Blind Spots

I was thinking about "blind spots" this morning as I was sitting.  We all have them, those things that we do that we just don't see.  Often everyone else sees them but us.  You see mine, I see yours, but we don't see our own.  It's a term that makes me think of driving (and perhaps that's where it comes from?).  You know that spot where you can't see, just over your shoulder, where the rear view mirror doesn't show you what's there.  It's the spot where you need to turn and look, the spot that can easily result in an accident if we fail to check it.  A lot like life really.

And the interesting thing about blind spots, is that by their very definition we don't see them.... those aspects of our behaviour that cause us trouble over and over until one day we go .... ohmygawd! and some little (or not so little) shadow pops into focus.  One of the really funny ones for me, was that I always lamented about how negative my mother was.  Then at some point I realized I was being negative about my mother's negativity!  sheesh we can be twisted little creatures!

So they are out there in that spot, just behind us, slightly out of view, just waiting .... waiting either to work their mischief or come in to view.  Our work is to keep looking at our actions with honesty and contemplating and examining what we do .... that is our practice and in time we chip away at our blind spots.  We get to know ourselves and see the oddities and humour in what we get up to sometimes.  And as my teacher would say "it's not on our terms or our time lines."  The realization happens when it happens.  We can't force it, legislate it or make it happen.  We can only do the work until the tipping point is reached and the blind spot spills over into our awareness and we see the little puddle on the floor.

This little mixed media Jizo called "Lighting the Way" kind of works with "Blind Spots".  There he stands looking forward, lantern in front, shadows behind.