Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Do I See Me at All? Looking Through the Eyes of Fear

I really love the picture of the kitten looking into the mirror; its reflection in the mirror was that of a lion.

We all have beliefs and perceptions about ourselves.  Sometimes these are very evident; and sometimes we are unaware of them but they shape our lives through the decisions we make.  Our perceptions of ourselves and our reality are often tainted by past experiences and the thoughts we formed during our youth.

These perceptions don’t just apply to our views about ourselves personally, but also about others, the world around us, our jobs, our children, etc.  EVERYTHING is seen through the eyes of our perceptions.

It is as if you are wearing yellow sunglasses.  Everything you see while wearing those sunglasses is tinted yellow, appears to be yellow or some shade of that yellow.  The sky is no longer blue but yellow.  Your white car is now yellow.  Your children are all yellow.  Everything you see is now perceived as being yellow.

The same is true for how you see the world when your perceptions cloud your vision and views.

For example, if your perception is that everyone will take advantage of you in some way, you are always seeing this in all aspects of your life.  When your purse is not where you expected it to be, the first thought in your mind is that it was stolen.  Or when a person asks you to switch days at work, you think they are doing it to be mean.

Your initial reaction to every situation is based on your perceptions of yourself and the world.  You may not even think beyond this.  Using the above example, you may have the fear reaction of someone having broken into your home—the emotions take over instead of the logic and reasoning that state you may’ve just put your purse in another location.

Choices and decisions are either made immediately based on your perceptions, or the emotions will start immediately and then the actions will follow.  Either way, your perception will usually dictate the action.

Consider how many times we read a letter or email, or listen to a voice message and get the wrong message entirely because your perceptions were of what we read or heard from the message the first time.  Because you expected one thing, this was what you experienced.  Only later when you had time to relax, you re-read or again listen to the message and realize your interpretation of the message was way off.

Taking This to a Physical Level

A person’s perceptions also impact their physical health.  I once worked with a woman who came to see me because she had asthma and it was not under control even with medical drugs.  She spent most of each day wheezing and short of breath.  She wanted that to change.

The chief characteristics of asthma are shortness of breath and wheezing.  There are other symptoms, but the main ones are shortness of breath and wheezing.  These symptoms are caused by constriction of the passages within the lungs.

When gathering information, a homeopath listens to ALL the words a patient says, as well as observe movements and behaviors.  When this woman described the feelings she had when having difficulty breathing, she clasped her hands together and squeezed. 

After gathering all the information I could about her asthma, I asked about other health issues.  The stated she had gripping and tight menstrual cramps each month, and she was claustrophobic.  When asked about relationships, she described a husband who was controlling, jealous and never letting her out of his sight, especially at family gatherings or in public.

To narrow down the remedies, I asked her do discuss how her relationship felt to her.  Again, she clasped her hands together and squeezed, stating like she felt in the grip of a snake who was squeezing the life out of her.  She did very well on the homeopathic remedy Boa Constrictor (who squeezes the life out of its prey).

Her perception of many things was that life was being squeezed out of her.  Her body (the asthma) also showed this.  Because she felt constricted, she felt and saw this in all aspects of her life.

Putting it All Together

If you believe something about your life and yourself, you will see that and all actions you take will reflect that belief.  If you think you are “fat,” you will always see that when you look in the mirror.  You will see “thin” people and envy them (or hate them).  You will eat what you think fat people should eat, and you will probably develop a disease that you believe fat people will get.

Losing Perceptions

A perception is an untrue belief.  Beliefs can be changed.  Finding the core perception is the focus of Classical Homeopathy.  Sometimes just becoming aware of the truth and seeing it within yourself is enough to make changes in people.  When that is not the case, homeopathy lends a hand.

Best wishes,

Dr. Ronda

Disclaimer:  The information provided by Dr. Ronda Behnke Theys is for educational purposes only.  It is important that you not make health decisions or stop any medication without first consulting your personal physician or health care provider.