Perspectives on Perception

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3cfjy3R8Ts

Pledge of Resonance. Solillaquists of Sound



A Personal Perspective on Perception...

Every so often, iPod throws me a little poetry & musical philosophy. And, every time I listen to these specific words, they trigger a sort-of introspective response that resonates with something or certain situations/experience(s) at the time. Today, the message amplified a stream of analyses related to perception and our food environment.

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It all started yesterday morning at daybreak. At 6:30am I heard the very clear call of an owl. Very uncharacteristic of the usual morning chatter in Chinatown, I opened my eyes and questioned whether the sound had carried over from my dreams.

A few seconds later, the call was repeated. Then, again and again and again.

I might not have been so preoccupied with the owl, but the rhythm and distinctive presence couldn’t be ignored. Perhaps it was more pronounced because we had just finished a full week of grey, wet & cold weather.

Nevertheless, I was intrigued. Since I’m slightly off the mark of normal, I acted on the compulsion to grab my camera, open my bedroom window and climb onto the fire escape to seek out this elusive messenger.

I saw seagulls, pigeons and plenty of do-gooders embarking on the rituals of their day. But, this guy was nowhere to be found. And yet, his call continued in the same repetitive fashion. I could have sworn he was just in front, no, to the left, wait; no…it’s coming from the right.

In the end I sat and played a game of Marco Polo with the owl until the sun had completely taken post for the morning; at which point, his chanting ceased.

Gone but, not forgotten.

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This atypical Manhattan experience of nature got me thinking about perception vs. perspective. How are perspectives of our environment formed? How are perceptions “perceived” to create personal perspectives? Why do some experiences with our environment seem more pronounced and heightened than others?

Why did I perceive such a resonance with the sound of this owl? Why did I respond with such intensity and instigate an owl chase?


Ultimately, the day was glorious and became one of the first markedly spring-like days. I embarked on a day of consciously experiencing and observing the essence of my environment.

Awoken by the sensory input of Mr. Owl, I embarked on a day of observation and experience. Senses as my exploratory guide, I listened to the vibrations & echoes of the water against the beach, felt the heat of the sun’s reflection, and enjoyed the fresh smell of renewal I associate with spring.



I was the listener, the perceiver, the conductor of my experiences, the one who at the end of the day, still maintained a personal & unique perspective.

Like the lyrical ingenuity of the Soliloquists of Sound pledge, I became the “echo that prolonged the life” of this particular day and its vibration.

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Now, the amplification of perspective thought:

It seemed that I have a perspective of what spring symbolizes and how nature is expressed. But, why and how do I come to hold, perhaps, a differing perspective than the next person?

It seems that there is hierarchy to the process of formalizing perspectives.
At the top, or the outcome, we have perspective defined as “the state of one's ideas, the facts known to one, etc., in having a meaningful interrelationship. The faculty of seeing all the relevant data in a meaningful relationship. A mental view or prospect.”

Our perspective begins with our perception of the external world. Perceptions are unique to the individual as they concern how we mentally conceptualize and download information through experience.

Experience leads to perspectives of our environment. We experience with our senses and, depending on our percepts (the dynamic partnership amongst the senses; sound and sight), we obtain information. The sensory data is processed based on our individual perceptions of the environment, and ultimately lead to the confirmation of pre-existing perspectives or, serve as the catalyst for new perspectives.

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SO, how does this relate to cooking & consciousness?

Well…I suppose the result of the days journey was a compilation of data, thought, and perceptions about the meaning of each experience.

How I went about the day a) directly related to an internal resonance with the signs of nature and b) elicited my own value and appreciation for spring. I was tapped-in yesterday, completely aware of all I was experiencing in full presence of being.

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The connection between perception & consciousness.
Consciousness, which is a generalized umbrella term for awareness, is necessary in order for us to truly interact with the nature of environment. Conscious experience engages the senses and amplifies our energetic interconnection with the environmental elements.

Without alertness & focus, we would simply perceive situations based on pre-existing notions, skewing sensations with illusory thoughts; and manipulating the bigger picture, or perspective.

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Our perceptions of our food environment seem to follow the same principles.

Do you perceive your food options or cooking abilities as limiting or flexible and great? Are your eating and cooking behaviors reflections of past experiences?

I believe that by finding a balance between the intangibility of fantasy and ideals and the constraints of limiting perspectives, we can find a harmonious way to connect with our food environment. The philosophy of “Enactivism” personally resonates as that midpoint between realism and idealism. It denotes a non-dualistic approach wherein our engagement and participatory connection between thoughts and action lend a more informed, conscious and influential environmental experience.

If we can understand the fundamental & important interconnection we have with our food, we might perceive the art of cooking & the possibility of food choices differently.

Using our senses as a guide, we can truly develop a deep relationship with ingredients; and through cooking, we have creative freedom & ownership in the dynamic transformation of food and its energetic essence. It begins with knowledge and a respect for the scientific phenomena food. A respect for the time and care farmers and agriculturists invest in preserving the integrity of the most valuable of nature’s grace.

It requires a step out of the box and a realization that quality is not something we can really appreciate or see until we are able to see our own reflection in the mirrored lens through which we view food, cooking & eating. The ecology of community food sources are not likely to flourish without a compassion partnership and direct sense of connection.

Only through experience and information can we really know quality; empowering the collective voice through conscious action and trust the guidance of our senses.

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Below are the lyrics to the 'Pledge of Resonance’ with a few of my perceptions noted. What motivated me to write this blog was the impact this song made in relevant connection to our influence on cooking and the energetic and vibratory properties of food.



Pledge of Resonance:

‘I am a listener.

‘Well before there was something to be said, I was here.’

‘Many have argued whether or not sound exists without me, but what is often overlooked in the midst of these debates is the true importance of the relationship between sound and those who perceive it.’

‘Sound can be defined as something heard…but in essence is a cycle of vibrations that move through matter.’

‘I vow to maintain the ability to define these vibrations (energetic essence of food and the food environment)…And therefore, amplify them with our actions.’ (Our actions do have an effect - conscious selection, support for local ingredients, mindful & informed cooking practices).

‘It is in our hands to allow what we hear (how we perceive food) to fade to silence, or to be given meaning.’

‘As these actions remain, ‘we’ become the echo that prolongs the life of a sound (a harmonious & locally produced food environment). And as sound (food) is essentially a movement (our respect for the living energetic qualities of food and the direct impact on our food environment), ultimately, the fate of this movement lies within ‘us’…

-The Listener


As listeners, we are the individuals who purchase, grow, eat, and cook food. I believe we are responsible for the enhancement or conversely, the demise of our food environment. Can we become a collective community of conscious consumers and cooks?
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I never did find the owl, but I did get his message ~ and I vow to this totem of wisdom ~ to continue listening; to define & enhance my experiences ~ and to take responsibility for my level of consciousness & perceptions.

Cheers…To the elusiveness & phenomena of the world; and to the comforting patterns of nature’s rhythms, vibrations and music.

Peace,
The Listener.