The dictionary defines “discrete” as, ‘individually distinct, separate, discontinuous.” For most of us, our education primarily taught us how to function with separate, discontinuous things (in ways that helped one to be triumphant and successful). For millions of years, we have been functioning largely on the basis of performance and manipulation involving separate things. The fact is, however, that not one thing in our existence is truly distinct, truly separate. Such distinction and separation is only illusory and unreal. It is like the left hand thinking that it is separate from the right hand; it is like you thinking that you are separate from the people in another so-called country.
We distinguish things by making distinctions according to their attributes and properties. That is a function of the thinking process. However, the thinking process is geared toward survival, pleasure, individual success, and fulfilling essential needs; it is not geared toward perceiving the truth, perceiving the whole. In a truly wise and intelligent person, thinking occurs when it is necessary for fulfilling basic, essential needs, but it is often left in the background while deeper, holistic perception occurs. (There is no legitimate technique or man-made method — that involves time — that can take you to that pristine, timeless dimension.) Deep perception exists beyond the cold, fragmentary nature of thought/thinking. (Mere thinking basically sees things in only piecemeal ways.) With deep perception comes intense compassion, caring, and the lack of indifference.
Tom's Nature-up-close Photography and Mindfulness Blog 
How does one stop thinking and start perceiving, Tom? It seems impossible to stop your thoughts for more than a minute or so.
Well, Harini, for one thing, they are not your thoughts. They are thoughts manifesting as what you are. And there is no “how.” There is (in truth) no separate entity that is going to stop thinking. My suggestion would be that, without methods, just observe (without a separation between the observer and the observed). Continually clinging to that (learned) separation involves time. Observation without that separation does not involve time (or methodology). 🙂
Thanks, Tom. I think I dimly comprehend. Maybe some day 😇
🙂 You may understand more than you think!
As a whole Tom we’ve been conditioned to be fragmentary, separate and illusionary. I love your statement, “We distinguish things by making distinctions according to their attributes and properties.” This can send us spiraling into a state of privilege and superiority when comparing others to ourselves.
Very thought-provoking piece my friend. 😉❤😊
So glad you are seeing things here, Kym. 🙂 Yes, many people utilize attributes and properties in order to boost their ego and self-image. It’s kindergarten stuff, mentally. There are plenty of those kinds of people out there!… Teehee. 🙂
Tom, I couldn’t agree with you more my friend. All you have to do is look around and it blows your mind how many people are out there who think that way. We just can’t let any of that rub off on us or else it will destroy us and our vision by conditioning our thinking and mindsets. Hugs and smooches my friend! 🤗❤😘🦋
Yes, Kym, we shouldn’t let those goofballs rub their conditioned insanity off onto us. 🙂
I don’t think we have been separating for millions of years – Native peoples never did… but now that we live split lives we have lost our souls.
Sara, my good friend Tom, who does COAs on Native American artifacts, has plenty of artifacts used for fighting other human beings (from times prior to when the Europeans came over to slaughter the people already living here). There was a lot of cooperation and a lot of quarreling and fighting, just like with other past and current groups. And a lot a Native Americans butchered Mammoths in excess. Feeding your family is one thing, but killing such highly intelligent and social animals is not what i admire in the least.
I loved to see these words: “With deep perception comes intense compassion, caring, and the lack of indifference.”🌷
Yes, Nancy… and it’s true… 🙂
Cool close up of your aunt, Tom! She has a colorful personality.
Thanks, Siobhan, i have a lot of aunts… tons of them really! 🙂
Do they go marching one by one and say “Hurrah” and “Hooray?” 😀
🙂
I agree with you, Tom. As we free ourselves from the grip that our language-based abstractions impose on us, we begin to feel closer to the process level of reality where everything connects deeply and seamlessly to everything else. When we shut up and stop talking and thinking overmuch, we might even begin to respect the wonderful interrelatedness of the apparently separate parts of the cosmos. But, I’m afraid, many would be hesitant to do that because it would disrupt their view that we are somehow exceptional creations.
Yes, some think that humans, as a species, are so much better, so much so that they envisage Gods in the form of man. It’s a form of egotism really, and worship of the self (or self-like) is always riddled with separation and deception.
A non-philosophical question … is Aunt Better related to Brown Betty? She is a lovely shade of mahogany. Silly me needs new glasses as I only ever see black ants. 🙂
Yes, Linda, she is a lovely shade of mahogany! Glad you see some beauty there! Tee-hee! There are many brownish or mahogany ants out there! Look closely. 🙂
I was surprised to see that Tom – I will pay better attention to them going forward. Instead of stop and smell the roses … bend down and examine the ants. Nature is full of wonder – I hope we can preserve nature as we’ve always known it and not squander what we have left.