There are only two types of perceptions which one can subscribe to – ignorance or wisdom.
We don’t like to think that we are ignorant. The good news is, it is not us which are ignorant. It is the perception which has ignorance in it that makes us look like it, or rather allows our experiences to be so. If perception has wisdom in it, needless to say, our experiences that follow suit will have wisdom in it.
The difference between these two perceptions is one leads to pain, and the other leads peace and freedom. What I mean to say by pain is mental pain, not of physical pain though when mental pain is not addressed long enough, it will manifest as physical pain; for it makes no difference that the body is free, but the mind is in pain. Of course, if there is no pain in the mind, there will be no pain in the body. Still remnants of dis-ease can still be projected onto the body but if the mind already has wisdom in its perception, one can be sure that pain has no meaning and cannot hold a grip on which we truly are.
It is very strange that the very contrast of ignorance is wisdom, yet through the eyes of wisdom, there is no ignorance but innocence. It is as if in the eyes of wisdom, everything is pure and innocent and there can be no fault but simply just a mistake. Of course, the difference between a mistake and a fault are merely meanings put into differentiation of views of the same thing; yet consider again how we truly perceive the meaning of mistake and fault? It is a vast difference. In mistake, there is some sort of gentleness accompanying forgiveness but in fault, there is some sort of harshness that comes with a sense of needing for punishment, resentment or blame. If I recognise a mistake you have made, but still hold you responsible as in blame you for it, then that is not a mistake that I have truly recognised but camouflaging a harder truth I am holding on to – which is fault. This is a clear case of ignorance, but when I am able to recognise that and I do mean truly recognise my ignorance with wisdom, then I see myself with eyes of compassion which accompanies a sense of innocence with forgiveness in it that unfolds naturally without requiring me to beat myself up for it.
The very rule of the game is however, this – ignorance begets ignorance and wisdom begets wisdom. If we have been living a life of ignorance, how can there be hope to sow wisdom? It is through awareness. With awareness itself, the automatic reactions can be stalled through our conscious choice of non-reacting and this can result in a break in the patterns of ignorance although also depending on the intention behind the attitude of non-reacting. In this break, something of normality which in this case is the usual running patterns of ignorance is being undone – a term most spiritual teachers like to use. This intermediate break allows wisdom to whisk in although it may be subtle in the beginning and we may not feel a thing about it in the beginning. But rest assured, something is already being undone and done at the mind level and all that is required is to continuously practice. It can be helpful to begin building a sound foundation by listening to talks, discussions or reading books with wisdom as its essence. Of course ultimately, in my own experience, wisdom is not something we can derive from books or listening to others but to be realised. In truth, wisdom does not really belong to anyone special – not to Buddha, to J, to whatever spiritual teachers that we may cross path with. Wisdom is universal and is part of our innate nature, only if we move out of the way and allow ourselves to be touched by Wisdom. Do note that I mentioned, to be touched by Wisdom and not to seek Wisdom. It does not need to be seek, for it has always been present only that we are oblivious to it when we refuse to be true and honest to ourselves.
Some say, ignorance is bliss. Perhaps so when buttons are not pushed. Until when one experiences the heightened emotions of a trigger point, it is not surprising that one will automatically turn towards the path of wisdom.
Many may argue that wisdom is just another way of looking at things and situations, as in to perceive things and situations differently. I’d say that wisdom allows us not only another way, but many, many ways to look at things or situations. It is so flexible, supple and loving to the extent that in any way we look at it with wisdom in our perception, there is so much kindness and sweetness in it that joy and freedom is what we derived. There is no other way, but to delight in experiences with wisdom in our perception.