I received my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Linguistics from UC Santa Cruz. Linguistics is a funny sort of science, as it is based on empirical data (corpora of real linguistic utterances from real speakers of real languages), yet at the same time the theoretical models that it generates are, on the whole, not meant to reflect the actual physiological and neurological processes that are generating those data. That is to say, except for in specific cases, theoretical linguistics does not generate theories about what the brain itself is doing, it models language generation as an object.

All of this is to say that my formal education trained me in building abstract models (almost like mental machines or programs) of real world phenomena. Making models in my head of how things might be working, refining the model when presented with new data, proceeding as though that model were true until presented with new data that doesn’t fit the model, and constantly looking for data that the model doesn’t predict are deeply ingrained habits now.

What I have noticed recently is that this habit of refining my mental models of how complicated systems work is one of the most powerful spiritual practices I have. We all have core models of how we perceive the Universe to work. Some of these models are functional because they predict useful things for us, such as “I believe that gravity will keep me attached to the Earth.” This belief is accurate enough to serve most people in most circumstances. If you’re an astronaut or rocket scientist, this is not a functional enough model of the Universe for your daily life, because your daily life involves forces that are great enough to overcome gravity’s ability to keep you attached to the Earth.

Some of the models we hold are less functional. I suspect we’ve all met people who carry models that include beliefs like “everyone who loves me will eventually betray me,” and others who use models that include beliefs like “the Universe is conspiring to shower me with blessings.” The thing about models of complex systems (such as, for instance, the Universe!) is that they tend to be self-reinforcing. People who believe on a core level that everyone that they love will betray them will tend to disregard evidence to the contrary as being outlying and insignificant data (if they even notice it at all) and use any evidence that supports their belief to reinforce their model of reality as being correct.

This is what brings me to my real point about my spiritual practice: we are all operating, eventually, only on models of reality. Our minds aren’t capable of conceiving of the totality of the Universe all at once and making all of our decisions from that understanding, so we model reality based on our experiences. Having a model of reality that explicitly includes its own constant revision and refinement by the actively seeking data that lies outside of the model’s ability to handle them creates an ever-expanding model which is capable of dealing with ever-greater and more complex circumstances.

I don’t know about you, but I’d like every experience I have to reinforce the idea that the Universe is a pretty good place to be, so I have intentionally structured my model of reality to be more like “the Universe is conspiring to get me what I want” and less like “the Universe screws me over consistently.” How have I been doing this? I consistently look for patterns of synchronicity, of getting what I need when I need it, and of always having what I need. I spend time picking through difficult and painful experiences to find the exact way in which the painful event was actually, somehow, exactly what I really wanted, and then I made a conscious and concerted decision to stay focused on the good I was getting from the experience. This not only keeps the pain or hurt valid and real (instead of dismissing or ignoring it), but it charges it with the power to transform my life even further into what I want. My model of reality is no more accurate than someone who believes the Universe is out to get them; the Universe is infinite, and all models that remain experientially consistent are, for all intents and purposes, equally accurate. My model just feels nicer to me than I imagine models that hinge upon the idea that the Universe is a horrible place to be would feel.

What beliefs do your models of reality contain? Do you like what they’re getting you, experientially?

Recommended Reading:

Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia, by Rob Brezsny