Introduction to Perceptual Intelligence: The Brain’s Secret to Seeing Past Illusion, Misperception, and Self-Deception
by Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler.
With the rare combination of lucid verve and solid scientific grounding evocative of Oliver Sacks or Malcolm Gladwell, Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler guides readers on a fascinating tour of the bedrock of our existence the way our senses perceive everything and everyone in the world around us.
Dr. Brian (as he’s known to his patients) has pioneered treatments in vision correction, has published more than 100 scientific, peer-reviewed journal papers and book chapters, and is the first choice of many doctors for their own eye treatment. In his new book (October 2017), he offers a fascinating, accessible description of how we see what we see and why this affects every aspect of our lives.
Montel Williams, whose MS (multiple sclerosis) was misdiagnosed for years, has provided a foreword and shares: “Dr. Brian has done a masterly job of exploring the underpinnings of human perception, along the way helping us understand our motivations and behavior.” He goes on to say that “Dr. Brian has taught me a lot about illness perception and why maintaining a positive outlook is critical to effective treatment and eventual outcome.”
This is just one of the areas Dr. Brian addresses. As a surgeon and ophthalmologist who has devoted his career to the field of vision correction, he is fascinated by the connections among our five senses — sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch — and how our brains register and interpret them to distinguish reality from illusion.
Defining Perceptual Intelligence (PI) as how we interpret and occasionally manipulate our experiences to distinguish fantasy from reality, he explains that PI relies heavily on our senses and instincts, but it is frequently influenced and distorted by our emotions and memories. As with other forms of intelligence, some people have higher PI than others, but PI can be improved with both awareness and practice and can be used to make desired changes in our lives.
Exploring the brain’s ability to interpret and make sense of the world, he explains, with concrete examples and case studies, why our senses do not always match reality, and how we can influence the world around us through perceptions, inward and outward.
Brian Boxer Wachler, MD, is the world’s leading authority on keratoconus, refractive surgery, and creator of the revolutionary I-Brite® Eye Whitening procedure. He has devoted his career to the field of vision correction. For two decades, he has been a pioneering doctor with a thriving career in clinical, academic, and laboratory settings. He boasts an unparalleled history of awards and accomplishments — many of which have singlehandedly changed the practice of ophthalmic surgery. He is currently the medical director of the eponymous Boxer Wachler Vision Institute in Beverly Hills and a staff physician at Los Angeles’ famed Cedars Sinai Medical Center. More information at www.perceptualintelligence.com.
"Life happens. Life in the flow."
We learn over time that nobody can solve our problems, but someone can guide you how to solve the problem. You may receive guidance through a teacher, a guru or even strangers that you run into every day. As we practice yoga we learn that the more we know, the less we truly know. Every day I am reminded how much I truly do not know; a very humbling experience.
Yoga teaches me to be present. To just live for being and enjoying life as it is right NOW. Not ten minutes from now, no five days ago, but right now. We are taught to get out of our heads, to release worries and fears of the past or the future and to only live for this very moment. Presence.
"Lead me from untruth to truth, lead me from darkness to light." ~ Buddha
Through yoga we are reminded that we do have a dark side as well as a light side. We are not to repress the dark side, but embrace that side of our Self. We are the yin and the yang. We ultimately cleanse the dark stuff we hold inside. We shine the light on this. We must make friends with dark side. Both positive and negative balance out the whole. Daily practice refines and improves our inner vision to see our Self more clearly. We no longer need to run from fears. Face them and say I'm not running from you anymore. So much is in our heads, so much dark is only in our heads, self-doubt judgment betrayal. Yoga grounds the body so that the light and dark sides of ourselves become clear. So much is truly untrue. But as we diligently practice we are able to find the middle ground and walk our centered balanced line in life. We gain balance in centered lightheartedness. We can have harmony in both light and dark.
"Yoga tells us that the world is actually a projection of our own thoughts and we can modify our inner world to manifest into our outer world. When our inside realm is at peace and in harmony, our outer world shines this projection back at us." ~ David, Jiva Mukti Yoga co-founder
Yoga is observation.
We can observe our world and see what part that is in us is begin reflected back to us. We can then see what part of us needs modification or adjustment in order to have our outer reality reflect back to us the peace, happiness and love we so greatly desire and deserve.
Yoga is already inside of you. Happiness is there. Yoga helps you peel away the onion layers to get to the core. To freedom. The deepest Divine connection to the Ultimate Light Source.
Come out of wanting and back into acceptance and Joy. A yogi or yogini can turn any situation into bliss. That is a yogi. Yoga is being now. Ultimate yoga is meditation. Just BE.
Yoga is love.
"Love is the light that dissolves all walls between souls." ~ Paramahansa Yogananda
Through a dedicated practice of all forms of yoga we can participate in the world with a sense of freedom, unaffected from trauma, depression, anger, etc. The freedom is balance in both.
Maggie Anderson is a Yoga & Spiritual Teacher, Reiki Master Teacher, Integrated Energy Therapy® Master Instructor, Soul Coach®, Past Life Coach, Magnified Healing® Master Teacher and Angelights Messenger. She is the author of How I Found My True Inner Peace and Divine Embrace. You can contact Maggie at SpiritualCompassConnection.com.
"Follow Your Bliss. It's Your Spiritual Compass."