“The mind within does the real seeing, the real interpreting of what the eyes look upon.” — Ernest Holmes

Have you ever listened to someone explain something and then said, “I see”? In that moment, you aren’t seeing with your eyes—you’re saying, “I understand.”

I believe we do not see with our eyes; we see with our understanding. In quantum theory, there is a principle called the Observer Effect: our perception is everything. Two people may look at the same sunset, flower, or person and have entirely different experiences. It is true—“the mind within does the real seeing.”

Why does this matter in a practical sense? Because thoughts and beliefs can change things. If I continue to see something as a problem, it will remain a problem. If I begin to look at it as an opportunity for a solution, the solution has room to appear.

Let’s use a practical example: the state of the world right now. There is war. There is political upheaval. There seems to be more violence, oppression, and natural disasters. How are we going to see all this? We could decide we are doomed, living through an apocalypse with no solutions. Or—we could see it as a time to be more creative and compassionate. We could look to the people who are risking their lives to help. We could see it as a call to come together and contribute in our own unique ways. We could even see it as a profound shift in the earth’s energy, with more people guided by their intuition.

Ultimately, we see from our state of mind. If we want change in our lives and in our experiences, we must begin by changing our state of mind. When we think we can’t do anything. This is something we can all do.

Love and Aloha

 Rev. Dr. Rita, Author, Founding Spiritual Director CSL Kaua’i, Founder of the Red Dress Movement