Clarity in terms of the mind. What does it mean? Have you ever pondered over it or considered it deeply and seriously? Most people have not pondered over it. The dictionary defines clarity as: ‘The quality of being coherent;’ it also defines it as: ‘The quality of purity.’ Coherency in minds, in the manner we are writing about, means order. If the mind has significant fears, prejudices, beliefs (which tend to separate and divide people), and is tied down to dead (though fully accepted) second-hand traditions, is that order? If one is at all honest… a mind harboring many of such things — as what it actually “is” — probably is not of order.
Purity (in terms of mental clarity) likely means that the mind is not heavily conditioned, that the mind has not been deeply molded and contaminated by others. It means that the mind can look in a pristine way, beyond what was spoon-fed into it. Pretty much all of us were spoon-fed (mentally) from the day we were born. And most of us fully accept what was poured into us, because it is so very easy to do so. Most like the easy way, the run-of-the-mill way. It is so easy to fit in and to do as everyone else does and to think as everyone else does. It is so very comfortable. We love to imitate; “everyone else is doing it; it must (therefore) be safe and right.” But is it?
Here it is being suggested that a lot of what they pumped into us may be very fundamentally wrong and highly erroneous. Even the very fundamental nature of time that they gave us may be very wrong and largely fallacious. The very nature of our relationship — that they spoon-fed into us — involving thoughts and involving each other… may be very fallacious and not of real and true order. So what is one to do? A disorderly mind, seeking order, will usually find (and discover) according to that disorder. Non-clarity (i.e., non-coherency) cannot easily perceive clarity and order. (Innumerable minds of disorder often cling to primitive, fragmentary traditions of disorder, ardently claiming they are of order; then the endless wars and conflicts between groups of opposing people — with their separate ideologies — continue and go on and on.)
Real clarity may mean standing alone beyond all of the contamination. It may mean that one — without depending upon others — has to work diligently to see (for oneself) what is actually taking place. It likely involves seeing beyond what was poured into you; it likely involves asking the right questions (that are serious and of great meaning to life, wholeness, and dignity). It likely involves seeing beyond all of the second-hand patterns and endless words, labels, and feelings of individual separation (from others). It likely does not involve mere blind conformity, unquestioning acceptance, allegiance, or being mesmerized by authorities (by groups) and their ideas. There are even classes on mindfulness or on meditation that (through various systems and methods) purportedly get you to be mindful or get you to meditate. However, methods and systems just make the mind more imitative, more robotic, more second-hand, and more residual.
Clarity is purity, (plain and simple). It is not about being adulterated by the ordinary and the run-of-the-mill. In clarity is great beauty, love, and eternity. But don’t take my word for it. Find out. To find out there has to be great order of the mind, but not order according to what authorities say, not order according to some second-hand, man-made structures. (Or perhaps you just want to go on blindly accepting, adhering, and repeating the same old things.) It is so very easy to repeat and to fit in. It is altogether a different story when it comes to real purity, deep awareness, and profound coherence.
Tom's Nature-up-close Photography and Mindfulness Blog 
Yes, clarity is a lonely business, and, I think, a brave one. Worthy of the expedition. That we would all aspire to it. Nice essay, Tom 🌷
It would be a much better world if we all would aspire to it (i.e., to being of clarity); but alas, the haze is vast. 🙂
Ain’t that the truth. The haze is definitely vast.
Excellent Post Tom!!!!! You know, as I was reading this post I immediately thought about how being in nature allows us to move beyond our cultural boundaries if we allow that nature is sentient, ancient, and wise in the ways of the earth on a level we can’t comprehend but can experience none the less. Otherwise – at least for me – I get stuck in old thinking, old patterns blah blah blah – you know the story – I am not a fan of meditating – and agree that these two are systems too – just as confining in their own way…. “Being” seems to be key but shutting down a blathering mind is the challenge – for me, nature helps to shut that thing down. Thanks !
Yes, thank you, Sara. I’m glad you saw something in the post.
I wouldn’t be concerned too much about shutting down the blathering mind. Who or what is going to shut it down more?… another extension of itself? And therein the battle (or conflict) begins… one part against another part. Beyond any kind of effort, just watch what takes place.
Nature has an innate wisdom that man is largely apart from these days!
🙂
I do watch what takes place! Once I’m fully engaged with nature – I’m no longer blathering like an idiot – what a relief. You make me laugh when you say who is going to shut down the garbage – well we know its not us!.
Yes, there is no separate controller (in and “as” consciousness to shut the noise down) and there is no perceiver separate from the perceived. Some people might deem that frightening, but it isn’t. 🙂
I was curious to see what clarity was in the numbers and it’s a double eternity symbol and also the same number as poison. It’s hard to have clarity in this world with so many worlds battering up against conformity.
poison ” in the English Ordinal system equals 88
“clarity” in the English Ordinal system equals 88
Forget numbers, symbols, and systems… and look at the real thing, not some manmade numerical fabrications.
🙂
Stimulating read – no arguments from me – observation: “Real clarity may mean standing alone beyond all of the contamination? Perhaps the Zen hermits came close. But I suspect absence of other humans is itself a form of contamination. My hunch is that I’ve experienced brief flashes of clarity – always spontaneous, not contrived – and I acknowledge “hunch” is possibly as assured as I’ll ever get. But I love reading this! Thank you for posting.
Great that you see something here, Jazz; thank you. 🙂 And deep clarity may be beyond mere experience… so it may be taking place without one “knowing” it. The magic of clarity is not merely what operates in the field of the known. (Thank goodness!) 🙂
Love this: “Real clarity may mean standing alone beyond all of the contamination. It may mean that one — without depending upon others — has to work diligently to see (for oneself) what is actually taking place. It likely involves seeing beyond what was poured into you.”
I am very clear about this. So true Tom! Thought-provoking! 🤯😱☺
I’m very appreciative that you’ve seen something meaningful in the post. And, like what was written to Jazz, deep clarity is often beyond the mere field of the known. Clarity’s magic goes beyond mere experience and recognition. (Thank goodness!) 🙂
Absolutely Tom! I couldn’t have expressed it better! Stay well and safe my friend. 🤗
I can relate well to your post, and it provides food for thought. As always, I will come back and re-read for a greater comprehension. Just as an aside, regarding your awesome fungi photo accompanying this post, it is one of the few that have carcinogenic spores, and care should be taken not to breath in the spores. Regards, Gaye Drady
One thing stands out more than others regarding being spoon (or force) fed whilst growing up, is everything regarding religion. I explored the Christian religion personally at one stage when I was looking for help, and came away astounded by the mere blind following that appeared to be happening. You mention ‘asking questions’ – well, I asked questions, but there were no meaningful or logical answers forthcoming. I don’t think anyone else in that congregation asked questions.
Living with authenticity (individuality) requires walking a path alone (or mostly alone). This does not mean ‘loneliness’. I am in the process (lengthy and somewhat difficult) of letting go of people and habits that no long are worthwhile to the path I travel. And of course I am ridiculed, and shunned. But that’s OK. I know I am on the right track.
Thank you for sharing your insightful perspective. Gaye
Thanks, Gaye; i’ll be careful about not breathing in any spores from this type of fungi.
Well, Gaye, I was brought up Catholic, but no longer belong to any organized (so-called) religion. At one time, for a short while, i attended Quaker gatherings. In those Quaker discussion groups, questions were asked and things were much more natural… though still quite limited.
Yes, walking alone does not mean loneliness. The dictionary shows that the root meaning of alone is “all one.” It can be a real joy to perceive the coherence in everything and to stand alone away from all of the social brainwashing and escapes. Too many of us are afraid of aloneness and then run off into innumerable escapes and entertainments. Stay perceptive and inquisitive. 🙂
Thank you Tom 🙂
It is always better to march to the beat of your own drum – time gives you the ease to go with what makes you tick, what makes you “you” and eschew what everyone else does, though it takes a while to conclude this is the way to go, i.e. try to tell that to a teenager. Speaking of fungi – people here are excited for Morel mushrooms which are beginning to show up.
Yes, it is better to march to the beat of your own drum. We have to be careful, though, about possibly presuming that we are marching to something unique (when, all the while, it may be that we are marching the way in which we were conditioned to march).
Morel mushrooms… so cool! 🙂 They look so different from the regular mushrooms; they march to their own drum! Be extra careful about ticks if you go looking for some. Those little nasties can come out early.
Well, that is true. As to the morels, I’ve never gone picking mushrooms and I never see the unusual ones that you and Andy Finnegan do – especially Andy, with the red ones with the white polka dots. I hear the ticks will be bad this year as we had a mostly mild Winter. Ticks are early in the UK too – Andy just had a blog post that he came home with two of them, having gone through a forested area where deer had gone through in search of photos.
Yes, Linda, i had read Andy’s blog the other day and i warned him to be extra careful about ticks. My cousin Karen got Lyme Disease and it sure did a serious number on her. She went into severe arthritis and became very lethargic. She did not even live by any woods and caught the ticks in her (tree-less) yard just by kneeling while doing vegetable gardening. Birds can carry ticks and they can be just about anywhere worldwide.
I enjoyed this post Tom, especially this: “Real clarity may mean standing alone beyond all of the contamination”. But who of us is beyond contamination? Very hard indeed.
Beautiful image 🙂
I think, Sylvia, that a few are (or have been) — to a large extent — beyond the contamination. Walt Whitman, for instance, was truly beyond influence (and he was oftentimes of tremendous, joyous insight). Leaves of Grass is full of stuff about nature and the beauty of things, and between some of the endless things that he poetically writes about, there occurs poetic verse of immense insight and perception. Professor David Bohm, whom i used to have one-on-one conversations with, was quite serious too.
Thanks about the image. 🙂
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When my mind is fresh just when wake up in the morning, the Lord often gives me a word … A few months ago, both the words “clarity” and “candor” came: It’s what He desires in His people, and you have given us both in this excellent post. Thank you and God bless you.
❤️Michele
Thanks, Michele, but anthropomorphic tendencies (especially ones that consist of a sexual-gender format regarding some deity) are the self-projections of a heavily conditioned mind.
I once was an atheist Tom, just like you, but when I found myself in a desperate situation, I screamed at the top of my lungs: “God HELP me!” to the God I didn’t believe in. He manifested His presence and I experienced the greatest peace and love I’ve ever known. He’s real Tom. He’s risen from the dead and He loves you…. Me, too, even though I don’t know you. I feel Him loving you through me and bless you with all my heart.
❤️Michele
Michele, you seem to be good at making wild assumptions. I am not an atheist. People who label other people as “atheists”, when those particular people are not atheists, have issues.
Making assumptions is truly an issue that I must deal with and will especially seek the Lord’s help now. Being corrected by you was humbling, but needed and I thank you very much for it Tom.
I believe that we all have issues and assumptions to work on and love the scripture in Psalm 138:8 that assures us that God will perfect what concerns us.
It’s my hope that you will read this article from the MIT Press Reader: “Why you can “hear” words inside your head” BBC Future (neuroscience), thoughts do have a voice. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200929-what-your-thoughts-sound-like
You might realize that God speaks to you in YOUR thoughts, too.
Blessings and love,
❤️Michele
Whts this flower?
Mushroom 🍄?
Yes, Siva, it is a type of mushroom… or fungus. One would like to suggest that reading what i have been writing about is far more important and worthwhile than learning about flowers or mushrooms. Real learning involves wisdom and great seriousness… and it is a joy!
Indeed Tom
🙂