The Cinema of Life & 3-D Glasses

I would like to introduce you to a new concept and something that we at InnerSpect address in our one-on-one coaching: the concept of ‘Perceptual Filters.’ What are ‘Perceptual Filters’ you might ask? For those of you who wear glasses, it’s an easy concept to identify with. When you put your glasses on, what are you doing? You are looking through a filter (in its most literal sense) and seeing something different than what your eyes would see by themselves. In this example, by wearing the glasses, you take what is less clear and make it more clear for you to see.  

If we take this concept of perceptual filters and apply it to how we view life or view individual situations or circumstances, we do precisely the same thing. We see our lives AND ourselves through the perceptual filters of our culminated life experience. For example, some of us might view our time spent in school differently based on whether we had a good experience with it (or not). We might view family differently based on whether we get along well with them. In other words, our life experience gives us our views, and in a more literal sense, our judgments of how we think things should be. Rightly or wrongly, we take these views and make them our belief system. We make them our own truths in our minds, and treat them as fact whether or not these beliefs are accurate or even true.  

Think of a pair of 3-D glasses. If you haven’t seen a pair of them in a while, they are a pair of glasses that you are given to wear that will allow you to view a movie three dimensionally. One lens is usually red and the other is usually a shade of green. That combination, along with specially made film made for the actual movie is what gives the 3-D effect. For our example, you physically look through different lenses (the 3-D glasses) and see something that appears real. If you have ever watched one of these 3-D movies, if you take your glasses off, you get quite a different view of the movie. The movie ends up looking very funny and blurry and can almost hurt your eyes. Which view (with or without the glasses) is the real view? Which one is illusion? Which one do we want to be real? Is it the one that we think looks better? 

Often times we make up in our minds what we think is truth about ourselves. It bears reminding that what we think or believe to be true may or may not be accurate. If we narrow this concept to the topic of weight release and body image, we often times see our body as imperfect or ugly (insert whatever you don’t like about your body) and that it doesn’t look the way we want it to or think it should. It might not perform the way we want. It might be doing something that we wish it didn’t. What do your perceptual filters see about your own body or image? 

Have you ever really dressed up for an extra special occasion and you look in the mirror and you just know you look fantastic?! You look amazing! You are on cloud nine! You are the cat’s meow! I’m here to remind you what might seem obvious -- that your body didn’t change. What changed was your perceptual filter of how you viewed your body. You put on a different pair of 3-D glasses for this occasion. 

To give another example, have you ever experienced giving someone a compliment (especially teenagers) about how nice they look or think something they are wearing looks great and it is immediately deflected? What’s happening is that you see them differently than they see themselves. You are wearing different perceptual filters than they are. I’ve found that I have a lot of pairs of glasses strewn all over the place depending on the occasion. The funny thing is that I switch them unconsciously, without ever being aware that I’ve done so! One minute I’m looking at the beautiful song birds in my garden, and the next I’m judging X, Y, and Z. What is illusion and what is not? How many pairs of glasses do you have? Where and what do you look at and place your attention? 

We at InnerSpect take a Spiritual orientation to weight release and body image. We work with a belief that you are whole and complete right now and that you don’t need fixing. It is our perceptual filters that we wear that create all other illusions. 

I invite you to take off all those pairs of glasses and really see yourself as you really are: You are perfect, whole, and complete right now, in this very moment. You don’t need fixing. Let me say that again. You are perfect, whole, and complete right now. Your body could have done a far, far worse job. What a great job it does for you right now. Every time you take a breath, I invite you to think of it as a vote of confidence. The only thing that takes you away from your body as it is (reality) and all that you want it to become, is your own perception of it. What glasses are you willing to look through (or take off for that matter)? It’s your choice.

Food for Thought “Nuggets” 

• We see our lives and ourselves through the perceptual filters of our culminated life experience. 
• Our life experience gives us our views, and in a more literal sense, our judgments of how we think things should be. Rightly or wrongly, we take these views and make them our belief system. 
• You are perfect, whole, and complete right now, in this very moment. You don’t need fixing. Your body could have done a far, far worse job. What a great job it does for you right now.  
• Every time you take a breath, I invite you to think of it as a vote of confidence. 
• The only thing that takes you away from your body as it is (reality) and all that you want it to be, is your own perception of it. 

Until next time, all the best, 

Elaine Robinson 

InnerSpect “Weight Release & Body Image” Coaching

Facilitating Healthy Weight Release & Positive Shifts in Body Image

http://www.innerSpect.net 

P.O. Box 4092

Mountain View, CA 94040

(650) 938-1222