is something I’ve been struggling with. Thank you for the reminder that human perfection IS the striving itself. The striving to be that which we can and must be, and to all help one-another along the path as well!
What a terrifying task we all have before us, how wicked, unnatural and bestial not only the outside world, but our very own minds can be, like traitors to ourselves!
Yet, it is possible to cultivate one’s mind…were we wrong to call space the final frontier? There is still so much of the morass and abyss of our own minds that can frighten us and turn us awry…or rather it is the COGNITION of stimuli, emotions/feelings…When we interpret things the wrong way, then WE OURSELVES become an embodiment of that error, because we as humans ACT ON OUR BELIEFS, EVEN SUBTLE AND SUBCONSCIOUS ONES whose existence we may or may not have acknowledged.
I think, I feel…there there must be a simplistic wonderful unity to the nature of the world. But always these kinds of things must be ineffable. IT WOULD BE VULGAR if such truths could be merely transcribed into a few empty lines, or parsed into arguments.
What a terrifying world, where we die and noone truly knows what will happen afterward (and it may very well be likely that we are extinguished like a flame, well perhaps, NOONE KNOWS). A world where there may be no God to appeal to…
The struggle is ours brothers, but who among us has not witnessed the beautiful moments? Who has not gazed up at the sky in wonder, or been moved to the depths of his soul by SOME piece of art, maybe intensely personal to one’s own soul.
I don’t know if there is a God, or whether when I die I’ll simply be snuffed like a flame. What a terrifying existence it would be if there were no beauty and potentiality in the world…To live at the behest of injustice, only to suffer, and then to die and be cast into the dirt…into the mud…
BUT I DON’T BELIEVE THAT. I think this is all the next POTENTIAL step of evolution, but that NOTHING IS TO BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED.
We must evolve to that which, to us would seem like we to apes. DO YOU UNDERSTAND??? Or we’re all going to end up killing each other!
Thank you for the post and the kind words about the article. At some point in the evolution of our consciousness, it is imperitive that we move into a realization that we are all One, and when we do, we will move beyond the harming of one another for we will realize that harming the other is harming ourselves. Peace and blesssings.
Mark