The Lens of Perception

December 1, 1987
Bennett's metaphor for each human being's own way of looking at life is a "lens.'' He shows how this concept is useful in understanding relationships, careers and life itself. For example, he outlines exercises for seeing the world through someone else's lens as a way of resolving conflicts. He also describes the world's great traditions as attempts to correct the lens's distortion: science tries to right things by ``objectivizing'' the world through statistics, double-blind studies and the like while Oriental religion seeks to clear the lens by ceasing its activity. Bennett's preferred approach is the shamanic tradition (and what he sees as its modern continuation, Jungian analysis), which interprets the lens's dreams and visions to guide one through life. Bennett's ideas are intelligent and well-stated. One may disagree with himbut, then again, one's lens is not his. This is Bennett's third book in the Field Guides to Inner Resources series.