A different way of looking causes a total shift in all that is perceived. The observer and the observed are inseparable, they are one and the same, as are the journey and it’s destination.
A problem is no different than it’s solution. In fact, a problem equals its solution. This is represented in mathematics. The problem or the equation equals the solution of that equation, which is clearly demonstrated with the “equals” (=) symbol. Therefore, a particular way of looking at or interpreting the problem brings one to the particular solution to that problem.
For instance, look at the simple math problem 5+2=7. Now why is this true? This is true because the principles of mathematics indicate that 2 parts in addition to 5 parts creates a total of 7 parts. In truth, this is pretty abstract yet appears quite specific when one understands basic mathematical principles. An onlooker could rightfully ask, at least from a philosophical standpoint, why 5+2 could not equal 8, or in fact equal 6? This is because the symbols 6 and 8 possess different qualities than the symbol 7, and the equation 5+2 does not add up to or reflect these particular qualities.
So given this example, any problem in life adds up to a solution that possesses particular qualities, and the nature of the problem is directly related to the nature of it’s solution. Analyzing or interpreting the problem rationally using the foundation of certain universal principles will bring one to a specific solution which reflects the inherent nature of the problem itself.
A solution can be the solution to multiple problems, yet a problem only has one best solution. For example, 7 can be the solution to the problems of 5+2 and 4+3. Yet the best solution to both of these problems is 7. You could rightfully state that 5+2=6+1, but that is not the best solution. It is correct, yet not the most concise. So as any problem in life can have multiple solutions, yet it only has one best solution.
Let’s look at a real life example. Let’s say that you want to get to the store as quickly as possible. This is your challenge, or “problem”. Now, there are multiple routes to the store, but only one of these routes is the fastest route possible.
Now all three routes, green, blue and red, are viable solutions; meaning all three solutions work. But only one solution is the best. This is clearly the red path because it is the most direct and therefore the fastest route to the store.
This reflects the fact that all problems have multiple working solutions, but only one best, most specific, most precise solution.
So all solutions are simple reconfigurations of the original problem in a way that is more concise, more specific, more easily and inherently functional. Simply put, problems are more complex and chaotic whereas their solutions are more simple and orderly. A problem is completely open whereas a solution is fixed and concrete. The problem “What should I eat for breakfast” is totally open. There are infinite possibilities, infinite possible answers to that question. But only one answer is best. So you meditate on it. You feel intuitively what your body desires. Suddenly, an apple comes to mind. Okay. Apple is the clear and concise solution to this problem. All possibilities have been narrowed down into one. The problem is solved in the best way possible.
Everything in life can be addressed in this way. Most people have the issue of fiddling around with half-assed, mediocre solutions. They don’t bother finding the best solution possible. What is 5+2, you ask? Oh, that’s easy... 1+2+1+1+2. Great job. You just made the solution even more complicated than the original problem. This is what most people do, and they wonder why they are drowning in a sea of complexity and lost in a maze of confusion.
What should I eat? What is the best diet? Oh well I need my iron and my folate, my phosphorous, magnesium and zinc. I also need my b vitamins, vitamin a, c, k, d, x, y, and z. Blah, blah, blah. On and on it goes. Should I eat plants or animals? Lettuce or spinach? Dirt or asphalt? An infinite maze of complexities have arisen from the simple question “What should I eat?” Your logical mind has run away with the problem and is now spitting up various solutions the way a sprinkler spits out droplets of water.
Here’s a tip: instead of addressing the mind for solutions, address the body first, specifically the heart. This comes back to the idea of specificity, of a clear and concise solution that is best. The head, or the mind, is infinitely abstract, vague, and ambiguous. This is clear when you ask “What is the mind?” There is no clear-cut and specific answer. It’s like the cloud, the ether, or God. Too abstract to be defined in a definitive way. But what about the body? Well, that’s clear. It's right here, right in front of you. It’s the first thing you see when you look in the mirror. It’s the first thing you feel when you wake up in the morning (that and morning wood, if you’re a dude ; ). So if you want a clear-cut, specific, and definitive answer, it is best to first address the body. Feel on an intuitive level before going to the logical and rational mind. “What should I eat?” Feel it intuitively. “What should I do today?” What does your heart tell you?
It seems counter-intuitive, doesn't it? The intuition, the heart...they seem so abstract, so ethereal. Yet in reality, they will always bring you to the clearest answer, to the very best solution. Because the body is clear, it is defined, it is solid. It is not some etheric abstraction. It is present here and now. And it will always give you the best answer. Guaranteed : )
