Seeing Is More Than Believing

Source: Image created using DALL E

Our perception of reality feels stable and objective. We assume that what we see, hear, and feel reflects the truth. But what if perception isn’t a direct recording of reality? What if it’s a projection shaped by past experiences, emotions, and even the physiological state of our hearts?

As a cardiac electrophysiologist, I spend my days treating the heart’s electrical system—mapping rhythms, restoring order to hearts in chaos. But in an unexpected moment, I experienced firsthand how the mind’s perception can be hijacked by past trauma.

One morning in the lab, mid-procedure, I felt an unfamiliar panic rise. My vision blurred. My heart pounded. My mind flooded with doubt: What if I fail? What if my hands stop working? Suddenly, I wasn’t in the OR anymore—I was back in Mumbai, standing over my father’s lifeless body.

Decades earlier, my father died of a sudden cardiac event while traveling overseas. I was in medical school at the time, blindsided by a call in the middle of the night. The helplessness of that moment remained buried—until it surfaced unexpectedly, triggered by my patient’s cardiac distress. My mind had collapsed time, reacting as if my father’s death was happening again.

The Brain’s Perception Machine

Neuroscience confirms that our brains don’t passively observe reality—they construct it. We interpret the world through cognitive shortcuts, shaped by memories and emotions. Trauma, in particular, rewires the brain’s response to stress. When triggered, the brain floods the body with adrenaline and cortisol, preparing for danger—even when none exists.

The heart plays a crucial role in this process. Research shows that the heart communicates with the brain more than the brain communicates with the heart. In high-stress states, heart rate variability (HRV)—a measure of autonomic flexibility—declines, reinforcing a distorted, fear-based perception.

Recalibrating Perception

If trauma and stress can warp reality, can we train the mind to see more clearly? The answer is yes. By engaging the heart, mind, and body together, we can retrain our perception.

1. Breathwork and HRV Training: Deep, controlled breathing activates the vagus nerve, shifting the nervous system from fight-or-flight to a calm, receptive state.
2. Cognitive Reframing: Identifying distorted thoughts and asking, Is this true? helps separate past trauma from present reality.
3. Social Connection: Isolation amplifies fear. Engaging with supportive relationships restores a balanced perspective.

Conclusion: Learning to See Clearly

Perception is not fixed—it is a mental projection influenced by past experiences and physiological states. While we cannot change the past, we can train ourselves to recognize when it distorts our present. Healing comes not from erasing trauma but from understanding how it shapes what we see—and choosing, with awareness, to see differently.