What do you see in this image? Two faces or a vase? Hopefully if you look carefully, you can see both.
You may notice that it isn’t easy to hold both images in the mind at the same time. This is because typically we either place our attention on the faces or the vase and have to work a bit harder to see both images simultaneously.
What this simple image demonstrates beautifully is that two or more seemingly opposite things can be ‘true’ at the same time. This is known as a both/and perspective rather than either/or way of seeing the world.
It also shows us that the same event can be perceived differently by viewers, and that to truly empathise with another person often takes some mental and emotional effort.
It is concepts such as these, along with plenty of practical examples, that we explore in my Courageous Conversations workshop. Get in touch to find out more!