Expanding Perception Is The Path to Enlightenment
When we think of enlightenment, it’s easy to imagine a distant state of being, perhaps reserved for sages who retreat from the world. But what if enlightenment is not about retreating, but about engaging fully — about seeing the world clearly, free from the distortions and biases that typically cloud our vision?
At its essence, enlightenment is not the final destination, but a continuous process of peeling back the layers that block our perception. These layers are our cognitive biases — mental filters formed by past experiences, cultural conditioning, and egoic desires. They shape how we view the world and create an illusion of separation. However, as we expand our awareness and embrace different perspectives, we begin to see the world as it truly is: interconnected, whole, and alive with the pulse of love.
As Krishna advises Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita, “When a man gives up all varieties of desire and acts without any sense of ego, he attains peace.” That peace is not some distant, otherworldly state but rather the peace of being fully present, fully engaged, and fully aware.
Cognitive biases are like tinted lenses, affecting everything we perceive. From how we judge others, to how we view ourselves, these mental shortcuts prevent us from seeing the full picture. We might view challenges as personal failures or assume that someone’s actions reflect a flaw in their character. These assumptions narrow our field of perception, keeping us stuck in patterns of judgment, limitation, and suffering.
In Bhakti, we are taught that love — the true essence of reality — cannot fully flow when we are blocked by egoic filters. Bhakti, or devotion, is the path of offering our heart, our mind, and our very being to something greater than ourselves. As one of my spiritual teachers once said, “When you choose to love, you see the whole person, the whole situation, without the lens of judgment.” It is this choice, this continuous turning toward love, that begins to dissolve the mental barriers we’ve built over time.
But how do we move beyond these biases?
The path of Bhakti offers a profound key to expanding perception: surrender. But this surrender is not about giving up. It’s about opening up. When we surrender our limited perceptions, our habitual ways of interpreting the world, we open ourselves to a deeper, more expansive view. This doesn’t mean abandoning life; it means engaging with life from a place of love, trust, and devotion.
Ram Dass beautifully summed this up when he said, “The game is to quiet the mind and open the heart.” The heart is not merely an organ that pumps blood, but a symbol of divine love and interconnectedness. In the Bhakti tradition, we often refer to the heart as the seat of the soul — the place where the individual and the eternal meet. When the heart is open, perception expands naturally. We begin to see the oneness that underlies all of creation.
In Bhakti, love is not just an emotion — it’s the ultimate reality. Love is the force that connects us all. When we love deeply, we stop viewing the world through the lens of ego, judgment, or separation. Instead, we see with the eyes of the heart, which are naturally inclusive, compassionate, and wise. We become aware that every being is a reflection of the same source, the same essence.
So, how do we begin to dissolve the layers of bias and expand our perception? The following practices can serve as a guide:
- Surrender to Love
In Bhakti, surrender (or Sharanagati) is at the heart of spiritual practice. Surrender doesn’t mean losing your individuality; it means surrendering your false perceptions. Ask yourself: What am I holding onto that keeps me from seeing clearly? By offering these attachments into the fire of love, we make space for truth to emerge. As the Gita reminds us, “By surrendering everything to me, you will overcome all obstacles and difficulties.” - Loving Awareness
Ram Dass spoke often about *“loving awareness” — the practice of seeing the world through the eyes of love. In moments of conflict, judgment, or fear, pause and ask yourself: How would love see this situation? This small shift in perspective dissolves the cognitive biases that keep us stuck in separation and suffering. Love naturally expands perception. - See the Divine in All Beings
In Bhakti, we are reminded that divinity flows through all beings. When we view others with this awareness, we begin to move beyond judgment and bias. A practical way to apply this is through the ancient practice of Namaste,which means, “I honor the divinity in you.” Next time you encounter someone, especially someone challenging, silently remind yourself: The same essence that lives in me lives in them. This shifts your perception from separation to unity. - Offer Your Actions as Service (Seva)
In Bhakti, selfless service, or Seva, is a way to transcend ego and expand perception. When we offer our actions, even the smallest ones, in service to the greater good, we begin to see life through the lens of contribution rather than consumption. Seva purifies the heart, allowing us to see the world not as a place of personal gain, but as a sacred space where we can give love.
The path to enlightenment is not about reaching some far-off state of bliss. It’s about expanding our perception right here and now. It’s about learning to see with the heart rather than the mind alone. In Bhakti, we are constantly reminded that the mind is full of noise and distractions, but the heart knows the truth — it sees through the illusions and recognizes the essence in all things.
As the Tao Te Ching wisely states, “The wise man is one who knows what he does not know.” Enlightenment isn’t about knowing everything; it’s about being open to the mystery, to the infinite possibilities that exist beyond our cognitive biases. It’s about acknowledging that our perceptions are limited, and choosing to expand them by embracing love, service, and surrender.
In expanding our perception, we move closer to the truth of who we really are: not isolated beings struggling through life, but interconnected souls dancing in the same cosmic rhythm. We begin to see that enlightenment isn’t about escaping reality, but about engaging with it fully, with an open heart, an open mind, and an open spirit.
And as we engage with this expanded view, we realize that the love we seek is already here, always waiting, just beyond the edges of our cognitive biases. It’s in that love, in that clarity of vision, where true peace resides.
