We see others as we see ourselves.
OBJECT WITHIN EXPERIENCE
If we take ourselves to primarily be an object within consciousness, then we tend to see others that way.
We see ourselves as this body and psyche, and see others as primarily that body and psyche.
We see ourselves as a doer and observer and see others as doers and observers.
We quite literally objectify others and ourselves.
That’s understandable since we do as others do, and that’s what most people do these days.
CONSCIOUSNESS
If we find ourselves fundamentally as consciousness, then we tend to see others as that.
We see ourselves as fundamentally consciousness operating through this body and psyche, and others as consciousness operating through that particular body and psyche.
To us, the world happens within and as the consciousness we are, and we assume that’s how it is for others as well. (Based on their reports and what makes logical sense.)
We find ourselves as what the world, to us, happens within and as, and assume that’s how it is for others.
We find ourselves as oneness and assume others are onenesses as well, whether they notice or not.
IMPLICATIONS
What effect does it have to viscerally find ourselves as one or the other, and see others as the same?
If we see ourselves and others as fundamentally objects, then we literally objectify ourselves and others. We assume that the limited and distorted stories we have about ourselves and others are accurate and perhaps even all there is. We see ourselves as objects in the world at the mercy of other objects and living within time and space. We experience that we move through the world. We experience distance and time as real and inherent in the world. We experience the world as fundamentally matter.
If we find ourselves as fundamentally consciousness, then a lot changes. We realize that any story is a story and question about ourselves, others, and the world. They cannot hold any full, final, or absolute truth. We find ourselves as what time and space, to us, happens within and as. In a car or when walking, we experience that the world moves through us. We experience the world as fundamentally consciousness since, to us, it happens within and as the consciousness we are.
IN MY CASE
I can dip and imagine into the first way of experiencing myself, others, and the world. And parts of my psyche still operate from it. But in general, it’s so long since the initial oneness shift that I have problems connecting with it in a strong and solid way.
In general, I viscerally find myself as consciousness. The world happens within and as the consciousness I am. This body happens within and as consciousness, just like anything else. It all happens like a night dream, within and as consciousness.
I imagine others as that too, and that gets stronger and more clear when I bring attention to it. To me, they too are consciousness. They are consciousness operating through that particular body and psyche. (That’s exciting, the differences and “otherness” of it is exciting.) And that opens for compassion and empathy. They are like me (they are consciousness to themselves) and (like me) operate through a unique body and psyche.
And there is always further to go and more to explore within this.
A FEW NOTES
I’ll add a couple of short notes.
This is all about projections. I find myself as something and assume others are like that too. It’s an assumption – whether I assume they are fundamentally objects or fundamentally consciousness.
This is also about where our “center of gravity” is. It’s about what we viscerally find ourselves to be. Knowing about it or glimpses of it are good first steps, and – through grace and often intention and explorations – it becomes something that’s immediate and visceral.
INITIAL NOTES
We see others as we see ourselves
As an object
Or as consciousness
We see others as we see ourselves
- If we take ourselves to primarily be an object within content of experience, then tend to see others the same way
- If we find ourselves as primarily consciousness, tend to see others that way
- as consciousness operating through a particular body and psyche
We see ourselves and others as fundamentally consciousness with all the characteristics of consciousness.
….
We find ourselves as the oneness any experience happens within and as, and see others as a oneness that – to them – any experience happens within and as.