Illusions

I've always been intrigued by optical illusions. We tend to trust in what we can see ("I'll believe it when I see it!"), but it is very evident that it is easy to trick our eyes and brains. In each example below, we see something that isn't so, or see only part of the whole.

For example, the illusion at the upper left appears to show lines moving toward or away from each other. In reality, the lines are perfectly parallel. Immediately to the right are two lines enclosed by arrow points at either end. The lines are the same length, but the top one appears to be shorter. And the figure to the right spells a word. Is it "Good" or "Evil"?

On the next row is an elephant with a confusing number of legs. Is the number four? Or more? To the right of the elephant is a black and white figure of a young woman. Or is it a musician playing an instrument? And which figure is longer, A or B? Both are, of course, the same size.

In the last row the circles in the center appear different sizes, but are not. The wavy checkerboard turns out to be composed of straight lines. The next figure does not contain a drawn circle, though one is clearly visible. It is only the appearance of a circle, composed of off-setting horizontal lines. And Lincoln's hat is just as wide as it is tall.

Illusions of this type can be fun. But it important to remember that much of what we experience in life is very illusion-like. Events in life are inherently meaning-less; we are the ones who provide the meaning. Human beings are meaning-seeking. We tell ourselves stories (i.e., give explanations) about everything we experience in order to make sense of life. But we mistakenly assume that our conclusions are the truth rather than just stories we tell. And our emotions flow from our conclusions and stories.

We need never be in the grip of strong emotion because we enjoy the greatest power ever ... the power of agency, or choice. We can always choose to tell a different story and, by so doing, experience a different emotion. Those who learn this lesson early in life escape much pain and suffering.

My hope is that we all become "dis-illusioned" with life and with other people. I find personally that I do much better in life when I am curious about what happens rather than when I am angry or frustrated or upset. Curiosity causes me to see behind the illusion I hold to other possible truths, some of which are even more likely and many of which do not cause me to suffer.