The Map Is Not the Territory

Just in an average day we can experience many things that we take as good or bad. In this article I want to take a look at what takes a place in the human mind as it relates to our daily affairs.

Internal Representations

Every time something happens in our life we subconsciously make what is called an Internal Representation of the event. Now, at this point problems can occur, because we allow our Internal Representation or perception of the event to become our reality. However, what we now perceive as reality is not necessarily the reality that everyone else may have gotten from the same event. I'm sure at sometime or the other you have seen were two people experience the same events at the same time and yet come away with two totally different ways of perceiving the event.

Perception

We have to see that when things happen to us we internally process the events which produce for us a custom perception of the event; but yet again, I remind you, this is not necessarily the event. The map is not the territory! Our internal representation or perception creates in us a positive or negative response with a corresponding State of being. Whether it is negative or positive is dependent on how a person processes the information they receive from a given event. This is important for us to remember and understand that events & information in and of it self is neither bad nor good. It is simply information that comes to us by way of our senses. All that happens can be summed up as part of the perfection of God.

The Perfection of God

I know by this article being on the internet that everyone that reads this will not have the same religious belief system as I do, but I hope you will allow me to be me. When I speak of the Perfection of God my bases is found in the Holy Scriptures where it speaks of "And we know that all things work together for good that love God." An example of this can be seen in all our lives. Think back on the times that you had bad situations that seemingly became the spring boards for a great rewards;

The Death of a love one that forced you to mature & become more response able or responsible. Lose of a job that allowed you to go back to school & finish a degree, which in turn opens doors that would have otherwise remain shut. Sadly to say, that mainly only those that believe that there is a Sovereign God and there are no accidents because everything is under his control will even be open enough to embrace the importance of this philosophical, yet Theosophical discussion. I will not even go into the debate of "why if God is in control, do bad things happen." My answer again, events & information in and of it self is neither bad nor good, it boils down to us looking at our internal representation or perception; as well as understanding that God is sovereign and has a "perfect plan." You choose your responses not the situations.

Don't get me wrong, I am sensible enough to understand that there will be some surprises that will take place in your life that will catch you off guard. When it happens I'm sure you will want to write me a long letter, but before you do remember that your internal representation is maintained by our reviewing thoughts about the situation. Each time you think about a past situation you again have a choice of how you choose to process, positive or negative. The moment that you realize that the way you have processed the information about a given event has put you in a negative state, it becomes your choice whether you stay there or redefine the way you have been processing the information about the event.

The reason I feel this is important enough to write about is because the quality of your life & the people closest to you are shaped by how well you process the events of your life. Why it is that one person can go through many setbacks, trials, heartaches, tragedies, and disappointments and still remain positive and enco