Perception is a beautiful thing

“We see the world not as it is, but as we are” — Pāpā Tipene Covey. Our whakapapa, ancestry, experiences, upbringing, what and who we’re exposed to, what is role modelled to us — everything shapes our perception, our understanding of ourselves, the world around us and writes the programme for how we engage with it.

For example, if it’s stormy and cold outside and we’re not fans of that, we might say it’s a miserable day, ‘this weather sucks’, or something like that. Te ira atua, the taiao (natural environment) is doing what it normally does. It just īs. We make the decision for ourselves whether it’s positive or negative

— based on our perception, how we see the world.

If you looked at a stormy, ‘miserable’ day and saw it as your tupuna (ancestors) interacting with each other, would you be more understanding of what’s happening and the purpose it serves, rather than how you’re inconvenienced by it? Whatever your answer, there’ll be some who make the same or a similar observation, and others who see life through a different lens.

Naturally, of course, as we each have different whakapapa, experiences and other variables that have shaped us.

If we’re aware that someone may see the world differently than we do, that their perception of right/wrong, just/unjust, fair/unfair etc. could be different to ours, that we could see the same thing yet have totally contrasting interpretations of it — how would we engage in these spaces?

Not only that, but could we entertain the idea that not all of our perceptions are true?

That perhaps what we’re interpreting from the world around us is an inaccurate account of what’s actually happening? When you think of yourself and take stock of the beliefs you have, about who you are and what you’re capable of, have you sat with them to reflect on their origins, accuracy, validity etc.? Do you know why you hold certain beliefs? Where they come from, how you know they’re true?

Anyway, what I’m trying to say is we are naturally biased to support information that reaffirms our perception and repel against information that contradicts it, because it’s in our whakapapa. It’s part of the process of how we’ve become who we are today. So naturally, our perceptions, which inform our beliefs, which are expressed through our actions and behaviours, will be different.

Remember from a few posts ago, the result is the effect — not the cause. The cause is perception, and I say it’s beautiful because it gives depth and substance due to its diverse nature, that wouldn’t otherwise be achieved with just a single perspective.

Tēnā tātou,

Hana.