Seeing is Believing - III

“When  we  walk  to  the  edge  of  all  the  light  that  we  have  and  take  a  step  into  the darkness of the unknown, we must believe one of two things will happen: there will be something solid for us to stand on, or we will be taught to fly”
                    - Frank Outlaw

It is time to revisit the Spinoza’s claim ‘Seeing is Believing’ and reframe it as ‘Believing is Seeing’.

The king was sitting on his decorated chariot, and the annual procession of the king started. Millions of people gathered on the roadsides and were shouting slogans in the praise of the king.

A young man, with his friend, too came to participate in the procession. Witnessing the majestic appearance of the king, he wanted to get his attention, hence he shouted, “Oh, mighty king, I can teach your horses to fly”. Somehow the king managed to listen to this outrageous statement.

The next day, the king ordered his solders to find that young man and to bring him to the palace. The young man along with his friend was presented to the king. The king said, “I am happy to know that you can teach my horses to fly, here is my horse, teach it to fly”. The young man without any hesitation approached the horse and inspected it, then answered, “My Lord, you need to give me eight months for the training, after the eighth month, your horse will indeed fly like an eagle”.

The king scrutinized him for a while, then said, “Well young man, if you make my horse to fly, I will reward you with gifts. If you fail, then you will be beheaded for wasting my time”

The young man thanked the king for granting a chance to exhibit his talents. And he departed from the palace happily with king’s horse. His friend was agitated and furious, “Are you serious, how you are going to fulfill your word to the king? You are going to be beheaded after 8 months.”

The young man answered, “Friend we have 8 months in our favor. Who knows what will happen in 8 months. The king looks old, he may die. The horse too looks old, it may die. Or who knows the horse may indeed learn to fly”.

This is the story that illuminates the approach, “Believing is Seeing”. The following are the three basic cognitive tenets one cultivates within one’s believe system:

1. I am more than what I am. There is no written script which my life follows, but I am the author who is writing the script of my life.

2. I think and I create what I think.

3. The thought is the potentiality, and the burning desire (focused attention) + the willingness to pay the necessary price (willingness to face any tests) are the actualizing agents.