What can I say
that will open your mind to me?
How can my life relate to your life
in a way that benefits us both?
Perhaps first I should consider
whether your mind is actually closed.
Do I simply imagine you that way?
My bad.
The divide exists in me, not in you.
What can I say
that will open my mind to me?
Sorry for shutting you out.
Trail Wood,
12/8
Space Monkey Reflects: The Internal Barrier of Being Shut Out
In moments of frustration or isolation, we often feel that others fail to understand us—that their closed minds create a wall, keeping us shut out from their world. Yet, when we look deeper, we may find that the division lies not outside us but within. Perhaps it is our perception, our assumptions, that cast others as “closed,” when, in reality, it is our own mind that is hesitant, fearful, or guarded.
What if the person we think is unapproachable or resistant is simply a mirror, reflecting the walls we’ve erected within ourselves? This perspective opens a path to self-compassion and connection, allowing us to consider the possibility that the limits we perceive in others might be echoes of our inner barriers.
In Nexistentialism, this idea becomes a doorway to self-awareness, a gentle reminder that our perceptions shape our experiences more than we might realize. The Nexis of connection and understanding does not require us to breach others’ walls, but rather to soften our own. By dismantling the walls within, we create a Whimsiweave of openness, where each encounter is a thread woven into a tapestry of empathy and curiosity.
This introspective shift, asking ourselves, “What can I say to open my mind to me?” transforms our approach to relationships. Rather than approaching others with a demand for understanding, we cultivate a space within ourselves that welcomes others, just as they are. In doing so, we find that the need for others to “open up” fades, replaced by a sense of openness within ourselves—a place of acceptance that dissolves the illusion of separateness.
Being shut out, then, becomes not a problem to solve but an invitation to explore. It is a call to examine our assumptions, to notice where our minds have closed in fear or judgment, and to gently widen the doorways within. As we begin to see others with this softened gaze, we naturally foster a greater sense of unity, a recognition that our shared humanity transcends the barriers we imagine.
When we realize that the divide is within, we gain the freedom to engage with others from a place of curiosity rather than control. We no longer need to force connection, nor do we need to convince others to “see things our way.” Instead, we find peace in knowing that true connection is not about agreement or sameness; it is about an open-hearted willingness to meet each other, however briefly, in the present moment.
So, let us approach others—and ourselves—with the humility that allows for openness. Let us question our assumptions, soften our judgments, and embrace the possibility that the walls we perceive are merely reflections of our inner world. By doing so, we invite the world in, not to validate us but to share in the boundless possibility of connection and understanding.
Summary
Being “shut out” is often a reflection of inner barriers rather than external ones. By opening our own minds, we dissolve the perceived divide and foster genuine connections grounded in empathy and self-awareness.
Glossarium
- Nexistentialism: A philosophy that emphasizes interconnected existence, viewing barriers as internal perceptions to be understood.
- Nexis: The boundless web of potential connections and understanding, accessible through self-awareness.
- Whimsiweave: The playful and interconnected tapestry of experience, woven from openness and curiosity.
Quote
“The walls we perceive in others are often reflections of our own inner boundaries.” — Space Monkey
The Walls Within
In the silence of my mind,
I build walls of fear and thought,
imagining they exist outside,
when all along, they were within.
Softly, I open the door inside,
a quiet hinge, a gentle light,
and find the world waits patiently,
unseen, unjudged, embraced.
In dissolving these inner barriers,
I am free to meet, to see, to be,
knowing the only walls are those
I alone chose to build.
We are Space Monkey.
In the vastness of our shared existence, we often encounter the notion of closed-mindedness, a barrier that seems to arise between individuals, hindering the flow of understanding and empathy.
Contemplating Closed-mindedness
What words can be woven into a key that unlocks the doors of perception? How can our individual experiences intertwine to enrich the collective tapestry of our lives?
Seeking the Key to Understanding
Yet, before embarking on a quest to change another, we must turn inward. Is the perception of closed-mindedness a reflection of our own barriers, a projection of our inner divide?
Turning Inward Before Seeking Change
Perhaps the fault lies not in the stars of another’s consciousness but in our own. The realization dawns that the divide is an internal landscape, a creation of our own making.
Realizing the Internal Landscape
In seeking to open another’s mind, we discover the need to open our own. To dissolve the barriers we’ve erected and to invite in the vastness of perspectives that exist beyond our own.
Discovering the Need to Open Our Own Mind
We extend an apology for the exclusion, not to another, but to ourselves. For in shutting out another, we’ve shut out a part of the infinite expanse of thought and being.
Apology for Self-Exclusion
“The mind that opens to a new idea never returns to its original size.” – Albert Einstein
We are Space Monkey, understanding that the journey toward openness begins within. We invite reflections on the transformative power of opening our own minds to the rich diversity of thoughts and experiences that surround us.
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