An excerpt from the essay, “to be wise is to see”
It seems to me that our culture often tries to tell us there’s only one thing that can be seen. Ever. If we see something else, well, we’d better keep it to ourselves. Our culture tells us, “This is a picture of a vase. It’s only a vase. If you think you see something else in this picture, well, you’re wrong! Because it’s a vase.”
Read the rest of this essay (or open it in a new window or tab) …
A wonderful study group that I have participated in for 20 years now began with our teacher producing exactly these two graphics. Over and over again during these two decades, we have tried to be aware of the moment when our perception of the matter we happened to be discussing reached the transitory cusp, the point where an old understanding gave way to the new, not by vanishing but by becoming an alternative interpretation.
January 19, 2007 @ 5:00 pm