The other day, a beloved expressed something to me spontaneously. It was something that was so sweet and beautiful to the ears that each time I am being brought back to the memory of that moment, it brings a smile to my face. Yet, it is not an acknowledgement of what I think of myself that has brought the smile to my face, but an appreciation for what had happened in the beloved’s space that has brought a sense of sweetness to the heart.
I could very well acknowledge the expression as a reflection, which might as well be true too. But I already know who I am, so to speak, so to receive an expression like that, without having to scheme or manipulate the situation in order to hear what I wanted to hear was pleasing and delicious since never before had I experience hearing such expressions coming from a beloved so spontaneously, without expectations.
But what is more true is this – that what the beloved had expressed was from the beloved’s space, the beloved’s perception of what was arising in that moment. And my appreciation was not entirely for what I heard, or what came out from the beloved – but appreciation for the beloved’s appreciation of the beloved’s perception which seems to have me in it. As much as it looked like it had something to do with me, but in truth, it had nothing to do with me; for it was the beloved’s perception that has beauty in it, and I am merely a sweet witness to it or to put it in another way, an object met by a mind which has beauty as its state at that point in time.
Beauty is indeed in the eyes of the beholder. When we are blessed with lens of beauty, everything we see has beauty in it. The mind may interpret to why there is such beauty, but in truth, there is no reason. It is what it is. The distorted teeth, the sweat on the forehead, the torn shirt one is wearing, even the beggar on the street. All are beautiful; all is beauty when the lens of beauty is in place hence the projection of such. So we can imagine if we had any other lens in place at that point in time, that would exactly be projected out, hence creating our experiences of an outer reality which is only true to the mind.
Expressions are beautiful. They tell us of our mental states, or what is in the mind. It can be in form of words, or a hug, or merely just a stance of stillness just watching. There’s beauty in everything it sees, it hears, it touches, it speaks. Nothing is being left out. Even the stools on the grass, the raindrops on the leaves. Such loveliness and splendour – all encompassing. Still, all is only happening in the mind. There is nothing outside that causes it. It is the state of mind, which has beauty in it that allows such experience manifesting as expressions.
Now, I am not undermining the beloved’s expression. I loved the experience and being able to be a bare witness to it. It is a blessing as the beloved was experiencing a happy dream! But to see the beloved’s expressions directing at me, gratifying the belief that someone else out there thinks of me in such a way if I liked what I hear and wanted to hear it again is to maintain my poise – a certain composure so that I might hear that once again. That would have me set a limitation to myself, of how I should act or behave a certain way, or say certain things just to have that experience of being expressed the same thing over and over again. This will set me back to the path of addiction, of wanting more of what I had experienced, for it will remind me how very ‘special’ I am, how very ‘loved’ and ‘beautiful’ I am, relying on another to accomplish what I had not come to terms with within myself – if I had not come to terms with myself, that is.
Such beauty can turn defiled at any one time, without the sight of Wisdom. Yet with the charming gift of Wisdom, is the beauty appreciated once more, in innocence, in Truth and unity.
Perception is a mirror, not a fact. And what I look on is my state of mind, reflected outward. – A Course in Miracles
Though it is true that what others said have no relevance to me yet it is also untrue since what comes to my hearing is part of my own conditioning. It is said in the dharma that what we sense through our senses are effects of a certain causes that conditioned it to arise.
Hence to hear a compliment from the beloved is actually result of a certain causes that you have done – obviously a joyful one. Nothing that is found in one’s experience has no conditioned to it – they are directly related to the mind of the beholder. So congrats dear if you keep receiving more compliments than before – though not truly real, at least a kind of happy dream 🙂
Surely you are entitled to it if the voice from another is sincere and true 🙂
Thank you.
Minds are joined, nothing is ever separated. 🙂