Oh, evil’s shadow boxer, when will you retire?
Tis champion of a lonely dream world to which you aspire.
Stop resuscitating those dead illusions with mental pugilist blows,
And a peace-loving mind will replace the divided one you now know.
What do you see when you glance into the mirror?
A body?
A mind?
A reflection shaped by the judgments you carry?
Or do you glimpse something far deeper, the essence of who you truly are?
This question, on the surface, may seem simple—but its depths reach into psychology, neuroscience, and our shared spiritual experience. Projection, a concept often discussed as a psychological defense mechanism, extends beyond our interpersonal conflicts. It manifests in families, communities, religions, and even nations. And at its heart is a profound truth echoed in William Blake’s words:
“If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite.”
I continue to explore the profound relationship between projection and perception. I have found that our realities are created as reflections of ourselves and, to the evolving truth seeker, guides toward an awareness that transcends the limitations of our conditioned minds.
Projection is the psychological act of attributing unconscious and unwanted feelings, traits, or impulses onto others. It is often our way of avoiding confrontation with our own inner struggles and shadow self. It may manifest as anger misdirected at a colleague, suspicion toward a partner, or even animosity toward entire groups or ideologies we fundamentally disagree with.
But projection doesn’t stop with individuals. Families project their values onto children. Tribes and religious groups create “others” who are blamed for the fear of losing their collective identities. Nations externalize their shadows by demonizing other countries, religions, or political movements.
Unforgiveness sits at the root of many acts of projection. When we fail to forgive either ourselves or others, unresolved pain and resentment fester. This unhealed hurt often takes the form of projection, as we unconsciously transfer the burden of our pain onto others in an attempt to escape its weight. Instead of recognizing the source of this hurt within ourselves, we externalize it, making it appear as though the problem lies outside us.
For instance, consider how the inability to forgive someone for a perceived wrong can result in a fixation on their flaws. Rather than addressing the pain they may have caused, we create narratives that amplify their shortcomings, effectively using these stories to shield ourselves from addressing deeper emotional wounds. This cycle perpetuates division and prevents genuine healing.
Genuine forgiveness, however, interrupts this process. When we choose forgiveness, we break the loop of projection by directly confronting and releasing the pain or resentment within ourselves. By doing so, we not only liberate the person we had “sentenced” to carry our projected blame but also free our own psyche from dividing itself against its deeper truths. Forgiveness dismantles the walls of external blame and internal denial, paving the way for a unified and peace-loving mind.
Yet, according to an ancient truth:
“All that you see is yourself.”
Every act of judgment, every reaction to the “evil” we perceive in others, carries a mirror reflecting our own often unexamined fears, beliefs, and shadowed corners. Confronted by our greatest fears, the greatest enemy turned out to be unrecognized reflections and parts yet unseen.
Perception is far from neutral. What we perceive “out there” is firmly rooted in the associations and narratives we have built “in here.” Our inner world becomes the lens through which we engage with reality.
Psychological projection means we externalize internal conflicts. Neuroscientifically, the brain constructs our interpretation of reality based on past experiences, emotions, and biases. That’s why two people can look at the same event and perceive completely different things.
When you pause and examine your reactions to a person you have issues with, ask yourself a question that challenges your reflexive thought patterns:
“Is this anger truly about them, or am I seeing a part of myself I don’t yet understand?”
Often, our dislike or judgment of another simply mirrors some fragment of our hidden self.
Neuroscience illuminates how intensely personal perception shapes our lives. Sensory inputs, once filtered through memory and emotion, create an internal reality tailored uniquely for us. What you perceive is a composite of what your brain assumes to be true, built upon your senses’ raw data.
Consider this surprising fact—even your perception of yourself and others fluctuates based on your inner state. On stressful days, a colleague’s mildly critical comment might feel like a personal attack. But on days when your self-esteem is strong, the same comment might seem constructive or barely register.
The external world is not neutral, but neither is it a definitive reflection of reality. It is a mirror that reflects not absolute truth, but the giant canvas of ourselves. Others’ perceptions of us follow this same principle. No one ever sees you fully as you are. They see their representation of you, formed through their unique filters of life.
What does it mean to cleanse the doors of perception?
Our past experiences anchor us to specific ways of seeing. They limit our spontaneity and our understanding of others. By moving beyond these conditioned lenses, we begin to witness life in its fullness, free from judgment. We shift from seeing the sharp distinctions of “good” versus “evil” to understanding that every external perception has internal origins.
Here are simple yet profound practices to move beyond limited perceptions:
- Mindful Observation: Practice observing your thoughts and emotions with detachment. Not every thought reflects reality.
- Challenging Biases: Take one belief or bias you hold strongly about others and ask yourself where it might originate within you.
- Meditation: By sitting in stillness, you encounter awareness that is no longer filtered through past thinking.
- Radical Openness: Practice listening to perspectives you once dismissed. Suspend judgment just long enough to consider their validity.
Imagine, now, that you are no longer controlling every thought, every reaction, every judgment. Imagine stepping back into pure awareness, the unconditioned state where the mind becomes a mere observer.
Pure awareness transcends the ego. It is not concerned with past stories, likes, dislikes, successes, or failures. It is simply there. And, as you experience pure awareness, you’ll realize that through you, the Universe perceives itself, free from distortions.
We must face one unrelenting truth.
The shadow we feared most was our own.
If we strip away the idols and defenses, if we gather ourselves in our rawest, uncloaked form, we are left with this sacred act of seeing ourselves as we truly are.
Take a moment today to be silent in the face of an uncomfortable truth about yourself.
Sit with it.
Name it.
Accept it.
You are not here to battle it but to bear witness to it.
Cleansing the doors of perception is no easy task. However, when done earnestly, it leads to deeper connections, understanding, and love—for yourself and others.
By consciously choosing to cleanse your lens and release unforgiveness, you not only transform your inner world but extend peace into the shared experience of humanity. Maybe, one by one, we can each honor this process of seeing the world as it is.
And in doing so, we discover this life-altering truth:
All that you see is yourself, freckles and all.
