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As a continuation of yesterday`s post, The Map is Not the Territory, today I will discuss the phenomenon of reordering perception to preserve the map.

First, let us establish that as human beings, we act as if our map is indeed reality even though we established yesterday that it is only an approximation. Yet, we always think we`re right and we are - at least according to our own individual map.

However, this thinking that we are right can lead to closed-mindedness that is the very enemy of personal growth. We will often act very stubborn when our map is questioned; especially when it comes to something that we strongly believe in. There can be a tendency to become defensive, almost like we are being attacked.

This pattern can be taken to extreme levels. Sometimes, when we are shown proof that our perspective is incorrect we respond with denial. Alternatively, we shoot the messenger - getting angry at the person who challenged our map. This is often the case when strongly held beliefs such as religious beliefs are challenged (take a look at 10 Reasons You Should Never Have a Religion by Steve Pavlina).

Reordering perception to preserve the map is the phenomenon of interpreting external events in such a manner as to align with our current map of reality. We use backward rationalization to justify our interpretation so that our current beliefs are supported. For example, consider someone who has the belief that people are manipulative and trying to take advantage of him. Now, how will he react if someone does something genuinely nice for him. In all likelihood, he will believe that they are trying to get something from him. In this way, he takes the event and uses it to support his current belief system.

Why Are We So Attached to Our Maps?

Having a strong map of reality does, in fact, offer its advantages. At the same time, changing our map of reality can result in great discomfort. Together, these provide an impetus to maintain our maps as they are.

Our map of reality gives us a feeling of safety. It provides us with certainty that we can predict what will happen. We need this certainty to function in the world. Imagine the next time you dropped something, instead of falling down it floated. What would that do to your sense of reality? This certainty that we can predict what will happen due to our map provides our feeling of safety.

When we discover that something we once believed is actually not true, we get an uncomfortable feeling known as cognitive dissonance. The quickest way to alleviate this feeling is to provide an additional thought that explains the discrepancy. Often this thought is a backwards rationalization that explains the new evidence in a way to preserve the old map. Probably not the most intelligent way to go about things but it requires the least amount of energy.

The energy required to change our maps, especially at a deep level, is what makes personal growth so difficult at times. It is mentally, physically and emotionally taxing to change closely-held beliefs. At some of the personal development seminars I have been to, I found myself having trouble sleeping at night due to all of the mental activity going on to process a new map of reality. Other people have reported having headaches and even being nauseous. Personal growth can indeed be intense.

Blind Spots

The real danger in having a strong attachment to our map of reality is the development of blind spots. As discussed in yesterday's post, one of the ways our mind models reality is through the use of deletion. Through deletion, we become blind to certain parts of reality. For the most part, this is highly desirable because we would overwhelmed by the amount of sensory input we receive if we were to perceive it all at once. However, some of our blind spots keep valuable information from us that limits our effectiveness in the world.

Consider the belief that rich people are greedy. Now, to maintain that belief we need to ignore the instances where we see a rich person who isn't greedy. Hence, we develop a blind spot to selfless behaviour from a rich person. With a little examination, it becomes clear how limiting this is. By holding the belief that rich people are greedy, we develop the aversion to becoming rich ourselves because of the unconscious fear of being judged as greedy. Though, we may take every conscious action to improve our financial situation, this peice of our map of reality will always prevent us from achieving financial abundance.

If blind spots can be so dangerous to our success, how do we go about uncovering them so tha we can develop more accurate maps of reality?

1. Journaling - By putting our thoughts down on paper, we gain insight into ourselves. It gives us an opportunity to question our thoughts and as we do so, new points of view emerge.

2. Having Honest Friends - Having great friends who just communicate with you bluntly is a priceless resource. They can see our blind spots easily and help us grow. What is required on our part is to be open to their communication.

3. Acquire Knowledge - By gaining knowledge through books, videos and audio tapes, we are continually exposed to new perspectives that challenge our existing maps. By having our maps violated, we become open to the possibility to making new distinctions that refine our maps. Especially by focusing on perspectives that are polarized opposite to our own, we become forced to re-examine where we stand.

4. Examine Fears - Typically surrounding our fears are several blind spots. By placing our attention on those fears, we can start to uncover those blind spots. For example, consider the person who is shy. Typically this person is quiet because some sort of fear of disapproval. In order to maintain this perspective, the person must be blind to (or at least minimize) the approval they get from others. Getting rid of this blind spot provides much in the way of eliminating the shyness.

Scepticism

A sceptic will doubt anything that doesn't fit with their current map of reality. They have a strong attachment to their maps out of the fear of the unknown or the fear of having an inaccurate map.

I came across plenty of scepticism after I learned hypnosis when I was 19 years old. I would meet highly sceptical people who thought it was a sham. At first, I would try to change their opinion by inducing trance and demonstrating some deep trance phenomena. Even after providing the evidence, some people would still be in denial. Eventually, I developed the ability to tell who was completely closed off to the idea of hypnosis versus those who just hadn't had a validating experience yet.

As an alternative to scepticism, a more intelligent approach, in my opinion, is to remain open to experiences that we do not yet understand while not believing it until we have actually had the first-hand experience to validate it.

Personal Growth

Growth only occurs when we break our current map. However, developing the willingness to break our maps in the pursuit of growth can be difficult. The best way I have found of doing this is by dis-identifying from the map. Realize that the map is not you. The map is just a map - a lens through which to view reality. It is simply a tool and you are free to change it when you choose.

Being attached to an old map when it no longer serves you is akin to using the wrong tool for the job. It's like using a saw to try to hammer a nail in. It would be far more intelligent to lose the attachment to the saw and pick up a hammer.

Tomorrow, I will discuss some of common flaws that exist in our maps of reality through cognitive distortions.