People often talk about understanding and relating to people like they have known them for years. I think thats hard to do unless the person himself/herself is so transparent and easy to relate to. When they want to accept you, as you are with all your imperfections and failures. A lot of people talk about reading people like a book. But does any one really have the patience to do so? Do people really like to treat people that way? Do we really ever care to put ourselves in another person's spot and see the world view as they would? Do people even really consider doing it. Try this exercise for once. Think of the person closest to you, who really cares for you and is there for you. and then, close your eyes. And visualize yourself from that person's perspective. A totally objective view. Visualize yourself doing what you normally do, talking how you normally talk. And see yourself. Observe your body language, tone and your thinking. This exercise helps in may ways. Understanding your thinking...yourself more objectively, less emotionally and yet with a lot of care. It makes you see the world from someone else's perspective. It teaches us compassion and respect for other's views. It is easy to think you understand it, but it really is very different to feel those things. You probably gain a lot more because you experience the trials and tribulations of life without actually facing any of them in real life. A valuable tool to improve yourself and experience things by feeling them in your mind, but not . Much like immersing yourself in a movie or a book, only you are the actor, and you are the audience. The emotions you are feeling and the problems you are facing are real and yet not real. See how you stand up to the test...spread your wings and test your strength. Its never easy. Try it out and you will see what I am trying to say. Trust me it can be pretty hard, specially when that someone is having a hard time.
Coming back to my original thought that had me started on this post. Its hard to read a person like a book. No one ever as the patience to read every page...to walk through to the last page.No one even lasts that long. There is no dictionary to help and no one to explain. The only way is to listen and accept the person in an unbiased manner. Instill in him/her the trust to open every page of his thoughts to you without fear of rejection and misunderstanding...till then. Before you ever claim to understand what a person means or says, stop for a moment, take a deep breath and do the exercise above. Reach out to the people around you and show you care....by sharing their tears and smiles for a few moments. A moment of your time is the most priceless gift you can give anyone...and it takes courage and a great big heart to do so.
So much for now.
Coming back to my original thought that had me started on this post. Its hard to read a person like a book. No one ever as the patience to read every page...to walk through to the last page.No one even lasts that long. There is no dictionary to help and no one to explain. The only way is to listen and accept the person in an unbiased manner. Instill in him/her the trust to open every page of his thoughts to you without fear of rejection and misunderstanding...till then. Before you ever claim to understand what a person means or says, stop for a moment, take a deep breath and do the exercise above. Reach out to the people around you and show you care....by sharing their tears and smiles for a few moments. A moment of your time is the most priceless gift you can give anyone...and it takes courage and a great big heart to do so.
So much for now.
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awesome...
but this is a dangerous game to play...remember, there is a long long history in everyone's life...
it is highly difficult (i m not using the word impossible here, though i personally feel so) to read every page of it...
so the only possible way (as far as i thinks so) to view the world from someone's perspective is unconditional acceptance...
but the stream of thoughts here is very clear and concise...
good going...
Yes...it's highly dangerous...I ended up depressed with too much of somebody else's pain on my mind...SO yes, I did manage to do it...but then thats what strengthens u see...wierd that there was a similar "concept" (for lack of a better word) in a Harry Potter book...
Reading someone like a book is tough...but assuming the identity and being able to feel it for the moment is upto the imaginative power of your mind. For the past is also something hard to feel. I am saying this is hard because if you try and be urself and try to re-live a day of ur life say when u were 10 years old...even u cant be sure if you can. And the future...well if you can assume the identity for a moment...the future is what you are looking at from that point in time and space. And from 2 perspectives...ur own and someone else's.
disclaimer: a different perspective on the blaag overall, and not just this post.
i'm sorry to say, but i see a pattern developing on your blaag. no doubt the articles are awesomely written and everything, but shouldn't there also be some fun-random posts to couple the _deep_, thoughtful ones.
minor nitpick: careful with the punctuations from now on.
just my two cents.
p.s.: you know i'm not good (read: keen) with comments -- especially such topics, so i'd pass this one as well. i'll echo what dj said -- good going.
wow. my previous comment was posted at exact 23:00 hrs. =)
I had read this post long back but I needed time to think on how to reply.
Even now I am not sure whether what I say would make any sense but nevertheless it is my sincere attempt.
I try this exercise of placing myself in other person's shoes as a part of my anger management, but only for a situation at hand. Considering the opposite person's position and then looking at the circumstances from his point of view has often helped me to keep calm.
As far as reading a person like a book is concerned, it refers to his/her character, about the person as a whole. No one can explain what he/she has been through. I have done the face reading [even photograph reading] of a few people and have written on this topic at my blog [dive into sensible posts category]
To be in another person's place and experience what he/she is going through or has been through in the journey of life, is something we should refrain from doing because God has given each one of us, our own lives and our own Karmas. By playing that person's role we are not only trying to interfere with the plan of nature but also causing trauma to ourselves because then we would be experiencing anxiety, fear, depression and all such feelings of two individuals and this can be devastating.
Been there once and landed up sick in bed!
I hope I have not said too much...
GBU
Arti
Spooky how I saw the movie "The Freedom Writers" on the very day I wrote this blog....It's based on a similar concept...people who have seen the movie will know.