Yes, good question, on asking "permission to see". This is hard to explain using a post, and I'm groping a little because I don't see all the time myself, so have no idea of that experience on a daily basis.
I feel, like there are two ways of seeing. One way, harmless and respectful, is simply to not hold onto any thoughts, judgments or conclusions about what I see in another person, especially strangers or acquaintances out in public. That is, let them go their own way without considering how they might be "healed" based on my thoughts about the condition of their energy field.
Another way, more intrusive and potentially disrespectful, is to focus in on a particular person, and either intentionally or compulsively subject them to the full power of my probing "sight", which in my case wouldn't be seeing colors, but rather generalized heart-knowing. This is more active, and can make the person feel as if they're being scanned or probed. In my earlier days as a Reiki Master, I unwittingly did this until I was asked to stop -- I didn't know such a thing was even possible, and someone thought I was doing it. This triggered some self-examination, and realization that I was being defensive with the world at large, and one way of compulsively protecting myself was to reach out intuitively to anyone who crossed my path, to see whether they might hurt me or not.
This realization led me to the practice of letting my eyeballs settle calmly in their sockets, rather than straining out to "see" any threats. As I learned this practice, I felt more peace in going about in the world. I also, interestingly, took a different approach with my clients as far as relaying intuitions that arose during treatments. I started to give them more options, to let me "see" or "not see", and not just automatically report any clear images that had come up.
The respectful way of seeing, I believe, will come naturally when I have reached a certain peace within myself. In fact, this peace grows all the time. The penetrating, focused way of seeing, I believe, has its place, when the situation is already one of a healing exchange happening, and the other person has already consented to that intimacy, usually in a safe and more private setting.
I speculate:
-when we SEE another person, body and aura, as a beautiful whole, nothing lacking, in harmony with the Universe, then that is respectful and true (regardless of how that person thinks of him/herself in that moment).
- When we SEE that person, and focus in on aspects that we find lacking or deserving of our compassionate fixing, then we are silently saying, "look, you are broken, you should want me to fix you", and that is untrue and disrespectful. In this second case, we are likely seeing something in the person that we feel is broken in ourselves, and focusing that projection on them is a great way to hide from our own fears.
This may be one manifestation of the fascinating journey of learning to see myself as whole, in harmony with all around me. While I continue on this journey, as a precaution of respect, I practice the settling eyeballs technique whenever I am in crowds. The more I learn of seeing myself as whole, I suspect, the less I'll need to remind myself to soften my stare.
It is such a challenge, when these things are new and wonderful, to let them be and not attach to them. For you, finality, after many years' practice, I suspect you are always respectful and know how to let them pass by.
Thank you and
Blessings,
Aronaya
