Most problems can be solved, goals reached, if we have the courage to get out of our cage…self-imposed limitations in our thinking…and explore the abundant universe waiting to assist us.
What is universal perspective? It’s a creative, objective, systematic approach to solving problems. Universal perspective is the opposite of a closed belief system, which promotes its way of dealing with problems as the only way regardless of the results. It’s accepting helpful ideas wherever they come from, and truly solving our problems…ideas from world religions and cultures, history, science, psychology, philosophy, and so forth.
For me, approaching problems from a universal perspective was much easier said than done. I’m Sue Wilson, author of “To Heaven Through Hell, A Book About Challenging and Changing Destructive Religious Beliefs”. In the book I share my struggle to break free from a very rigid, controlling religious organization. I lost a lot in the struggle, as the title of the book implies, but the gains far outweighed the losses. On this website I’ll share the main strategies and resources that helped me become free to think for myself and solve my problems instead of trying to live with them or escape from them through addictive or excessive activities. Whether you’re dealing with religious issues, health problems, difficulties in relationships, financial set-backs or any other type of problem, you’ll find many helpful ideas on this website. I hope you’ll try some of them and that you’ll share your struggles and successes with others on the same journey to a happier, more peaceful, productive life.
The raccoon photo series above, and the text surrounding it, present the universal perspective philosophy in a nutshell. This banner will appear at the beginning of each section to reinforce this powerful concept. Here’s a quote from “To Heaven Through Hell” that tells the story behind the photos.
“It was April already. I knew I’d have to let my pet raccoon Rhonda go soon if she were to survive in nature by herself. The crawdads, minnows, and frogs were abundant in the marshes of the nature reserve and there were lots of birds’ eggs and plants for her to eat. She’d need some time to learn to fend for herself before her first winter out of captivity.
I let her go one Sunday morning. I got up early and went outside to sit in the chair by her cage…to talk to her like I often did. I told her I knew she was unhappy by herself and things just hadn’t worked out for us the way I’d planned. I wanted her to stay with me for the rest of her life, but I assured her she’d love it where I was taking her and be able to find a mate and do all the things raccoons are really supposed to do.
I coaxed her into a small cage with some Cheetos, her favorite snack. She was her usual comical self, climbing in, then back out, taking her sweet time. I finally got her to stay in the little cage long enough to close the door and carry her to my truck. My friend Theresa drove with me to the reserve forty miles away.
When we found the creek leading down to the marsh, we unloaded the cage, put it on the banks, and opened the door. Rhonda had never been free in her whole life, so she wasn’t sure what was happening. She began to scratch the moist sand beneath her cage, but made no effort to leave. She looked around her curiously at the big trees and the water outside. It took her thirty minutes to climb out of the cage and walk down to the creek.
I showed her the canister of pet food I’d brought as I put it under a big tree. Then I went over to the other side of the creek so she could go without further distractions.
She explored the mossy waters near the edge of the creek, then waded all the way in and swam slowly toward the marsh. I’d cried all morning, but now felt a peace and acceptance. As she disappeared into the distance, I reminded myself that I, too, would be free one day to be everything I was made to be.” (Pages 142-143, April 1986)
