AN OPTICAL DELUSION

Many of us are likely familiar with the term, Optical Illusion, but perhaps only a few know the term Optical Delusion.

The root word for Optical is Optics. Optics is the study of how light behaves. Who knew that light has behavior?

Well, it does, and it can be either helpful or harmful. A lot depends upon how the light is interpreted. Our eyes use optics/light to see.

Optical Illusions and Optical Delusions are both distortions of Sight known as Perception. Perception is when your brain tells your eyes what it saw. Some call this occurrence seeing through the “Mind’s Eye”

Our brain operates off assumptions and prior knowledge to help interpret ambiguous or distorted visual information, that leads to misperception.

Illusions are misrepresentations or misinterpretations of the information that was received. For example, when the sun produces heat waves on an object, your mind might perceive it to be on fire, that’s an illusion.

Many magicians use illusions as a part of their theatrical act to make people think they see something that is not there. “Someone cut in half”

Delusions, on the other hand, are like illusions but with a meaner intent. Delusions create incorrect beliefs and false truths that direct thought patterns to corroborate its toxic message. “Everyone means you harm”

Illusions are subjective and suggestive; whereas Delusions are dangerous and directed. Delusions tend to have a dark nature.

Light stimulates Illusions, Darkness stimulates Delusions.

Illusions use Allusion to misdirect and alter your thinking.

Delusions use Collusion to deceive and change your actions.

Adam and Eve were deceived by a serpent with a Delusion that gave them a false belief that caused them to act in disobedience to God.

How many times has a “snake” caused you to react to his/her tricks?  

As with both Illusion and Delusion, light comes into the brain in the form of an electrical signal that gets converted into an image or picture.

90% of the information that we receive is visual. Our brain processes visual images 60,000 times faster than it does words/text.

Hence the saying, a picture is worth a thousand words.

What picture (s) are you seeing? Who is the director of your short film?

Dreams are Illusions, Nightmares are Delusions. Both are images/pictures shown to you in your head.

The pictures or images shown to us come in 3 forms.

Physiological – Generated by endorphins, blood flow, memory.

Cognitive – Generated from a view, sound, smell, touch, taste.

Literal – Generated by spoken or written words.

Each form generates its own picture. The brain tries to simplify everything to make sense of the world it is experiencing.

There are physical and biological limitations to the eyes and brain.

Perhaps that’s why God recommends that we walk by faith (trust in Him) and not by sight (what our brain hurriedly guesses to be real).

I trust Gods eye, over my mind’s eye. My vision can be blurred/skewed!

This is why we have a spirit. Our spirit enables us to see beyond the ever changing and impermanent projections that life is presenting and offers us help in discovering and knowing the real unchanging Truth.

Everyone has a picture in their mind, of themselves, their family, friends, future, etc. The question is where did you get that picture from?

Do you picture yourself overcoming or being overcome by all of life’s challenges?

The pictures you allow in your mind determines what kind of life you’ll have, what your relationships will be like, and ultimately where you will end up.

I have a suggestion. Over the next few days take some time to sit and meditate/review the pictures in your mind.

In fact, find some pictures that best illustrate or represent the images that you see in your mind [be honest with yourself], then take those images and place them on a collage so you can get a preview of the coming attractions.

How do you see your spiritual life? Your personal life? Relationships? Work life? Finances? Health? What does your end of life look like?

These images represent your Life’s Vision. If you don’t like what you see, there’s still time to change it. Ask God what He sees!

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail” Proverbs 19:21

This is a Thompson Truth