Expectations & Experiences
Our expectations influences our experiences in many ways. It filters how we perceive it, it helps us interpret it, and it can give rise to appreciation, neutrality or aversion to whatever we experience.
For instance, whenever there are multiple streams of experiences existing simultaneously - as described in the previous posting - we can relate to it in either of these three ways.
If I have a view of appreciation of the multiple streams, including those who are at each end of any polarity, then I am likely to welcome the experience(s) and have a sense of appreciation and gratitude for it, whatever it may be.
If I want life to be simple and either/or, then I may get distressed or confused, and create a sense of struggle. I will try to "clean it up" and push away whatever does not fit, whatever I see as not desirable in any way. So in addition to whatever streams are already there, I will come in and create a sense of struggle and confusion.
If neither of these are present, there is just a sense of neutrality - allowing anything to come and go with not much reactions or interference.
The first is more typical for us when we are familiar with Big Mind and a more deeply transdual view, and in our daily life. We welcome the multiple streams in and they trigger appreciation and gratitude.
The second is typical when our view is still quite dualistic, when we are still mostly identified as a human self, split the world up in good/bad etc. and take those preferences quite seriously. Here, we not yet very familiar with the clear and aware space which (already) allows anything in the world of form to unfold, including any situation and this human self's responses to it. We are not yet familiar with allowing the center of gravity to shift into this.
The third is more typical during meditation, where we rest in/as formless awareness and allow anything in the world of form to come and go as guests.