# WELCOME TO THE PANORAMA

At first i wondered how animals used their peripheral sight, because as soon as i tried to look at something on the periphery, my focus always went to that point

At first, i couldn't understand how animals used their peripheral vision, because as soon as i tried to be aware of an object on the periphery, my focus always automatically went to that point

So I fixed my eyes on a point straight in front, and then directed my attention to opposite points on the peripheries at around 30° angles up from the horizontal on both sides, still physically focusing on the boring focal point in front.

It was an interesting experiment, and it often seemed to change my mood, even after only a minute – so i wanted to do it more and find out what was happening.

Slowly, over a period of around three weeks, i chose different angles and looked over all the points of the compass.

Then, one day i realised that if i looked at a clear cloudless area of empty sky, i could see the whole oval shape of my field of vision with multiple things moving in it.

## A New Way of Seeing

It was amazing, a whole new world opened up. It's a totally different way of using the eyes... a completely different perspective on life.

And it's not like anything i could ever have imagined it to be. I'd have imagined it would be like focusing on thousands of points at the same time, but it's not at all like that.

The sensation is as though i'd always been looking at life as if i were looking at a T.V. screen, and now instead, it feels as though i'm right up inside the screen. There is only a vague depth perspective. The normal feeling of a subject looking at an object is missing.

Panoramic awareness is a 'being with' what i'm seeing – instead of looking at it – intimately and directly connected with everything which is happening. It's a state of absorption in what i'm seeing, at times even oneness and wholeness.

I wondered if i would be able to repeat the experience, but i could and it was easy, it's like riding a bike, once you can do it you don't forget.

I was maybe lucky to have learnt in Summer with good weather every day, so there was always a clear area of blue sky, an optimal central area with nothing special to focus on.

And the garden where i used to sit was full of birds and squirrels which, compared to humans, all have extremely sudden and unpredictable movements, so there was always something interesting happening, usually in three or four directions.

I knew nothing about panoramic perception back then, but one thing was obvious, the quicker and more unpredictable the movements were, the more noticeable they were.

This was my experience, and it just seemed so logical and appropriate that vulnerable animals would need to sense in this way, in order to survive.

## Relearning Amazement

Occasionally we have an intense experience of pleasure and fulfilment, when looking into the distance over the ocean, at the stars, or with a panoramic landscape. At those times, we're not focusing on anything specific, it opens our senses in a special way, and we're just amazed at everything.

By using our eyes in this panoramic way, we can feel this amazement, without having anything awesome or beautiful to sense.

Focusing is blind to this experience of life. I still don't fully understand how humans became so blind... why had I never heard about this?... Maybe it's just far too simple for our clever, complex, focused world.

This is something we were all born with, and it's easy to relearn. There are any number of ways to unlock the feeling and speed up the re-learning process. These are described in the Warm-up Exercises. But first...

Please continue with Pre-Emptive Listening

Back to Chapter One : The Animal Teachings
Back to THE PANORAMA SENSES Priority Pages